Chocolatier falls foul of Germany’s precision

A COURT in Germany has ordered the chocolatemaker Ferrero to display the exact number of sweets in each box it sells.

German courts are known for issuing rulings in the minutest detail. But the court in Frankfurt took this love of precision to new heights this week when it ordered Ferrero to specify the number of chocolates in each box of the popular Raffaello brand.

It ruled the Italian chocolate-maker was in breach of European Union regulations, under which the specific number of sweets inside the box must be listed on the packaging. The case was brought after a complaint from a customer.

Ferrero lists only the weight of the chocolates. But Wiebke Franz, a trading standards official, said that was not enough. “Consumers either have to be able to see the number of sweets inside, or it must be specified on the packaging,” he said.

Ferrero fell foul of the regulation because its Raffaello coconut-almond chocolates are individually wrapped. Under EU rules, chocolates and ice cream can be sold by weight provided they are not wrapped. But when they are, the quantity must be specified.

The chocolate-maker argued unsuccessfully that the regulation did not apply as the wrappers were “separation aids”, not packaging.

The case is now before the higher regional court in Frankfurt for review.