US food giant Mondelēz, owner of Milka, Toblerone, Oreo, and Côte d’Or brands, is facing legal action in Germany for allegedly misleading consumers by shrinking its Milka chocolate bars without lowering the price.
Germany’s consumer protection authority has criticised the company for reducing the weight of its chocolate bars from 100g to 90g – a shrinkage described as "barely noticeable." While the bars are a millimetre thinner, the packaging remains unchanged, and the new weight is displayed in small, hard-to-spot text on shelves.
"This amounts to deceiving customers," said Armin Valet, a food expert with the organisation. He pointed out that shoppers familiar with the packaging often assume the quantity is unchanged. The group is calling for clearer labelling, such as a prominent warning for at least six months when product content is reduced.
Mondelēz has rejected the accusations, insisting that transparency is a "top priority." A company spokesperson stated, "The new weight is clearly displayed on the product packaging," and noted that customers had been informed through social media channels.
The spokesperson attributed the decision to significant increases in supply chain and ingredient costs, highlighting that cocoa prices surged to record highs last year.
