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.

Which? described the tactic as sneaky. German consumers voted the Milka Alpenmilch bar rip-off packaging of the year 2025 last year. The company's lawyer had argued in court that chocolate bars in the past had a fluctuating weight between 81g and 100g depending on the product.

The company maintained that the lower weight was clearly visible on its packaging.

The shrinkflation dispute between consumer groups and chocolate manufacturers in Germany extends beyond this case. Those products appear just as big but are thinner, and the producer has changed the packaging and marketed them as a new range with the same price.

The consumer protection office added 77 products to its rip-off packaging list in 2025. The practice has affected other items including toothpaste, oats and instant coffee. Chocolate prices in the UK rose 14.6 percent in the year to August 2025, Which?

reported. The verdict is not yet legally binding. The company has a month to appeal. The court added that the ruling was significant because there is a risk of repetition.