Hidden price increases are a nuisance for many consumers. The Hamburg Consumer Centre has now achieved success in a dispute over Milka chocolate bars from manufacturer Mondelez. The Bremen Regional Court has ruled that consumers must not be deceived if products contain less content while the packaging remains the same.
The case began when the Hamburg Consumer Advice Centre sued Mondelez. The accusation: the filling quantity of some Milka chocolate bars was reduced from 100 to 90 grams, while the packaging remained unchanged. This change was barely noticeable to consumers, as the quantity indication was often covered by outer packaging and the indication of the new filling quantity was lost in the packaging design.
The court followed the consumer advice centre's argument and found that a deception had occurred due to a so-called relative packaging trick.
Signalling effect for the industry
Armin Valet from the Hamburg Consumer Advice Centre emphasised the importance of the ruling: „Many people reach for the Milka bars and don't realise that they're only getting 90 grams of chocolate for their money instead of 100.“ Valet sees the decision by the Bremen Regional Court as a strengthening of consumer rights and calls on the legislature to create further binding regulations against deceptive packaging.
Consumer reactions and consequences
The reduction in filling quantity while keeping the packaging the same did not go unnoticed by consumers. Earlier this year, Milka chocolate was voted „Deceptive Packaging of the Year 2025“ by consumers. Hundreds of complaints were received by the Hamburg Consumer Protection Agency. These reactions underline the growing awareness and sensitivity of consumers to hidden price increases.
Outlook
The ruling by the Bremen Regional Court could have consequences for the packaging industry. Manufacturers will have to pay closer attention to how they present their products in the future in order to avoid disseminating misleading information. The decision could serve as a precedent and further fuel the discussion about transparency in packaging. The Hamburg Consumer Advice Centre sees this as an important step towards greater clarity and fairness in retail.
Source: Consumer advice centre Hamburg
