Morrisons shoppers are just realising an axed chocolate bar is back on sale – but they’re all saying the same thing
MORRISONS shoppers are all saying the same thing about an axed chocolate bar that’s back on sale.
Mars rebranded the iconic bar in 1990 but it has returned to supermarket shelves for a limited time under the old name.
Marathon bars were renamed Snickers over 30 years ago to bring the branding in line with the US.
But Mars has launched a limited edition version of the bar with the old Marathon branding.
Shoppers have been able to pick up the bar, made up of nougat, caramel and nuts wrapped in milk chocolate, from Morrisons for the last few weeks.
A four-pack of the retro 41.7g bars costs £1.95.
But some, commenting on a recent Facebook post by the retailer, have only just realised – and they’re all saying one thing.
Morrisons’ post from yesterday reads: “Feeling nostalgic? The marathon bar is back and exclusive to Morrisons!
“Available in store and online. Limited stock, run don’t walk.”
Commenting on the post, plenty of shoppers have commented questioning the size of the limited edition bar.
One joked “are they the original size too?” while another commented “hope it’s gone back to the original size as well then”.
And a third quipped: “Are they the same original size or snack size.”
Snickers bars have massively shrunk in size since their launch in the UK in 1968.
Even between 2012 and 2017, data from the Office for National Statistics revealed the popular bar had gone from 58g to 45g in size – a 22% drop – while keeping the price the same.
The tactic, known as shrinkflation, has been used by other chocolate makers to keep their profits ticking over.
History of Snickers
Snicker's history goes back almost 100 years to pre-World War Two times.
1930 – Snickers, named after a horse, launches for the first time in the USA for five cents.
1968 – Snickers launches in the UK under the name Marathon before being re-branded to Snickers in 1990.
2010 – The famous “You’re not you when you’re hungry” campaign and advert is created.
2019 – Snickers Crisps is launched combining puffed rice, chocolate, caramel and peanuts.
2021 – Snickers unveils its Creamy Peanut Butter flavour.
What is shrinkflation?
Shrinkflation is when manufacturers shrink the size or quantity of a product while keeping the price the same.
This means that consumers pay more per given amount.
Rising the price per gram is a strategy used by companies to stealthily boost profit margins or to cement them in times of rising production costs.
Companies will often engage in shrinkflation when their production costs begin to rise.
A heavy hit to profit margins may force the company to simply shrink its products rather than increase the price.
One of the best ways to notice shrinkflation is by spotting a redesign on the packaging or a new slogan.
This may mean the company has made a change and that change may just be the size of the product.
It is mainly seen in the food and beverage industries but can also happen in almost all markets.
It is a form of hidden inflation as shrinkflation often goes unnoticed by customers.
In recent weeks, pet owners have spotted that multipacks of Purina Felix Original cat food shrunk by 15%.
Popular milkshake makers Frijj has also been accused of milking customers by quietly shrinking the size of their milkshakes without slashing the price.
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