How many ounces was the original Snickers bar?

December 31, 2025 •

4 min read

When the Snickers bar was first introduced in 1930, it was an entirely different product, hand-sliced and sold for just five cents. The answer to how many ounces was the original Snickers bar is not a simple one, as manufacturers often did not standardize weights in the same way they do today. Early products like Snickers evolved over time, changing in both size and formula.

Quick Summary

The original Snickers bar did not have a standard, consistent weight upon its 1930 release, as bars were hand-sliced and priced at a nickel. Its size has undergone numerous changes throughout its history, primarily influenced by ingredient costs, marketing strategies, and calorie guidelines. Later versions and global variants have seen multiple size adjustments.

Key Points

Hand-sliced origins: The original 1930s Snickers was hand-sliced, meaning no single, definitive ounce weight was standardized.
Five-cent price: Initially sold for five cents, the original bar was considered a substantial and filling treat for its era.
Shrinkflation trend: Over the decades, the weight has fluctuated and generally decreased, a marketing strategy known as shrinkflation.
UK 'Marathon': For many years in the UK, the bar was called 'Marathon' and weighed 62.5g (approx. 2.2 oz) before subsequent reductions.
Modern US size: Recent US standard bars are typically around 1.86 ounces, significantly smaller than their earlier, hand-made counterparts.
Factors for change: Size reductions have been driven by rising ingredient costs and company pledges to reduce calorie counts.
Consistent recipe: Despite size changes, the fundamental recipe of nougat, peanuts, caramel, and milk chocolate remains consistent.

The Original 1930s Snickers: Hand-Sliced and Unstandardized

In 1930, the Mars Candy Factory in Chicago launched the Snickers bar, a confectionery consisting of nougat, peanuts, and caramel, enrobed in milk chocolate. During this era, candy manufacturing was far less standardized than it is today. The first bars were made by pouring the nougat mixture onto large trays, layering the peanuts and caramel, and then hand-slicing each bar before dipping it in chocolate. This manual process meant that the weight and size of each bar could vary, so a precise, single ounce measurement is not available for the original product. What is known is that it was sold for five cents, a significant price for a candy bar at the time, which suggests it was a substantial treat.

The Evolution of Snickers: From Handcrafted to Automated

As candy production became automated, the size and weight of the Snickers bar could be more easily controlled and standardized. This transition from a hand-sliced confection to a machine-produced bar allowed Mars to scale its production, but also enabled them to alter the product's weight over the years in response to various market factors. Early iterations were likely larger than some modern versions, reflecting both different production methods and consumer expectations of the time.

Notable Changes in Snickers Bar Weight

Over the decades, the weight of the Snickers bar has fluctuated, a phenomenon known as “shrinkflation” where the size of a product is reduced while the price often remains the same or increases. The reasons for these changes are varied, ranging from rising ingredient costs to health-conscious marketing strategies.

UK 'Marathon' (pre-1990): The bar, known as 'Marathon' in the UK until 1990, weighed 62.5g (approximately 2.2 ounces) for many years.
Late 2000s Reductions: In the UK, the weight was reduced to 58g (about 2.0 ounces) around 2009, partly due to a company-wide pledge to cap single-serving candies at 250 calories.
Further UK Reductions: By 2013, the UK bar was reduced again to 48g (about 1.7 ounces).
Recent US Sizes: In the US, the standard bar weight was around 52.7g (1.86 ounces) in 2018.

A Comparison of Snickers Bar Sizes

This table illustrates the size changes of the standard single Snickers bar in two major markets over recent decades. Weights are approximate and based on listed product specifications from various sources.


Year	US Weight (ounces/grams)	UK Weight (ounces/grams)	Notes
~1980s	~2.08 oz (58.7g)	~2.20 oz (62.5g)	UK known as 'Marathon'
~2005	~2.07 oz (58.7g)	N/A	Before notable shrinkflation
~2013	N/A	~1.7 oz (48g)	Result of calorie reduction pledge
~2018	~1.86 oz (52.7g)	~1.7 oz (48g)	Post-shrinkflation standard

The Driving Forces Behind Size Alterations

Several factors have contributed to the evolving size of the Snickers bar. Manufacturers like Mars often adjust product weights as a strategy to manage production costs, especially in response to rising prices for ingredients like cocoa and peanuts. This allows them to avoid raising the retail price, which might deter consumers. Additionally, as public health awareness has grown, some companies have voluntarily reduced portion sizes to align with calorie-capping initiatives. This was notably the case in the UK, where Mars reduced the weight of its bars to keep them under 250 calories. Consumer perception also plays a role; slight reductions over time are often less noticeable than a sudden price increase. The move towards automation and efficient production also led to the gradual homogenization of the candy bar's size, moving away from the more variable, hand-crafted products of the 1930s.

Conclusion: A History of Change

While the specific number of ounces for the original, hand-sliced 1930s Snickers bar is not definitively recorded, its weight was certainly subject to variation due to the manufacturing process. The journey from a five-cent, hand-cut confection to the mass-produced, calorie-regulated bar of today reflects not only advancements in food production but also significant shifts in market strategies and consumer culture. The question of the original weight highlights a much broader story about how our favorite snacks have adapted to changing economic and social pressures over the last century.

A Quick History of the Snickers Bar

Here are some key milestones in the Snickers story:

1930: The Snickers bar is created by Frank Mars in Chicago and sold for five cents, named after the Mars family's horse.
1968: Fun Size Snickers are introduced.
1967-1990: Snickers is known as the 'Marathon' bar in the UK and Ireland.
1990: The name is unified globally to Snickers.
1984: The brand becomes an official sponsor of the Olympic Games.
2010: The iconic "You're not you when you're hungry" ad campaign is launched.
2013: Snickers sales in the US pass $1 billion.

Conclusion

The weight of the Snickers bar has changed numerous times since its debut in 1930. While no exact ounce measurement exists for the hand-sliced original, its subsequent variations illustrate a trend of companies adjusting product size to manage costs and respond to market demands. The bar's history is a case study in shrinkflation, but it remains a globally beloved chocolate treat.

Authoritative Outbound Link

For more detailed information on the history of Mars, Incorporated and its products, the official Mars website is a reliable source.

The Evolution of Snickers

Early Days: In the 1930s, Snickers were hand-sliced, leading to non-uniform weights.
Post-Automation: With machine production, a more consistent weight was established, which changed over decades.
Shrinkflation: As raw material costs rose, particularly in the 21st century, the bar's size was reduced.
Health Initiatives: In some markets like the UK, reductions were linked to calorie-capping efforts.
Recent Stability: The bar's size has remained relatively stable in recent years, but it is smaller than its original iterations.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Snickers bar was first created in 1930 by Frank Mars in Chicago, and was named after the Mars family's favorite horse.

The size of the Snickers bar changed due to a combination of factors, including rising ingredient costs, marketing strategies to avoid price increases (shrinkflation), and company pledges to reduce calorie counts.

In the UK, the Snickers bar was known as the Marathon bar from its introduction in 1968 until 1990, when the name was changed to Snickers to align with the global brand.

Yes, the ingredients and formulation of the Snickers bar have evolved over the decades to adapt to changing consumer preferences and nutritional guidelines.

As of recent years, a standard single-size Snickers bar in the US is listed as 1.86 ounces (52.7 grams).

The exact weight of the original bar can't be confirmed because the first Snickers were hand-sliced rather than machine-produced, leading to variations in size.

No, the Snickers bar is no longer hand-made. The production process was automated over time to allow for mass production, which also enabled better standardization of weight and size.