German Court Rules Against Mondelēz in Shrinkflation Case: Milka Chocolate Misleading Packaging Verdict
The Bremen regional court ruled on May 13, 2026, that Mondelēz International's reduction of Milka Alpenmilch chocolate bars from 100 grams to 90 grams breached competition law and the products may not be marketed in their current form. The court determined that the manufacturer reduced the weight by 10% across many Milka varieties while making only minimal changes to packaging, constituting deceptive practice. In the lawsuit filed by Hamburg's consumer protection office (VZHH), it was emphasized that despite the Alpenmilch bar's reduction from 100g to 90g, there was no noticeable change in wrapper, the bar was made only 1mm thinner, and prices rose from €1.49 to €1.99 at the beginning of 2025.
The change sparked such controversy that German consumers voted the Alpenmilch bar 'rip-off packaging of the year 2025'. In its ruling, the court stated that while keeping the same wrapping was not an issue in isolation, the deception lay in the discrepancy between the 'visually conveyed expectation' from a product consumers had known for years and the actual contents, and stressed that 'a clear, understandable and easily perceptible notice on the wrapper was necessary'. Judges ruled that 90-gram bars may not be sold in the same packaging if 100-gram versions had been offered in the preceding four months.
Mondelēz claimed it had properly informed German consumers about the change via social media and website, and said rising costs were due to changes in its supply chain, stating that as a consequence they decided to adjust the weight of several Milka bars in recent years. In response to the ruling, Mondelēz stated it takes the court decision seriously and is examining the reasoning in detail; it also noted it will continue working to ensure communication is clear and that the aim remains to communicate transparently, comprehensively and responsibly. The ruling is not yet final and can still be appealed.
The case comes amid growing scrutiny of shrinkflation across Germany's food sector; another iconic German chocolate bar, Ritter Sport, also faced criticism after reducing several bars from 100g to 75g earlier in 2026, and although the company described the revised bars as part of a new product range and said research showed consumers preferred thinner chocolate, the products were still added to Hamburg's annual 'rip-off packaging' list. The consumer group said the list expanded by 77 products during 2025 alone. The shrinkflation phenomenon has spread beyond chocolate to items such as toothpaste, oats and instant coffee.
Note: This summary draws on SupplyChainBrain's publicly visible headline + subhead + opening paragraph and on sector background on shrinkflation practices.
Key Takeaways:
1. Bremen court ruled Mondelēz violated competition law by reducing Milka Alpenmilch chocolate from 100g to 90g
2. Packaging remained unchanged while chocolate became only 1mm thinner and price rose from €1.49 to €1.99 (33% increase)
3. German consumers voted Milka Alpenmilch 'rip-off packaging of the year 2025'
4. Court stressed that clear and perceptible wrapper notice is necessary; ruling is not yet final and can be appealed
5. Shrinkflation cases are rising in Germany; Hamburg consumer group added 77 new products to its list in 2025
