Toblerone packaging changes due to Swissness law

Invented and founded in Berne, Switzerland in 1908 by Theodor Tobler, the Toblerone chocolate brand is well-known for its distinctive triangular peak shape and honey and almond nougat taste. According to the owners Mondelez, the brand has a rich history and many loyal fans around the world — and demand for it is growing.

In order to meet the increased demand, some of the production will soon be changed and as a result the chocolate’s packaging design will no longer meet the requirements of the Swissness legislation, which was introduced in 2017.

In order to be called a Swiss food under the Swissness legislation, 80% of the weight of the raw materials concerned must come from Switzerland and the essential processing must also take place in Switzerland. For milk and milk products, there is also a special regulation that states that 100% of milk as the raw material must come from Switzerland.

If a product doesn’t meet these requirements, it cannot use any Swiss national symbols, such as the Matterhorn Mountain, or the “Made in Switzerland” designation to promote it.

According to a Mondelez spokesperson: “For legal reasons, we have to adapt our packaging to the Swissness legislation and, among other things, remove the Swissness notice on the front of the Toblerone pack. The Toblerone bars are still and will continue to be produced in Switzerland.

“The redesign of the packaging introduces a modernised and streamlined mountain logo that is consistent with the geometric and triangular aesthetic. The famous hidden bear is retained. The other changes to the packaging also reflect Toblerone’s heritage: the font and brand logo are inspired by the Toblerone archives and include the signature of our founder Tobler.

“Berne plays a central role in Toblerone’s history and will continue to do so in the future. That is why we have invested significantly in Berne over the last five years to modernise the factory, increase productivity and competitiveness, and meet changing consumer needs smarter and faster. These investments will enable us to increase production of our 100 g Toblerone bars in Berne in the medium to long term, ultimately producing 90 million additional 100 g bars per year.”

Image credit: iStock.com/lleerogers