A 35-year-old Mars Bar unearthed during a house clearance in Scunthorpe has ignited a widespread online conversation about the downsizing of chocolate bars and the trend known as “shrinkflation”.
During a cleaning job at a local property, a cleaning company owner stumbled upon the unusual item, drawing the public’s eye with social media posts that highlighted the noticeably larger size of the vintage Mars Bar when compared with those sold today.
A Tangible Case of “Shrinkflation”
The Mars Bar discovered weighed in at 62.5g, a notable difference from the current 40g version, making it a clear illustration of how the size of familiar products has decreased through the years. This particular chocolate bar—past its best-before date from 1991—was found during an extensive clean of a Scunthorpe property in East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.
Victoria Gordon, owner of the cleaning business responsible for the clear-out, came across the chocolate while working in a house that had been owned by a hoarder. On BBC Radio Lincolnshire, Gordon described the moment she noticed the bar’s impressive dimensions: “It was nearly the whole length of my hand. I was like, ‘Wow, look at the size of that!’”
On social media, Gordon posted a side-by-side photo of the aged Mars Bar and a modern equivalent. The post swiftly went viral, sparking lively online debate about “shrinkflation”—the trend where products get smaller even though their prices remain unchanged—and the impact of increasing production costs on these changes.
The Mars Bar Legacy and Corporate Background
Produced by American giant Mars, Incorporated, Mars Bars belong to a lineup that features global brands such as Celebrations, Galaxy, M&Ms, Maltesers, Hotel Chocolat, in addition to Dreamies, Hubba Bubba, Pedigree, and Whiskas.
Dating back to its initial production in 1932 in Slough, Berkshire—a manufacturing site that remains active—Mars Bar’s origins trace to Mars, Incorporated, established by Frank C Mars in Minnesota in 1883, now a massive multinational corporation with a wide-ranging portfolio.
Responding to the social media frenzy, a Mars spokesperson explained: “Over the last 35 years, we have made a number of updates to our bar sizes and pack formats to reflect consumer demand, alongside considering wider external factors such as manufacturing costs and the price of cocoa.”
From Overlooked Snack to Viral Phenomenon
Victoria Gordon, who manages Pocket Rockets cleaning company, remains unsure what to do with her extraordinary discovery. “I do post some hoarding videos but I’ve never had anything go this viral. It’s so fascinating what people find so interesting. I almost put it in the skip [but] I might do a UK tour with it,” she shared.
Once left in the back of a cupboard and long forgotten, the 35-year-old Mars Bar has become the centerpiece of an online discussion and serves as a historical snapshot of changing consumer products. Its internet popularity underscores how shifts in routine goods continue to captivate and concern shoppers, especially amid ever-present debates about value and inflation.