Critics who have accused shoppers of duping shoppers with a wave of “shrinkflation” have been given a big boost. A court in Germany has ruled that the owner of Cadbury cheated shoppers by cutting the size of one of its brand’s chocolate bars, while keeping the wrapper the same.
The three-week case was brought by Hamburg’s consumer protection office, which accused US giant Mondelez of tricking customers by slashing the weight of its Milka classic chocolate bar from 100g to 90g, without significantly altering its packaging. Milka’s new chocolate bar was one millimetre thinner, yet the price went up from €1.49 (£1.30) to €1.99 (£1.70) at the beginning of 2025.
Mondelez told the court in Bremen that it had let consumers in Germany know about the changes via its website and social media channels. However, the court ruled that a clear notice should have been added to the packaging of the Alpenmilch bar to avoid any confusion. Mondelez said it was considering the court’s ruling, which is not final, and has a month to lodge an appeal. It added: “Our aim has always been, and will remain, to communicate transparently, comprehensively, and responsibly with everyone who buys and enjoys our products.”
It is unclear whether the ruling will have wider consequences but comes amid customer anger about shrinkflation - where firms reduce a product’s size, weight, or quantity while keeping the price the same. In one of the most recent examples, the maker of Mars bars was accused of slashing sizes by almost a quarter while keeping them at the same price. Manufacturers doing so have argued it is due to a surge in costs, including the price of cocoa in recent years.
Shop owners spotted that confectionery giant Mars Wrigley had lowered weights from 51g to 40g - yet kept retail and wholesale prices unchanged. Data from a major wholesaler shows the 51g variant - now listed as “discontinued” - cost 75p and delivered retailers a 24.24% profit margin. Mars Wrigley UK and Ireland said: “Recently, we made select updates to our bar sizes and pack formats to ensure a consistent supply to our retail customers.”
Consumer group Which? has long highlighted the shrinkflation trend, and shone the spotlight on individual manufacturers. In research published last October, it found big brands had cut back on the size or quantity of popular products, from toothpaste to heartburn medicine. Shoppers were asked for examples of shrinkflation they had spotted in supermarkets. They included Aquafresh Complete Care Original Toothpaste, which went from £1.30 for 100ml to £2 for 75ml at Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Ocado - a 105% price rise per 100ml. Shoppers also saw bottles of Gaviscon Heartburn and Indigestion Liquid had shrunk from 600ml to 500ml, and Which? found that at Sainsbury’s the price was still £14 - a 20% rise per 100ml.
