A German regional court has ruled that the confectionery manufacturer Mondelēz misled consumers by reducing the mass of Milka chocolate bars while maintaining consistent packaging aesthetics.

德國一家地區法院裁定，糖果製造商門德利在維持包裝外觀不變的情況下，減少了 Milka 巧克力條的重量，此舉屬誤導消費者。

The litigation was initiated by the Hamburg consumer protection office, which alleged that the reduction of the Milka Alpine Milk bar from 100g to 90g, coupled with a price escalation from €1.49 to €1.99, constituted a deceptive practice. This phenomenon, termed 'shrinkflation,' is characterized by the diminution of product quantity amidst static or increasing retail pricing. The court determined that the preservation of the distinctive purple packaging without explicit notification of the weight reduction was insufficient for consumer transparency.

此次訴訟由漢堡消費者保護局發起，指控 Milka Alpine Milk 巧克力條重量從 100 克減至 90 克，且價格從 1.49 歐元調漲至 1.99 歐元，構成欺詐行為。這種現象被稱為「縮量漲價」（shrinkflation），其特徵是在零售價格持平或調漲的情況下，產品數量減少。法院判定，在未明確通知減重的狀況下仍維持其標誌性的紫色包裝，不足以滿足消費者的透明度要求。

From an institutional perspective, Mondelēz attributed these adjustments to exogenous economic pressures, specifically the inflation of raw material costs. The company cited suboptimal harvests in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana—regions responsible for over 50% of global cocoa production—alongside rising energy and logistics expenditures. While the defendant asserted that notifications were disseminated via digital channels and social media, the judiciary concluded that a physical notice on the packaging for a minimum duration of four months was requisite to mitigate consumer confusion.

從公司角度來看，門德利將這些調整歸因於外部經濟壓力，特別是原物料成本的通貨膨脹。該公司提到象牙海岸與迦納（這兩個地區佔全球可可產量 50% 以上）的收成不佳，以及能源與物流支出的增加。儘管被告主張已透過數位渠道與社群媒體發布通知，但司法機關認定，必須在包裝上提供至少四個月的實體通知，才能降低消費者的混淆。

Historical antecedents suggest a pattern of similar corporate strategies; Mondelēz previously modified the geometry of Toblerone bars in 2016 to reduce volume, a decision subsequently reversed in 2018. Furthermore, evidence indicates a broader industry trend of volume reduction across various confectionery lines, including Quality Street and Celebrations, reflecting a systemic response to the aforementioned cocoa supply volatility.

歷史先例顯示，這類企業策略具有模式；門德利曾在 2016 年修改 Toblerone 巧克力條的幾何形狀以減少體積，該決定隨後於 2018 年被撤銷。此外，證據顯示整個產業在多個糖果系列（包括 Quality Street 和 Celebrations）中均存在減量趨勢，反映出對上述可可供應波動的系統性反應。

The court has mandated a corrective notification period, though Mondelēz retains a thirty-day window to lodge an appeal.

法院已要求執行更正通知期，儘管門德利仍保有三十天期限可提出上訴。