The German discounter Aldi Süd is no longer allowed to sell its Dubai chocolate. The Cologne Regional Court ruled that the chocolate had to have a geographical link with Dubai to be so called. Otherwise there is a risk that buyers will be misled.
The same chocolate from the same manufacturer was part of a recall in Austria by Hofer, part of the German discount chain. It was for sale in the fall. Aldi Süd offered the “Alyan Dubai Handmade Chocolate” in its branches from December. The chocolate is produced in Turkey, as stated on the back of the packaging.
However, from the court’s point of view, this information is not sufficient. Due to the name, it can be assumed that “the product was actually manufactured in Dubai and imported into Germany,” it is said.
Here you can see a message about the discontinued sale.
Confectionery importer indicted
Aldi Süd is now no longer allowed to sell its Dubai chocolate. The Cologne Regional Court has issued summary proceedings against the company. The product is likely to be sold as Dubai chocolate if it is made in Dubai or has some other geographical reference.
The decision is not legally binding and the discounter can still object. Confectionery importer Andreas Wilmers, who sells Fex brand chocolate made in Dubai, Germany, had filed a lawsuit. Wilmers also warned discounter Lidl and southern goods manufacturer Lindt in December. There is currently no ruling on this procedure.
Lindt: “Breed name”
Lindt subsequently announced that the term was used as a variety name for chocolate with the typical pistachio Kadayif filling and not for chocolate that comes from Dubai. The Federal Association of the German Confectionery Industry also said Dubai chocolate could be produced anywhere in the world.
There has been a lot of hype around chocolate lately and the candy owes its rise to social media like Instagram and Tiktok. The chocolate quickly sold out in many stores in December.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
