Shaheer Ahmed
The distinctive Matterhorn mountain peak that appears on Toblerone’s chocolate box will be removed. This occurs at the same time that the brand’s US-based owner is transferring some production from Switzerland to Slovakia.
According to a Bloomberg article, the manufacturer of the triangular treat, Mondelez International Inc., is altering the image of the mountain on the cardboard wrapper in order to comply with the Swissness Act. This was reported by the Swiss daily Aargauer Zeitung. National emblems and Swiss crosses are prohibited from being shown on the packaging of goods that do not adhere to the Swissness Act, which was passed in 2017.
It also states that the national symbols are not allowed to be used to promote milk-based products that are not made exclusively in the country, as reported by BBC. Apart from milk based products, the law states that for other raw foodstuffs, the threshold is at least 80 percent. Essential work to produce a Swiss made product must also take place in Switzerland. Exceptions are made for raw materials not found in Switzerland, such as cocoa.
The famous Swiss chocolate bar was first launched in 1908 by Theodor Tobler and has been exclusively produced in Switzerland since the early 1990s. It is made of honey and almond nougat. Matterhorn’s jagged silhouette debuted on the packaging in 1970, as per its website. Prior to this, the packaging had Bernese bear, the Swiss capital’s four-legged icon and eagle.
The Matterhorn mountain logo will now be replaced by a more generic summit, according to American company Mondelez, which spoke with the BBC. The manufacturers of the Alpine Peak bar, as reported by the BBC, indicated that the packaging will be updated and will feature the founder’s autograph.
