Leading article: Sweet memories

Some say a liberal is a conservative who has yet to be mugged. We say a conservative is someone who has had the packaging of their favourite sweets redesigned. Consider the dyspeptic resistance to the plans to change the packaging of the Sherbet Fountain. Consider too the fact that many otherwise sane adults still deeply resent the rechristening of the Marathon bar as Snickers, or the transformation of Opal Fruits into Starburst.

Just as the memories of childhood linger with extraordinary vividness into adulthood, so do the tastes. And prominent among those remembered tastes is that of sweets and confectionery. To confectioners, a redesign is a means of jazzing up a familiar product. But for some of their customers it is an outrageous assault on some of our fondest memories. Perhaps the solution is a "heritage" line of confectionery. How about letting the young at heart and sweet of tooth put their money where their mouth is?