Confectionery giant Mars has written to the Scottish chip shop responsible for inventing the deep fried Mars Bar asking it to amend its menu to show that the extreme comfort food is not ‘authorised or endorsed’ by the company as it does not comply with its ‘healthy’ image.
The deep fried Mars bar was invented by School Children at the Carron Fish Bar in 1992, but Mars recently wrote to the fish and chip shop asking it to publish a disclaimer at the bottom of its menu distancing the company from the snack.
According to The Independent, the chippie has been told that the “recipe” contradicts Mars’s commitment to healthy eating – a move that was signalled in 2010 when it cut the saturated fat content of the eponymous bar by 15 per cent, reducing it to 260 calories a time.
“Deep frying our Mars bar product, of course, counters this significantly,” the letter said. “To avoid any consumer confusion in this respect, we would be grateful if you would insert a small disclaimer at the bottom of any menus you may have and a sign on display at your shop stating as follows: ‘Mars is a registered trade mark of Mars Incorporated. Our use of Mars is not authorised or endorsed by Mars Incorporated.'”
The Carron Fish Bar’s owner, Lorraine Watson, told The Independent that she was shocked at the move, which followed her inquiries about registering the deep-fried Mars bar under the EU’s Protected Food Name Scheme – an accolade afforded to specialities such as the Cornish Pasty.
“I was amazed when I got the lawyer’s letter because I really feel they are giving me a slap on the wrist when I haven’t tried to offend them,” Ms Watson said. “We have been selling this deep-fried Mars product for 20 years and this is the first time we have heard from Mars. Have I really offended them that much? I think it’s sad that it’s come to this.”
