Full Breakdown
1991 Mars Bar Discovery Fuels Shrinkflation Conversation
8/12/2026, 7:54:10 AM
Core Event
On August 5, Victoria Gordon, owner of the specialist cleaning firm Pocket Rockets, was clearing a hoarder’s house in Scunthorpe, England. While sorting boxes in a spare bedroom, she uncovered a Mars bar dated 1991.
Data & Statistics
The 1991 bar weighed 62.5 grams, which CP24 reports is 56 percent heavier than today’s 40-gram Mars bar. The size contrast has been highlighted as a tangible example of “shrinkflation,” the practice of reducing product size while maintaining price.
Official Statements & Responses
Mars, Inc. responded that the chocolate’s recipe has not changed.
Public Reaction & Impact
She remarked that people are “disgruntled about shrinkflation” and that the cost-of-living squeeze is “getting squeezed and squeezed more.” The discovery sparked widespread discussion about how manufacturers balance manufacturing costs with consumer expectations.
Verbatim Quotes
- “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.” — Mars spokesperson
- “We were clearing out a hoarder's house and everything we were rooting through was decades old.” — Scunthorpe. Victoria Gordon
- “Nobody had been in the bedroom for years, absolutely floor to ceiling with boxes and bags, and it took us two days to clear the whole room,” — Scunthorpe. Victoria Gordon
- “But even I was surprised about the size difference,” — Scunthorpe. Victoria Gordon
- “Like many food manufacturers, we continue to navigate unprecedented cost pressures across our operations and global supply chains,” — Mars Inc
