Overview
- Ritter Sport confirmed a new Edelkakao‑Klasse line with three 75‑gram bars in stores, priced around €2.29, replacing the previous 100‑gram Kakao‑Klasse for those varieties.
- The company says these are new recipes in a thinner format that research shows dark‑chocolate buyers prefer, and it notes the reduced weight is marked multiple times on the pack.
- After a wave of online anger, Ritter Sport posted that 100 grams remains its standard, defended the 75‑gram bars as using higher‑grade cocoa, and framed the change as a taste and texture improvement.
- Consumer advocates label the switch a hidden price rise of roughly 33% per kilogram and press for time‑limited front‑of‑pack notices or EU‑level rule changes, while Germany’s BVL points to existing case‑by‑case rules against misleading packs.
- A recent Bremen court ruling found Milka failed to flag a size cut during the first four months after a change, and the broader context shows cocoa prices have fallen since 2024 even as brand chocolate stays pricey and shoppers shift to cheaper private labels.