Editing Mars bar (section)

== Versions ==
Two different chocolate bars have been sold as Mars bars.

===UK and worldwide===
[[File:Mars Logo Alt.svg|thumb|The pre-2002 Mars logo, which is still used in some countries]]
In most of the world, a Mars bar is a chocolate bar with nougat and caramel, coated with milk chocolate.

It was first manufactured in [[Slough]], England under the Mars bar name in 1932 by [[Forrest Mars Sr.]], son of American candy maker [[Franklin Clarence Mars|Frank C. Mars]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Our History |url=http://www.marsbar.co.uk/history/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110131101532/http://www.marsbar.co.uk/history/ |archive-date=31 January 2011 |access-date=23 June 2010 |website=marsbar.co.uk |quote=1932: Frank C Mars gives his son, Forrest, $50,000 and the formula for ‘Milky Way’ to go to the UK and start his own business, Mars Limited, in Slough.}}</ref> He modelled it after his father's [[Milky Way (chocolate bar)|Milky Way bar]], which was already popular in the US, adjusting the recipe to better suit European tastes.<ref name="H50">{{cite book |last1=Berry |first1=Steve |last2=Norman |first2=Phil |title=A History of Sweets in 50 Wrappers |date=2014 |publisher=[[The Friday Project]] |location=London |isbn=9780007575480 |pages=64–65}}</ref> He had a staff of twelve people, and originally advertised it as using Cadbury's chocolate [[Couverture chocolate|couverture]].<ref name="H50" /><ref>''Sweet Talk: the Secret History of Confectionery'', Whittaker, Nicholas, Gollancz, 1997</ref> The bar and the proportions of the main components have changed over the years. With minor variations, this version is sold worldwide, except for the US, and is packaged in a black wrapper with red gold-edged lettering.  Three million Mars bars accompanied the [[British logistics in the Falklands War|British task force to the Falklands]] in 1982.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Otter |first1=Chris |title=Diet for a large planet |date=2020 |publisher=University of Chicago Press |location=USA |isbn=978-0-226-69710-9 |page=96 }}</ref>

The Mars brand logo went through several changes. In 1932, the first logo had a black colour font and was tilted. In 1978, the logo was rebranded to being white and having a star on the side. In 1988, the Mars bar had gone through a significant change with its logo. At that time, the logo was given a more bombastic treatment, written with red thick font and golden outlier. This logo became the standard-form for future logos. The logo then changed again, in the early 2000s. This time the logo was given a much more modern and sleeker look. It was updated to have a more cursive appearance to it and has retained that appearance ever since.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/netnotes/article/0,,669665,00.html|title=Guardian Unlimited, "Mars bar"|website=[[TheGuardian.com]]|date=18 March 2002|access-date=23 July 2006}}</ref>

The nougat was made lighter, the chocolate on top became thinner, and the overall weight of the bar was reduced slightly. The slogan "Pleasure you can't measure" was intended to appeal more to women and youths.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.just-food.com/news/uk-mars-re-branding-offers-consumers-pleasure-not-power/|title=UK: Mars re-branding offers consumers pleasure, not power|date=18 March 2002|publisher=Just Food}}</ref>

Various sizes are made. As  of 2008: miniature bars called "Fun Size" ({{cvt|19.7|g|disp=comma}}) and "Snack Time" ({{cvt|36.5|g|disp=comma}}) (both sold in multiple packs); a larger multi-pack size of {{cvt|54|g}}; the regular-sized single {{cvt|51|g}} bar, and a "king-size" {{cvt|84|g}} bar, since replaced by "Mars Duo" ({{cvt|85|g|disp=or}}), a pack of two bars. The regular {{cvt|58|g}} single bar contains 260 calories.{{citation needed|date=November 2016}}

In the second half of 2008, Mars UK reduced the weight of regular bars from {{cvt|62.5|g}} to {{cvt|58|g}}. Although the reduction in size was not publicised at the time, Mars claimed the change was designed to help tackle the obesity crisis in the UK, but later acknowledged that the real reason for the change was rising costs.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/5432642/Mars-bars-shrink-in-size.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/5432642/Mars-bars-shrink-in-size.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live | work=The Daily Telegraph | location=London | title=Mars bars shrink in size | date=3 June 2009}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In 2013, the "standard" Mars bar was further reduced to {{cvt|51|g}}, for a reduction of about 20% in 5 years;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.marsbar.com/|title=Mars|author=Linney Group|work=marsbar.com|access-date=3 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110208045212/http://marsbar.com/|archive-date=8 February 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> it continued to be {{cvt|51|g}} in 2023.<ref>{{cite web | title=OUR PRODUCTS | publisher=Mars | url=https://www.marsbar.co.uk/our-products | access-date=5 October 2023}}</ref>

In May 2009, the Mars bar size reduced from {{cvt|60|g}} to {{cvt|53|g}} in Australia, citing portion sizes and the obesity debate as the primary driver.<ref>[http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/national/mars-bars-size-slashed-but-price-to-stay-the-same/news-story/38142735a2faaa419e841e6666] {{dead link|date=July 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.afr.com/companies/media-and-marketing/smaller-mars-a-taste-of-things-to-come-20090511-jmvwf |title= Smaller Mars a taste of things to come|first=Neil|last=Shoebridge|newspaper=[[The Australian Financial Review]]|date=11 May 2009}}</ref>  By 2022 it was noted the Mars bar size had been reduced further to {{cvt|47|g}} in Australia and New Zealand.

=== United States ===
[[File:US-Mars-Wrapper-Small.jpg|right|thumb|A U.S. Mars bar]]
[[File:Mars-Almond-split.jpg|thumb|right|A Mars Almond split]]
In the United States, the Mars bar was a candy bar with [[nougat]] and toasted [[almond]]s coated with [[milk chocolate]]. The same candy bar is known outside the United States as a Mars Almond bar. Originally it did not have [[caramel]], but at some point caramel was added. It was discontinued in 2002.<ref name="candyfavorites">{{cite web |url=http://www.candyfavorites.com/Snickers-Almond-Mars-bar-pr-295.html |title= Snickers Almond Mars bar |access-date=7 August 2007 |website=Candyfavorites.com|quote=Snickers Almond "is the replacement for the classic Mars bar"}}</ref>

In 2003, the company introduced a replacement called [[Snickers|Snickers Almond]] containing nougat, almonds, caramel, and a milk chocolate coating,<ref name="candyfavorites" /> It is similar to the Mars bar, with some differences; for example, the pieces of almond are smaller in Snickers Almond than in the Mars bar.

The Mars bar was relaunched in January 2010 (initially exclusively through [[Walmart]] stores), discontinued again at the end of 2011,<ref>[https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/brits-only-just-realising-mars-31237258 Brits are only just realising why Mars bars are called Milky Way in America] . Mirror UK. </ref> and relaunched again in September 2016 by [[Ethel M Chocolate Factory|Ethel M]], the gourmet chocolate subsidiary of Mars, Inc. The 2016 version was the "original American recipe", without caramel. It was available in their stores and on Amazon.com.<ref>{{Cite press release|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-relaunch-of-a-blast-from-the-past---ethel-m-chocolates-brings-back-original-1932-mars-bar-300522193.html|title=The Relaunch of a Blast from the Past – Ethel M Chocolates Brings Back Original 1932 Mars Bar|last=Chocolates|first=Ethel M|website=www.prnewswire.com|language=en|access-date=20 September 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.foodandwine.com/desserts/candy/original-mars-bar-comeback|title=The Original Mars Bar Is Back|work=Food & Wine|access-date=20 September 2017|language=en}}</ref>

The European or Canadian version of the Mars bar is sold in some American grocery stores that stock imported food products.