The consumers„ verdict has never been so clear: Milka Alpine Milk Chocolate is the “Cheat Pack of the Year 2025". Two thirds of the votes cast (66.7 per cent) went to the chocolate bar from the Mondelez Group.
Never before in the twelve-year history of the poll has a product achieved such a high share of the vote. A total of 34,731 people took part in the current edition of the poll, the highest number in six years.
Consumers have made their anger very clear. Many consider the subtle reduction in Milka's filling quantity to be a brazen deception. The result of the vote is therefore also a clear warning, according to the consumer advice centre.
Less content at a higher price
The Milka brand Alpenmilch chocolate bar became imperceptibly thinner and at the same time more expensive at the beginning of 2025: the filling quantity per bar fell from 100 to 90 grams, while the price rose from 1.49 euros to 1.99 euros. This corresponds to a price increase of over 48 per cent. The reduced filling quantity is barely recognisable in the supermarket, as the packaging has remained virtually unchanged. Other Milka chocolate varieties were also affected.
Back in July 2025, the consumer organisation Foodwatch named Milka chocolate the „most audacious advertising lie of the year“.
The displeasure also seems to be reflected in purchasing behaviour and brand image: consumers are buying Milka products less frequently. According to media reports, Mondelez recorded declining sales figures last year; sales were often supported by extensive price promotions. Surveys by the opinion research institute YouGov indicate a significant loss of image for the brand, which was particularly pronounced by August 2025 compared to the previous year. Despite this, Mondelez increased its sales by the third quarter of 2025 - primarily as a result of higher prices.
Court hearing follows consumer judgement
However, the Milka case is not yet over with the negative price. In April, the manufacturer, Mondelez Deutschland GmbH, will have to answer to the Bremen Regional Court, as the Hamburg Consumer Advice Centre has filed a lawsuit against the company. It will then be clarified whether the reduction in filling quantity is not only annoying for consumers, but was also misleading. While the clear result of the vote shows the extent to which customers feel deceived by Mondelez, the court will decide whether there was also deception in the legal sense.
Source: Consumer advice centre Hamburg
