Something to chew on: Gum makes a comeback as Americans unmask

As Americans mingle more following the worst days of the COVID-19 pandemic, they’re also chewing more gum to keep their breath minty fresh, buying 15 million more packs in May than in January.

Chewing gum, coming off a brutal year for retail sales, is back in demand as Americans start taking off their masks — and don’t always like what they smell. As restrictions ease and vaccination rates rise, U.S. gum sales have recently started rising, data from NielsenIQ show. The nascent turnaround follows two straight years of declines for the 12-month periods ended in May, a signal consumer behavior is slowly returning to normal.