Toblerone’s makers face backlash after changing shape of iconic chocolate

To cut costs, Mondelez International has widened the gaps between the distinctive triangular jagged peaks on the Swiss-made chocolate bar. The change has reduced the weight of the 400g and 170g bars sold in the UK to 360g and 150g.

Gutted: the old Toblerone, above, and the austerity-driven new 150g bar. Alastair Grant / AP Photo

Abu Dhabi // It’s the go-to sweet in airport shops from Abu Dhabi to Zimbabwe, but it will never be the same again.

To cut costs, Toblerone’s makers have widened the gaps between the distinctive triangular jagged peaks on the Swiss-made chocolate bar.

The change has reduced the weight of the 400g and 170g bars sold in the UK to 360g and 150g.

“We chose to change the shape to keep the product affordable for our customers,” said US food and drink giant Mondelez International.

But if Mondelez wants to pacify its sweet-toothed customers, it has a mountain to climb.

British chocolate lovers have bitten back, bombarding the Toblerone Facebook page with complaints on Tuesday.

“This must be up there with the dumbest corporate decisions of all time,” wrote Michal Tat.

“You have a somewhat premium chocolate bar that is very well known for its distinctive shape, and to save money you change the shape? Now you have a premium-priced product that looks like a weird knock-off of itself.

“Shame on you, Mondelez.”

Customer Nicholas Barker also vented: “It’s not as if people eat Toblerone every day. You could literally double the price and people would still buy it. Fools.”

Mondelez exports Toblerone to 120 countries from a Swiss plant in Bern. Its main sales are through airport duty-free shops.

Since the UK voted in June to leave the European Union, the value of sterling has fallen by about 20 per cent, raising the cost of imports. Economists believe the sterling’s slump will lead to higher food prices, despite fierce competition between supermarkets.

But Mondelez insisted on Tuesday that the Toblerone change was unrelated to Brexit.

“Like many other companies, unfortunately we are experiencing higher costs for many ingredients,” a spokeswoman said.

Sugar prices have risen about 45 per cent this year and milk prices have also started to rise, boosted by a pickup in demand and tighter supplies in the EU.

Cocoa prices have been weaker this year but remain comparatively high after hitting a more than four-year peak late last year.

The economic realities, however, are of no comfort to Toblerone fans.

Customer Philip Joseph said: “You buy a bar expecting a normal bar, and it looks like you are getting half the chocolate.”

* With reporting by Reuters