The Bremen Regional Court ruled on Wednesday that Milka chocolate bars are violating competition laws by issuing new bars with reduced contents while maintaining packaging that is nearly identical to those of the original, larger bars.
The lawsuit was brought by the Consumer Advice Center Hamburg. The consumer group criticized the practice because, even though the Milka manufacturer, Mondelez, has subtly reduced the size of the bars-making them about a millimeter thinner-the packaging and overall design of the new 90-gram bars look virtually indistinguishable from the old 100-gram versions. The consumer advocates argued that there is no clear indication accompanying the reduction in product quantity.
Although the new, smaller net weight is printed on the front of the packaging, the consumer group noted that this information is often obscured by the cardboard strips positioned on supermarket shelves. Of course, Mondelez retains the right to appeal the court’s decision, meaning the ruling is not yet legally binding.
Beyond the specific case, the Consumer Advice Center Hamburg issued a broader appeal to the federal government, demanding systemic improvements. They stated that manufacturers should be legally required to adhere to mandatory guidelines when reducing packaged contents. The consumer advocates specifically called for a warning label for products with diminished fillings that must be displayed for at least six months, and insisted that the package dimensions must shrink proportionately to the reduced content. They criticized large companies like Mondelez for blatantly exploiting perceived loopholes in current regulations.