Toblerone to lose Matterhorn logo as the chocolate can no longer be considered ‘Swiss’

Toblerone bars will lose the iconic image of the Matterhorn peak from their packaging, as under Swiss laws the chocolate can no longer be considered “of Switzerland”. The seismic change for the brand follows the decision of Toblerone’s US owner Mondelez, a confectionary giant, to move production outside of Switzerland for the first time in the chocolate bars’ history. Mondelez announced last year that the company was set to open a new production site for Toblerone in Slovakia, in response to growing demand worldwide for its products. But the switch comes at a significant price for the brand: under Swiss law, only milk-based products produced exclusively and entirely in Switzerland can use national symbols in their marketing. That means that Toblerone, which was first established in the Swiss capital Bern in 1908 and has since then been proudly Swiss, will lose the Matterhorn mountain peak from its packaging, one of its most recognizable features. Hidden in the mountain peak there’s also a heraldic bear, the symbol of Bern -- which is also set to disappear. The chocolate bars, made with crunchy almonds and honey nougats, are immediately identified by their unique triangular shape, reminiscent of the Alpine mountains, the font and logo used in its packaging, and the lettering engraved in the chocolate. All of that is likely to be lost as the chocolate will now partly be produced in Slovakia. Mondelez said that the image of the Swiss 4,478m mountain peak will now be replaced by a generic summit, while a new font will be used in the packaging and the box will say “established in Switzerland” instead of “of Switzerland”.

The packaging will also feature the signature of Toblerone’s founder Theodor Tobler, paying homage to the chocolate bars’ origins. While there’s a lot being lost in the new packaging, Mondelez said that the company will gain in numbers from the decision to move production to Slovakia, with the new production site in Eastern Europe expected to “manufacture millions of additional bars.” The new packaging’s design is still to be revealed. (Source Euronews)’