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Wed, 13 May 2026

Wed, 13 May 2026 Shrinking Milka chocolate bar tricked consumers, says German court

A court in Bremen has found the manufacturer of the classic Alpine Milk chocolate bar guilty of "shrinkflation".
A German court has ruled that Mondelēz, the manufacturer of Milka chocolate bars, cheated consumers by reducing the weight of its "Alpenmilch" bar from 100g to 90g while keeping the same packaging. The Bremen regional court found that this practice, known as "shrinkflation", misled customers into paying more for less product. Mondelēz had argued that it informed German consumers about the change on its website and social media channels, but the court said this was not enough to eliminate the deception. The company's lawyer claimed that chocolate bars often have fluctuating weights, but the court disagreed, saying that a clear notice on the wrapper is necessary to avoid misleading customers. The ruling is significant because it sets a precedent for other manufacturers in Germany and highlights the issue of shrinkflation in the country. Consumer groups have accused companies of using this tactic to maintain prices while reducing the amount of product inside. The Hamburg consumer protection office, VZHH, which brought the case against Mondelēz, has listed several products as "rip-off packaging". Shrinkflation is not limited to chocolate bars and has been seen in other products such as toothpaste, oats, and instant coffee. Consumer group Which? has described it as a "sneaky" tactic used by manufacturers to increase prices while reducing the amount of product inside. The court's ruling is not yet legally binding, but it sets a precedent for future cases against manufacturers accused of shrinkflation. Mondelēz has said that it will review the decision and consider its options.