() — Toblerone bars, which are sold in more than 100 countries, can no longer be considered Swiss chocolate: the company that owns the brand will move part of the production out of Switzerland.
The beak-shaped chocolate, made with honey and almond nougat, will also lose the iconic image of Mount Cervino (or Matterhorn) that appears on its packaging, after Toblerone maker Mondelez decided to move part of production to Bratislava, capital of Slovakia.
“For legal reasons, the changes we are making to our production mean we must adjust our packaging to comply with Swiss law. We removed our Swiss (chocolate) claim from the front of the Toblerone package and changed our description of ‘originating in Switzerland’ ‘ to ‘established in Switzerland,'” a Mondelez spokesperson told .
Under a Swiss law, which was passed in 2017, the country’s national symbols and cross cannot be used on products that do not meet the “Swiss origin” criteria.
The legislation requires that foods claiming to be “Swiss made” be produced with 80% raw materials coming from Switzerland, a figure that increases to 100% in the case of milk and milk products. Essential processing must also take place in the country, with exceptions for 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 together with his cousin Emil Baumann, according to the Mondelez website.
“Bern is an important part of our history and will continue to be so in the future,” the official completed.
A Swiss government website for small businesses cites “several studies” showing that “Swiss brand” can account for up to 20% of the sales price of certain products, and up to 50% for luxury items, compared to similar products from other countries.
The “of Swiss origin” legislation is intended to protect the value of the country’s label, according to the website.
