Mars bringing back iconic chocolate bar decades after it vanished from shelves

Marathon bars are sprinting back into the UK market, temporarily shedding the Snickers moniker they've had since 1990. The nostalgic relaunch is part of Mars Wrigley's celebration of their 90-plus years in the UK, with the company expressing delight at the revival.

"We're excited to bring back Marathon for a limited period," the company said. Originally plated up by Mars in 1968, the Marathon bar was the British twin of its American predecessor Snickers, coined after a beloved family horse in 1930.

Joan Collins championed it in an iconic advert in 2012. A global alignment saw the UK versions rebranded as Snickers three decades ago.

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Now, Marathon joins the league of revered confections such as Wispa, Top Deck, and Caramac. All have previosly made their own sweet returns after absences from the market.

This throwback treat will be stocked exclusively at Morrisons until December, offering a taste of nostalgia for chocolate aficionados, reports the Mirror.

The phenomenon of changing product names has been a recurring theme over time.

Many products have also had name changes over the years. Here are just a few.

• In 1998, sweets Opal Fruits were rebranded as Starburst in 1998 to align with the global brand name:

• Household cleaning product Jif was renamed Cif in the UK in 2001 to align with the name used in other European countries.

• Meanwhile tropical fizzy drink Lilt was turned into Fanta Pineapple & Grapefruit last year, to make the drink part of the more popular Fanta range.

• Box out 10 Product and business name changes in the UK Interbank credit card to MasterCard, 1979

• Car maker Datsun to Nissan, 1983

• Sweets Opal Fruits to Starburst, 1998

• Oil of Ulay skincare to Olay, 1999

• Telecoms firm BT Cellnet to O2, 2001

• Cleaning product Jif to Cif, 2001

• Hair removal product Immac to Veet, 2003

• Chocolate Dime Bar to Daim bar, 2005

• Telecoms firm Orange to EE, 2012

• Lilt to Fanta Pineapple & Grapefruit, 2023