Mars is temporarily replacing the standard Snickers bar with two limited-edition versions.

The company said it was pitting the key ingredients in the bar against each other as Snickers More Nuts – which was originally rolled out in 2010 - and Snickers More Caramel. Point-of-sale material includes split dumpbins, and the launch is being supported by a £1.5m campaign that includes TV, outdoor and online advertising activity.

“This is the first time we have introduced two limited-edition products from the same brand at the same time,” said Mars trade communications manager Bep Dhaliwal. “Snickers is one of our most-loved brands, and we look forward to seeing whether consumers opt for More Nuts or More Caramel when reaching for a Snickers.”

Sales of Snickers have risen 4.8% year-on-year to £80.7m [Nielsen 52 w/e 13 October 2012].