Mars Delight: Why and when was the chocolate discontinued?

MARS is one of the biggest and best chocolate bar brands in the world but sometimes they can get things wrong.

The perfect example of that was the decision to discontinue the Mars Delight bar, leaving chocolate lovers devastated and demanding a return.

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What was the Mars Delight chocolate?

The Mars Delight chocolate bar was a delicious combination of milk chocolate, caramel and wafer.

It was a massive hit when it first hit shop shelves in 2004 and came packaged in a mostly white-coloured wrapper.

On the top of the packaging was the classic Mars symbol, followed by “delight” written in big, white lettering.

Despite containing just two small bars, the product earned top marks from those who enjoyed it.

But because it was so delicious and became one of the most popular chocolate bars during its time, consumers often purchased a four pack to make them last.

Unlike the original Mars Bar which contains nougat, the Mars Light was known for its crispy rippled wafer.

But like its predecessor, the wafer was surrounded by caramel and a layer of milk chocolate.

It was supposed to be the “light” version of the original Mars Bar but ended up being so much more.

Why and when was the Mars Delight chocolate discontinued?

By 2008, four years after it was introduced, the Mars Delight was discontinued – and for no apparent reason.

Chocolate lovers were left distraught at the time and even to this day, the reason for its disappearance remains unknown.

In 2016, fans were given a glimmer of hope when Mars took to Twitter (now known as X) to say that the chocolate bar was under “marketing review”.

However, nothing materialised and in February 2017, a petition was launched to bring back the Mars Delight bar.

Garnering more than 1,000 signatures, it certainly gained attention, but not enough to warrant Mars to reintroduce it.

Other petitions have since been launched in an attempt to reignite the plea, but for now it seems like Mars Delight is not likely to hit shelves again.

And that’s despite Mars Delight becoming the UK’s most missed discontinued treat last year.

According to research conducted by UK retailer Coffee Friend, there were an estimated 103,200 Google searches for the Mars Delight in 2022.

It received double the number of searches that Milkybar Choo clocked up, showing just how valued this piece of confectionery was.

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What are some Mars Delight alternatives?

If you’re already a fan of regular Mars bars, then it will at least soften the blow somewhat of not having a Mars Delight.

But to find something with the same texture and taste of a Mars Delight, you’ll have to look a little harder.

According to many chocolate lovers, the closest thing you can get is also a discontinued item.

Milky Way Crispy Rolls is another classic chocolate bar that is highly missed after disappearing from shop shelves in 2022.

However, there are ways to still buy them – but at a price.

There are several little-known confectionery websites still selling the fan favourite, including Sweettreatsandpartyfavours.co.uk, Belito.co.uk and sosweetshop.co.uk.

A case of 12 can cost you anything upwards of £15, while a case of 24 can be up to £25.

Tunnocks Caramel Wafer is a similar alternative to a Mars Delight, what with containing the same ingredients, but it doesn’t quite match the desired taste.

You can buy these from most supermarkets and stores throughout the UK.

A pack of eight will cost you just £1.75 in Poundland and £2.25 in Sainsbury’s, while a pack of six is priced at £1.50 in Iceland.

This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk