Mondelez taken to court over shrinking Milka bars

The court case against the Milka producer, Mondelez, kicked off on the morning of April 22. The Consumer Protection Office Hamburg (VZHH) has accused the candy company of deceiving consumers with lower quantities of chocolate in unchanged packaging.

German consumers “tricked” by Milka packaging

Fans of the popular chocolate with the purple cow have had sad realisations when buying their favourite treat. Most Milka bars now weigh only 90 grams, down from the prior 100 grams. The company has made almost no alterations to its packaging, leading consumers to make disappointing discoveries when opening the purple wrapping.

“While the packaging and the design are identical to before, the bar itself has, almost impossible to notice, become thinner by one millimetre,” says the VZHH as reported by ntv. While consumers receive less chocolate, they are expected to pay more. The price of one bar of Milka chocolate has increased from 1,49 euros to 1,99 euros.

Now the VZHH is meeting Mondelez in court after suing for unfair competition. Mondelez rejects the criticism, saying that the chocolate's weight can clearly be recognised on the package. A court decision is not expected until much later; for now, both parties are presenting their objectives. 

Mogelpackungen detected

The VZHH is warning consumers: Milka is not the only case. Many companies are making use of so-called “Shrinkflation”, which means that even when the quantity is reduced, products are becoming pricier. Candy manufacturers are causing bitter-sweet moments for consumers by quietly shrinking their goods.

On their list of Mogelpackungen (cheating packages), the VZHH is registering products that do not meet the packaging's suggested features. In 2025 alone, they added 77 new points to their list. Most articles on the list are compiled through consumer complaints and observations.

What exactly chocolate-lovers can expect from the trial remains unclear. Some hope that regardless of the outcome, the process will deter manufacturers from exploiting consumer associations with their packages. For now, residents of Germany will have to sit back and wait (ideally while having a bite of chocolate).