Are Wagon Wheels smaller?

[Robert G]

Wagon Wheels seem to me to be smaller than when I was a child back in the fifties. Are they?

Or is it an illusion because I was smaller then?

Or did they go metric at some point and get downsized to conform to some European regulation?

[Narolines]

I didn't even know you could still get them. Mind you, I didn't much like them when I was a kid, so it doesn't really matter to me! In answer to your question, I suspect that, like Mars bars, they have actually now "downsized" for your "added convenience". Would a "funsize" (why "fun", for God's sake?) Wagon Wheel be a Wagon Castor?

[wendilla]

Yes I agree with you they were certainly bigger years ago

[MrsJo49155]

The Wagon Wheel Effect describes a phenomenon witnessed by over 90% of adults in the Western World as they move from childhood into adolescence and adulthood.

It usually works like this: one day you enter your local sweet shop and happen to notice they sell Wagon Wheels. Overcome by nostalgia for when your mother used to buy them for you, you get some but are horrified to discover they have shrunk! Not just shrunk, in fact, they seem to be tiny. It used to take you the best part of an hour to eat a Wagon Wheel; it was a meal in itself. Now you can pop the whole thing into your mouth in one go. Your mind fills with disgust at the greedy confectionery corporations who have conspired to make smaller and smaller sweets as you have gotten older. As if inflation isn't bad enough, they have to go and do this as well...

Of course the reality is much harder to accept - it is your grubby paws and salivating mouth that have got much larger; Wagon Wheels are the same size they always were, more or less.

[halfadaily]

walnut whips and cadbury's cream eggs have gotten smaller as well. A case of price inflation, size deflation.

[tubeway]

I used to work for Burtons Biscuits - who made Wagon Wheels - and yes they are smaller. When I was growing up I always thought that they were a bit stale too - but they are supposed to be like that

[Robert G]

Thanks, everyone. So I didn't imagine it. They are smaller than they once were.

MrsJo49155: While I therefore disagree with your last statement, I like your term 'The Wagon Wheel Effect' very much. I wonder if there was an earlier term with the same meaning which has become generally accepted, or whether you've just invented the first one?

BTW. Can anyone really pop a whole Wagon Wheel in their mouth in one go?

[natalie_1982]

I think others of this generation may also recognise the Wagon Wheel effect (I like it Mrs Jo!) on other 80's baby's products with particular reference to Monster Munch and Skips.

[MrsJo49155]

now the real culprits of reduction in size are black jacks!! Now when you finally open the wrapper (very difficult as they seem to be stickier than they ever were in the 70s!) there is hardly any sweet left to eat!

[halfadaily]

I didn't know that black jacks were still made. What about fruit salads and flying saucers? I remember getting a big bag of all the above for 6d (2 � p). Now I'm showing my age!

[Greedyfly]

I think eveything has gotten smaller food wise - monster munch especially - they used to be huge now there tiny.

[MrsJo49155]

yep you can still get fruitsalads and flying saucers...but I dont seem to be able to find any on the net for 6d! Most of them are 1p each now!

[PhilBy]

It is a question I finally got the answer to when I visted The Beamish Museum. Viewing a 1940/50's local shop which was stocked out with genuine period products including Wagon Wheels & by comparison the original biscuit was HUGE!

If anyone ever fancies taking a walk back in time then a visit to the Beamish Museum is a must.

http://www.beamish.org.uk/

[PhilBy]

I remember Black Jacks when they were 4 a 1d or 2 for a ha'penny :-)

[tiger104]

Or is it us getting bigger ?

Yes ive noticed that too.....