Mars to Eliminate King-Size Candy Bars

Flickr/Schoko-Riegel

The king-size Snickers bar is going the way of the woolly mammoth.

Shrink-size me? Candy bar maker Mars Inc. has announced that it is doing away with king-size candy bars. The company says that by the end of 2013, it will only sell chocolate products that have 250 calories per portion, the Chicago Tribune reports.

While some might see the move as a cost-saving measure, Mars insists the action is part of a health-and-nutrition effort. Questions that come to mind: Should a candy company really be concerning itself with health and nutrition? Shouldn't it leave that to the tofu makers? And, doesn't this mean that a person will just buy more candy bars and thus spend more than he would have on a king-size candy bar?

Mars' chocolate brands include Snickers, Twix, M&Ms, 3 Musketeers, Mars, Milky Way, Dove and Galaxy. A king-size Snickers bar contains 510 calories, although the label says a serving size is one-third of a bar (yeah right). A regular-size Snickers contains 280 calories.

In addition, the company says it plans to reduce sodium levels in all Mars food products by 25% (from 2007 levels) by the end of 2015. Why not add probiotics and flaxseed meal to their candy bars while they're at it? Maybe some organic wild salmon oil?

"Mars has a broad-based commitment to health and nutrition, and this includes a number of global initiatives," the company said in a statement. Oh really? Then why doesn't it stop making candy and start manufacturing Boca Burgers?

According to the Tribune: "Among its other efforts are its 2007 pledge to no longer market chocolate products directly to children under 12, putting calorie counts on the front of packages, eliminating trans fat, reducing saturated fat and managing portions and calories. The company has also introduced several new products that have fewer than 200 calories."

Low-calorie candy bars are like vegan butter. What's the point?

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Follow Samantha Bonar @samanthabonar.