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Mars Wrigley is releasing a lower calorie range of its iconic chocolate bars – Mars, Snickers and Twix – across the UK.

The 100 calorie or less chocolate bar range will hit shelves from this week, in response to consumers being increasingly conscious of the choices they make when buying confectionery.

The new Snickers, Mars and Twix bars will reportedly retain the exact same recipes, but at a reduced portion size.

According to Mars, nearly 50% of shoppers consider the portion size of snacks and one in four say that calorie labelling impacts their purchase decisions.

Kerry Cavanaugh, Mars Wrigley marketing director, said: “Our new 100 calorie format gives consumers their favourite brands original recipes but in a size that is a meaningful snacking choice. 

“This new range is for consumers who want a sweet treat but in a smaller portion size. These chocolate bars are perfect for the 68% of Brits who have said they would rather have less of their favourite chocolate than a larger amount of a lower-sugar chocolate.”

Each single bar has a suggested RRP of £0.40 and £2.79 for multipacks. Original versions of the chocolate bars will still be available for purchase.