Switzerland tells Toblerone to drop Matterhorn mountain from chocolate packaging

Toblerone has been told that it can no longer use the Swiss Matterhorn on its packaging. Photo / Morgan Thompson, Unsplash

The iconic triangular chocolate bar, beloved by duty free shoppers in a rush, is having a drastic makeover due to Swiss identity laws.

Toblerone has been told it can no longer use the image of the Matterhorn, Switzerland’s iconic pyramid-shaped mountain, on its packaging.

The chocolate bar makers Mondelez have said they will be forced to replace the peak with a mere ‘generic’ alpine mountain following changes to their production.

Since 2017 strict rules on “Swissness” have applied to marketing of goods from the region.

National symbols, such as the Matterhorn or white federal cross, can only be used on milk-based products that have been made exclusively in Switzerland.

With increased demand for the luxury chocolate, parent company Mondelez is now opening a factory in Slovakia.

Mondelez issued a statement to the BBC this weekend saying that the decision to move some production outside of Switzerland was taken “to grow our Toblerone brand for the future.”

The new packaging would include “distinctive new Toblerone typeface and logo that draw further inspiration from the Toblerone archives and the inclusion of our founder, Tobler’s, signature”.

This isn’t the first major shakeup of the bar’s image. The nougat and milk chocolate recipe first went on sale in Bern 115 years ago. However it was not until 1970 that the Matterhorn was added to the triangular packaging. The faint silhouette of a Bernese bear was also added to the logo.

Not all redesigns have been popular with confectionary fans. In 2016 Toblerone spaced out chunks in the bar to keep down production costs, outraging chocolate lovers. The “mean” looking design which shaved off 50g of chocolate was criticised because “half the pieces were missing”.

After much backlash the chocolate manufacturers replaced the chunks, but have sought to make savings elsewhere.

Switzerland has strict rules on products not been deemed to be majoritively produced in Switzerland.

Following pressure from factories in Ibach-Schwyz and Delémont, “Swiss army knives” were told that at least 60 per cent of production costs must happen in Switzerland or they must drop their moniker and cross from marketing.