A court in Germany has ruled that chocolate maker Mondelēz International misled consumers by reducing the size of its popular Milka Alpenmilch chocolate bar while keeping nearly identical packaging. The case, brought by Hamburg’s consumer protection office, accused the company of deceiving buyers after shrinking the bar from 100g to 90g while also increasing the price from €1.49 to €1.99.
The Bremen regional court said the unchanged purple wrapper created a misleading impression for customers familiar with the product over many years. Judges ruled that the issue was not the packaging itself, but the gap between consumer expectations and the actual product size. The court stated that clearer and more noticeable labeling about the reduced weight was necessary to avoid deception. Mondelēz said it respected the decision and would review the ruling, though it still has the option to appeal.
The case has become one of Germany’s biggest examples of “shrinkflation” — the practice of reducing product sizes while maintaining or increasing prices due to rising production costs. Consumer groups say chocolate has been especially affected because of soaring cocoa prices linked to poor harvests in West Africa. Other products, including toothpaste, oats, and coffee, have also faced similar criticism, while brands like Ritter Sport have also come under scrutiny for reducing chocolate bar weights.
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