Brits in Middle of Gummy Mess

LONDON — Things have gotten sticky as two U.S. companies battle for big shares of Britain’s chewing gum market. After Warner Lambert complained that sales representatives from Wrigley were removing display cases of Dentyne and Clorets from stores, the government obtained assurances from Wrigley that the practice would stop.

Wrigley controls 88% of the British market but has seen Warner Lambert chewing up a bigger piece of the action recently. Warner Lambert has the other 12%, about double the company’s market share of five years ago.