Mars bringing back iconic 80s chocolate bar 34 years after it disappeared from shelves

Fans will have to be quick to get their hands on one of the popular treats though as it is for a limited time only

An iconic chocolate bar is set to return to supermarket shelves after a 34-year gap. Marathon was a favourite among many in the UK with its chewy mix of chocolate, caramel, nougat - and was "packed with peanuts".

But in 1990 manufacturer Mars switched its name to Snickers - causing an outcry which saw unsuccessful petitions launched to bring back its former name. Since then the bar has been available on grocery store shelves across the UK but it continues to go by its new name.

Now Mars Wrigley has confirmed it is bringing back the bar in vintage packaging - but only for a limited edition run. Senior brand manager Steve Waters said: “We’re excited to bring back the Marathon bar branding for a limited period.

"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.”

This is not the first time Mars has reintroduced the Marathon branding. A similar limited release in 2019 saw more than 4 million bars sold within 12 weeks.

This time the repackaged bars will once again be on sale in Morrisons. They will be available for a few months until December.

Marathons first hit the UK market in 1967. The name change to Snickers was part of a global branding alignment strategy - however, many UK fans never stopped using its original name, with some even refusing to buy the new version.

Snickers first launched in the USA in 1930. It was named after a horse owned by the Mars family.

It is not the first discontinued sweet to make a reappearance over recent months. Caramac, which was discontinued by Nestle last year, was brought back for a limited time in the summer to the delight of fans.