A Mars Bar from 1991 discovered during a house clearance in Scunthorpe, United Kingdom, is significantly larger than those sold today [1, 2].
The discovery provides a physical example of shrinkflation, a practice where manufacturers reduce the size of a product while maintaining its price.
Victoria Gordon, a cleaning-service owner, found the vintage confectionery while clearing a home [1, 2]. The bar dates back 35 years to 1991 [3, 1]. When compared to a modern version of the same product, the difference in mass is stark.
The 1991 Mars Bar weighs 62.5 g [2]. In contrast, the modern Mars Bar used for the comparison weighs 40 g [2]. This makes the vintage bar 20 g larger than the current offering [2].
In percentage terms, the 1991 version is 56% larger than the bar found on shelves today [4]. This reduction in volume over three decades illustrates how consumer goods have shifted in size over time.
Shrinkflation often occurs subtly, making it difficult for consumers to notice the change during a single purchase. However, the side-by-side comparison of the two bars makes the loss of product evident, a visual representation of changing manufacturing standards and pricing strategies.
“The 1991 Mars Bar weighs 62.5 g”
This discovery highlights the long-term trend of shrinkflation, where companies offset rising ingredient and production costs by reducing product volume rather than increasing the retail price. By comparing a 35-year-old product to a current one, the scale of these incremental reductions becomes visible, reflecting broader economic shifts in the consumer goods industry.
