Shrinkflation earns Milka a dubious award in Germany

In Germany, Foodwatch has awarded a “Goldene Windbeutel” to Mondelez: the chocolate manufacturer receives the award for misleading advertising because of higher prices for smaller Milka packs.

“Legalised consumer deception”

With the Goldene Windbeutel, food watchdog Foodwatch says it awards “the most triumphant advertising lie” of the year. In an online vote, about a third of 58,000 participants preferred Mondelez’s Milka Alpenmilch chocolate packaging, which shrunk from 100 grams to 90 grams while the price rose from 1.49 to 1.99 euros. For consumers, that meant a 48% price increase.

“Mondelez is misleading people in the supermarket – and earning big. Shrinkflation is legalised consumer deception, and the government is letting people down,” said Chris Methmann director of Foodwatch in Germany, who points out that weight information is often hidden by the cardboard outer packaging.

In the Netherlands, too, the organisation awards such a “Gouden Windei” every year. Last year, the dubious honour went to Albert Heijn for its Lekkerbekjes: the frozen snacks were found to contain less and less fish and more crust.