Iconic chocolate brand Toblerone is facing fury after new packs went on sale stripped of the sweet’s Matterhorn mountain peak image.
Confectioners Modelez International say they were forced to change the design to avoid breaching new Swiss laws restricting the use of imagery that evokes the country’s likeness.
The famous triangular chocolate’s production is moving to Slovakia by the end of the year, and so to comply with Swiss laws the distinctive Matterhorn peak has been removed from the packet and replaced with a generic mountain top.
But images scrutinised by customers online showed that the brand also made some other significant changes along the way.
One of them included the removal of a bear rearing up on its hind legs, which was cleverly hidden inside the Matterhorn design.
The bear reportedly symbolised the Swiss city of Bern – known as the ‘city of bears’ – where the original manufacturing of the bars took place.
Additionally, the packaging now reads ‘established in Switzerland’, rather than ‘of Switzerland’.
The Swissness act – introduced in 2017 – controls strictly the use of Swiss flags, insignia, names and imagery.
Food can be only marketed as ‘made in Switzerland’, if 80 percent of the raw ingredients are homegrown and most of it is made in the country.
A spokesperson from American sweet giants Mondelez said: ‘The packaging redesign introduces a modernised and streamlined mountain logo that aligns with the geometric and triangular aesthetic.’
Company officials added they do not believe that the change of design affects sales.
The Toblerone chocolate bar was invented in 1908 by chocolatiers Theodor Tobler and Emil Baumann.
It is signature triangular shape has been legally protected since 1909.
The aim of the revised ‘Swissness’ law was to ‘prevent dilution of the country’s reputation for high-quality goods.’
It was initially supported by Swiss farms and watchmakers facing competition from lower-cost manufacturers.
Under the law, at least 80% of raw materials used in food products must be produced in Switzerland, along with 60% of manufacturing costs for industrial products.
Confectionary giant Nestle was previously forced to drop Swiss labels on some of its food products after the rule’s introduction.
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