At first they were novel, but now we hear so many people talk about how they burn candles every day. They have become an everyday activity. Even the recent concern over lead wicks hasn't dampened consumers' enthusiasm for the product. A small percentage of imported candles may include lead wicks. If anything, the lead scare may have improved business for U.S. manufacturers.
Many vendors see it as a simple matter of educating their consumers.
We haven't seen the uproar around it that some people expected. It all goes back to knowing your customer and educating them about the product. Part of knowing your customer includes recognizing his or her preference for scented or unscented candles. Paddywax created its unscented Linen collection to appeal to a different customer than the one who purchases the scented line. While the role of candles appears to be changing from a luxury to a necessity in consumers' eyes, the role of scent is changing as well.