We May Be Facing A Future Without M&M McFlurries

Image courtesy of McDonald's

If you’re the kind of person who likes to add extra sugar to your dose of sugar, your sweet tooth may soon have to accept a new reality, one where an ice cream treat isn’t dotted with brightly colored candy: Mars, the company behind the M&Ms in your McFlurry, the Snickers in your Burger King dessert pie, may be considering ending those kinds of partnerships with fast food chains.

As part of its ongoing efforts to help consumers make healthier choices, Mars is reportedly considering yanking its candies from some popular desserts, including the McDonald’s ice cream treat, Reuters reports.

An inside source familiar with how Mars thinks says the company has been talking with McDonald’s and other partners about the fate of its candies in sweet treats. See, Mars isn’t too happy that desserts like the McFlurry, its rival the Dairy Queen Blizzard, Burger King’s Snickers pie, and others exceed the daily recommended amount of sugar in one serving, which is in direct contrast to Mars’ new initiative encouraging consumers to eat sweets in moderation.

Eliminating M&Ms all together — and thus, axing 7.5 teaspoons of sugar, about a third as much as a large McFlurry, per serving — is one idea. Another could be retooling recipes to make them healthier, the source said.

The company declined to discuss the details of its talks, but said in a statement to Reuters that, “We are now working alongside our suppliers and customers to bring this commitment to life.”

In April, Mars said it would encourage customers to eat its most indulgent offerings no more than once a week, by plastering new labels on some of its pasta sauces suggesting they be an occasional treat due to high content of sugar, salt, or fat.

Exclusive: In your sugary shake, Mars may not be lovin’ it [Reuters]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.