Mars Bar from 1991 found – and it's 20g bigger than today's
A 35-year-old Mars bar found in a UK house has become a springboard for broader complaints about “shrinkflation” — the quiet reduction of product sizes while prices stay the same or rise. Commenters contrast the heavier, simpler candy bars of the past with today’s smaller, often more processed versions, arguing this pattern now spans everything from crisps and ice cream to fast food portions and household goods. Some see slightly smaller junk-food servings as a public-health positive, but most focus on the loss of value and quality, blaming corporate incentives and weak regulation for steadily eroding what consumers get for their money.
Shrinkflation and motives
- Many see the size drop as classic shrinkflation: same (or higher) price for less product, done because raising sticker prices is more visible and unpopular.
- Some argue smaller candy portions are actually good from a public-health angle; others counter that this is driven by profit, not concern for obesity.
- Several note that Mars and others have informal calorie caps per “serving,” but also introduce “duo” or “king size” formats that encourage eating more.
Ingredients & product quality over time
- Multiple comments wonder how the 1991 bar’s ingredients compare to today’s, with mixed views:
- Some think 1990s food generally used “better” or less-processed ingredients.
- Others point out the 90s already had plenty of additives and lax oversight.
- There’s discussion of recipe downgrades: more cheap oils (palm/sunflower), corn syrup vs sugar, emulsifiers, and “chocolate-flavoured” products near the legal minimum of cocoa.
- One thread recalls a major 2002 UK Mars reformulation: from a heavy, dense bar that could substitute for a small meal to a lighter, Milky-Way‑like product.
Shrinkflation beyond Mars bars
- Users list many examples: ice cream tubs shrinking from ½ gallon to 1.5 qt, breakfast cereal boxes thinning, potato chip bags with more air, fast‑food burgers and buns getting smaller, pizza and bread quality declining, flimsy packaging, and “frozen dairy dessert” replacing ice cream.
- Some note exceptions where size stayed but “overrun” (air) or filler increased.
- Others say this is very visible once you start comparing old vs new packaging or portions.
Regulation, transparency, and consumer choice
- EU/UK unit‑price rules (price per kg/L) are praised for exposing shrinkflation; similar per‑unit tags exist in the US but are less prominent and sometimes inconsistent.
- Several argue for stricter rules on standard sizes and minimum quality to curb deceptive downsizing; others prefer “vote with your wallet” and buying from higher‑quality or local producers.
- A recurring complaint is that consolidated brand ownership and opaque labeling make “voting with your wallet” hard.
Broader economic and cultural themes
- Many see shrinkflation as part of wider “enshittification”: everything from candy to airline seats and restaurant service gets worse while official inflation feels understated.
- Some point to technology (TVs, computers, phones) as a counterexample where value improved, though even there people note rising prices recently and software bloat offsetting hardware gains.
- A side thread compares US and European food: several say US mass‑market food is more processed, worse quality, and often more expensive than what they experienced in Europe.