If you grew up spending your pocket money in the M&S confectionery aisle, prepare for a nostalgic trip down memory lane.
The brand announced it's bringing back four iconic chocolate bars from the 80s, that you might remember from the first time around.
The missed but never forgotten bars include Jet, Sparks, Now! and Coconut Grove – and they're back in stores now!
But the bit we love most is that they're returning in their original St Michael packaging, complete with the bold colours and retro designs many shoppers will instantly recognise.
If you've never tried the originals, think of them as M&S's take on some familiar favourites. Jet is perhaps the closest to a Snickers, with chewy nougat, peanuts and caramel beneath a milk chocolate coating. Coconut Grove has obvious Bounty vibes thanks to its soft coconut centre, while Now! combines biscuit and caramel in a way that will remind many shoppers of a Twix. Sparks, meanwhile, pairs chewy nougat and caramel, making it the closest of the four to a Mars Bar.
So how do they compare to the original? Well, we got our hands on all four bars to find out whether they're just as good as you remember.
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JET
The closest of the four to a Snickers, Jet combines chewy nougat, roasted peanuts and caramel beneath a milk chocolate coating.
Team GH verdict: "There's slightly less of the nougat layer than I remember, but it's still delicious."
COCONUT GROVE
If Bounty is your go-to, Coconut Grove is likely to be the first bar you'll reach for. It has the same soft coconut centre wrapped in milk chocolate, although our taste testers noticed a few subtle differences.
Team GH verdict: "It's sweeter than I remember a Bounty bar being, and the texture is a little chewier. Very tasty though."
NOW!
With its crisp biscuit base, caramel layer and milk chocolate coating, Now! is M&S's answer to a Twix.
Team GH verdict: "The biscuit tastes slightly different, but it's still a really good copy of a Twix."
SPARKS
Finally, there's Sparks. Packed with chewy nougat and caramel, it's the closest of the collection to a Mars Bar.
Team GH verdict: "This one is perfect. It's exactly how I imagine a Mars Bar should taste."
And at just £1 each, they're an affordable trip down memory lane we can get on board with.
Whether you're hoping to relive a childhood favourite or discover what all the fuss was about, the four retro bars are available in M&S Foodhalls now.
Stacey looks after all food and drink reviews — from coffee pods and veg boxes, to natural wine and tequila. Stacey is also founder of Crummbs, where she’s written nearly 2,000 restaurant and hotel reviews since 2013. Prior to this, Stacey wrote hundreds of in-depth buying guides for the Independent, i newspaper and BBC Good Food, as well as reviewing restaurants and interviewing celebrities in her column at Balance Magazine. Stacey has also appeared in BAFTA-nominated BBC documentary Blood, Sweat & Takeaways, where she investigated South East Asia's food production industry, appearing on both Newsnight and BBC World Service to share her findings. Regularly checking out the latest restaurants, bars and product launches, Stacey also loves experimenting with recipes at home, and is a WSET-certified wine and spirits expert, with over 10 years of experience in the business. You can follow Stacey on Instagram @crummbs_uk
