Cleaner finds 35-year-old Mars bar while tidying UK home — size difference stuns her
A British professional cleaner discovered a Mars chocolate bar produced in 1991 while clearing out an old home, and comparing it to a modern bar revealed a dramatic reduction in size. The video of her find went viral, sparking discussion about so-called "shrinkflation."
Victoria Gordon, a professional cleaner in the UK who specializes in helping clear out long-neglected and cluttered homes, made an unusual discovery while tidying up one such property: a Mars chocolate bar manufactured in 1991.
The find prompted her to compare the old bar with a modern one bought in a shop. The difference turned out to be significant — the retro bar weighed 62.5 grams, while today's version of the same product weighs just 40 grams.
Reaction to the discovery
Gordon said she was surprised by how large the size difference actually was, even though she knew older chocolate bars used to be bigger. She said that reducing a product's size while keeping the price similar or higher amounts, in her view, to misleading customers. She recalled that she had almost thrown the old bar away with other discarded items, but its size — nearly the length of her palm — caught her attention.
Price difference
According to the report, in 1991 such a large bar cost roughly 25 to 30 cents, whereas today consumers pay considerably more for a much smaller amount of chocolate.
Video goes viral
Footage of the discovery and the size comparison with a modern bar spread quickly online and attracted widespread attention. Many viewers expressed frustration in the comments about manufacturers gradually shrinking product sizes while keeping prices the same or raising them — a practice commonly referred to as "shrinkflation."
The Mars company has attributed such changes to rising production costs, increasing cocoa prices, and shifts in consumer demand over the years.
