Classic chocolate bar from 80s to make UK comeback after 34 year absence

A chocolate
-Credit: (Image: Getty)


A beloved classic UK chocolate bar is making a nostalgic return after 34 years, leaving sweet-toothed fans ecstatic. In 1990, the name Marathon was controversially dropped in favour of Snickers, sparking complaints from confectionery aficionados ever since.

But now, Mars has announced it's rolling out a "special Marathon retro edition" across UK stores for a nostalgia trip. "We're excited to bring back the Marathon bar branding for a limited period," Senior Brand Manager Steve Waters told The Guardian.

"It's a great way to celebrate over 90 years of Mars making chocolate in the UK. We hope fans of Snickers, who remember when it was called Marathon, will enjoy picking it up in store."

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However, according to Metro, this sentimental throwback won't stick around for long. Morrisons will exclusively stock the Marathon-branded Snickers with limited-edition packaging until December, harkening back to its glory days between 1967 and 1990 a name familiar to generations of British kids.

Interestingly, the Snickers name predates Marathon by quite some stretch, having been introduced in the US back in 1930. Speculation has it that the bar received an alternative moniker in the UK because 'Snickers' humorously rhymes with 'knickers', reports Wales Online.

This quirk remained till Mars unified its product names globally in 1990. A quick scan of social media reveals a positive public sentiment towards the classic name's fleeting revival.

Richard Oliver responded to the news with a sense of relief, jokingly stating: "Just need Opal Fruits, Jif, and Bounty (the paper towel) to sort their lives out and all will be well again! ".

Twitter user @Sues_1001 commented: "OMG always has been and always will be a Marathon."

While @80s_Kidz expressed: "The Marathon bar will always be a MARATHON bar not a SNICKERS bar! ".

However, @TheRealCleoGib had a different perspective, saying: "It's too close to the word knickers to ever sound delicious. Do your UK market research, Mars! ".