May 13 (Reuters) - A German court ruled on Wednesday that U.S.-based food giant Mondelez misled buyers by shrinking its Milka chocolate bars from 100 grams to 90 grams without significantly altering the packaging, backing a lawsuit by a consumer protection agency.
• According to the court, the expectation visually conveyed by the packaging of a product that has been familiar to consumers for years clashes with the actual net weight of the content, which was reduced in early 2025
• The court says a comprehensible
and clearly visible notice should have been included on the packaging to avoid confusion
• It says the notice would be required for at least a period of four months following the cut in quantity to allow consumers to take in the change
• The ruling is not final, with the defendant having one month to lodge an appeal with the court
• "We take note of and take seriously today's court ruling and are now examining the court's reasoning in detail," a spokesperson for Mondelez told Reuters, adding it would continue to strive for clear communication regardless of it
• The Oreo-maker said it had adjusted the weight of some of its Milka bars last year to continue providing consumers with the expected quality standard in an environment that is "more complex and unstable than ever before"
(Reporting by Linda Pasquini and Patricia Weiss, Editing by Louise Heavens)
