Toblerone bars, sold in more than 100 countries, can no longer be called Swiss chocolate, because the brand’s owner in the United States is moving part of production out of Switzerland.
The spike-shaped treat made with honey and almond nougat will also lose the iconic Matterhorn mountain from its packaging after Mondelez (MDLZ), which manufactures Toblerone, decided to move part of its manufacturing to the Slovakian capital of Bratislava.
“For legal reasons, the changes we are making to our manufacturing mean that we need to adjust our packaging to comply with Swiss legislation. We have removed our Swiss claim from the front of the Toblerone package and changed our description ‘from Switzerland’ to ‘established in’,” a Mondelez spokesperson told CNN .
According to Switzerland’s Swissness Act, passed in 2017, national symbols and the Swiss cross are not allowed on products that do not meet the country’s criteria.
The law requires that food products claiming to be “Swiss-made” must be produced with 80% of their raw materials sourced from Switzerland, increasing to 100% milk and dairy products. Essential processing must also be done in the country, with the exception of natural products that cannot be sourced from Switzerland, such as cocoa.
The new Mondelez packaging includes “a new distinctive Toblerone typeface and logo” and Theodor Tobler’s signature, the spokesperson added. Tobler created the chocolate bar in 1908 along with his cousin Emil Baumann, according to the Mondelez website.
“Bern is an important part of our history and will continue to be in the future,” said the spokesperson.
A Swiss government website for small businesses cites “several studies” showing that the “Swiss brand” can represent up to 20% of the selling price of certain products and up to 50% for luxury items, compared to similar products from other countries.
The “Swiss” legislation aims to protect the value of the Swiss label, according to the website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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