Gummy bears (also gummi bears) are a gum-like confectionery that are shaped in the form of little teddy bears. Depending on the production methods, they can be similar to the UK jelly babies.
It can be assumed that the gummy bear originates from Germany where it is hugely popular under the name Gummibär (rubber bear). The German company Haribo first produced bear-shaped sweets in 1922 and introduced its Gold-Bear product in the 1960s. The success of gummy bears has spawned many gummy animals and objects: worms, frogs, hamburgers, etc.
The traditional gummy bear is made from natural ingredients: sugar, glucose syrup, starch, flavours, colors, citric acid and gelatin. There are also some types of gummi bears made with pectin instead of gelatin, making them suitable for vegetarians.
In the 1980s Disney produced a cartoon series called Adventures of the Gummi Bears.