Milka, the chocolate brand owned by Mondelez and headquartered in Bournville near Birmingham, has lost a significant shrinkflation case in Germany after a court found that shoppers were misled when the size of the bar was reduced while the packaging remained largely unchanged.
Court Ruling
The Bremen regional court concluded that Mondelez violated competition law by cutting the weight of its Milka Alpenmilch bar from 100g to 90g without making the change sufficiently clear to consumers. The reduction made the bar approximately one millimetre thinner. However, the packaging remained almost identical, while the price rose from €1.49 to €1.99 at the start of 2025.
Consumer Reaction
German consumers voted the product the “rip-off packaging of the year 2025.” The court ruled that customers had been misled by the “visually conveyed expectation” created by the wrapper. Judges ordered Mondelez to include a “clear, understandable and easily perceptible notice on the wrapper” when product sizes change in the future, citing “a risk of repetition.”
Mondelez Response
In a statement to the BBC, Mondelez said it was “taking the decision of the court seriously.” The company has one month to appeal the ruling.
This case highlights growing scrutiny of shrinkflation practices, where manufacturers reduce product sizes while keeping prices or packaging largely unchanged, often without clear communication to consumers.
