Mars revives iconic Marathon Bar for limited time

By: Trademagazin editor Date: 2024. 09. 23. 09:41

Mars Wrigley UK has announced the return of its beloved Marathon chocolate bar (previously known as Snickers) to British supermarket shelves after a 34-year hiatus.

The bar will be available exclusively at Morrisons stores until December. This limited-time offering is part of Mars Wrigley’s celebration of more than 90 years of chocolate manufacturing in the UK.

The reintroduction of the bar is a strategic move by the chocolate manufacturer to tap into the nostalgia around the beloved brand.

Mars Wrigley 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.”

The bar was brought to the UK market as Marathon in 1967. The name change to Snickers in 1990 was part of a global branding alignment strategy.

Despite the rebranding, many UK consumers remained attached to the original name, with some even refusing to purchase the renamed product.

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.

Grocery Gazette