Online storm: Old Mars bar discovered, revealing how much the snack has shrunk over the years

A Mars chocolate bar about 35 years old, recently uncovered in the UK, has sparked a storm on social media after a photo comparing it to the modern version revealed a significant difference in size. The image, which has garnered millions of views, has reignited the public debate over the phenomenon of "shrinkflation" — the trend where manufacturers reduce the weight of products without lowering the price for the consumer.

The unusual find was uncovered by Victoria Gordon, a cleaner from the town of Scunthorpe in the UK, who found the snack while working on clearing out the home of a compulsive hoarder. The wrapper of the bar displayed a recommended expiration date from before 1991. In the viral photo she uploaded to the web, the old bar is seen, weighing 62.5 grams, alongside the modern bar sold today in the UK, which weighs only 40 grams — a huge gap that illustrates the shrinking of the product over the years.

"The snack stood out immediately because when I picked it up, it was almost the length of my entire palm," Gordon told the BBC. "I said to myself: 'Wow, look at the size it used to be'."

The find sparked great interest among nostalgia communities and food collectors, and many wondered if it could be opened or even eaten. Experts who addressed the issue explained that its excellent preservation was likely made possible thanks to the high sugar content and the airtight packaging.

"The packaging and the low-humidity environment helped maintain the integrity of the snack," explained Dr. Alan Hughes, a food preservation expert.

Gordon herself was surprised by the widespread public reaction. "I post videos about cleaning and hoarding, but I've never had anything go viral to this extent," she said. Following the excited reactions online, Gordon, who initially considered throwing the snack in the trash, is now considering her next steps and even joked that she might be "sitting on a small gold mine" of nostalgia.