A Marmite mystery as the price drops to £3: Price of the spread falls by 30% leaving fans wondering why The cost of a large glass jar of Marmite is now 40 per cent cheaper than its recommended selling price Some claim it is because manufacturer Unilever is trying to clear stocks of large glass jars and move production entirely to squeezy packs Industry experts have dismissed these claims and even manufacturer Unilever is baffled by the price drop It is unclear why the cost of the spread has nosedived so dramatically They say you either love it or you hate it. And those who love Marmite are in for a treat because the cost of a £500g jar has mysteriously plummeted by a third to £3.00. The cost of a large glass jar of Marmite is now 40 per cent cheaper than its recommended selling price and half the cost of a Big Squeeze plastic bottle. It is unclear why the cost of the spread has nosedived so dramatically but some claim it is because manufacturer Unilever is trying to clear stocks of large glass jars and move production entirely to squeezy packs. But industry experts have dismissed these claims and even manufacturer Unilever is baffled by the price drop. A Unilever spokeswoman said its recommended retail price for a large glass jar is £5.03. In 2010, the cost of Marmite hit the headlines as prices soared to more than £5 for a big glass jar - making it more expensive than petrol. But now the price of the iconic jar is 40 per cent lower and half that per 100g of the squeezy bottles, so reviled by legions of loyalists. At a cost of £3, the big jar works out at 60p per 100g, compared with the £4.78 (£1.20 per 100g) that the supermarkets are charging for a 400g Big Squeeze bottle. And the price of the big jar is down by a third from £4.49 a year ago. Experts suspect that the rock bottom prices are down to supermarkets competing with each other and price matching, with most dropping the price to £3 at the beginning of the summer. In 2010, the cost of Marmite hit the headlines as prices soared to more than £5 for a big glass jar - making it more expensive than petrol But Marmite fans need to hit the shops soon if they want to nab the bargain as Sainsbury's has increased its price for a large jar to £3.49 this week, while some shoppers have found their local supermarket to be out of stock.