German Court Rules Milka Chocolate Bar Weight Reduction Misled Consumers

A court in Bremen has ruled that the manufacturer of Milka's classic Alpine Milk chocolate bar misled consumers by reducing the product's weight while maintaining similar packaging. The decision found the company broke competition law through the practice known as shrinkflation.

The three-week case was brought by Hamburg's consumer protection office, which accused the manufacturer of deceiving buyers. The weight of the Alpenmilch bar was cut from 100g to 90g at the beginning of 2025. The price increased from €1.49 to €1.99 during the same period.

Although the new bar was a millimetre thinner, there was no noticeable change in its purple wrapping, according to the court. The court determined that keeping the same wrapping was not the central issue in isolation. The deception arose from the discrepancy between the actual contents and the visually conveyed expectation of a product known to consumers for years.

It said that to eliminate that deception, a clear, understandable and easily perceptible notice on the wrapper was necessary. The manufacturer told the BBC it was taking the decision of the court seriously and would look at it in detail now. The company had argued that it informed German consumers about the change on its website and social media channels.

It pointed to rising costs in its supply chains as the reason for adjusting the weight of several Milka bars.

Manufacturers have often resorted to shrinkflation because of rising costs, reducing the size or content of a product in an attempt to maintain the same price. According to consumer group Which? in the UK, chocolate prices have increased due to the global rise in the cost of cocoa after poor harvests in West Africa.