Toblerone owner sues British vegan chocolate maker over shape
Mondelēz alleges a small UK brand is copying the Swiss bar's distinctive chunky design with its O'bar product.
At a glance
- Mondelēz filed legal papers at London high court against Catherine's Originals
- The claim alleges trademark infringement and 'passing off' with the O'bar product
- Catherine's Originals denies the allegations
- The dispute concerns the similarity of the chocolate bars' segmented, humped design
Mondelēz, owner of Toblerone, has filed a lawsuit at London's high court against Catherine's Originals, a British vegan chocolate brand. The company alleges that the firm's O'bar product infringes its trademark and constitutes "passing off" by copying Toblerone's distinctive segmented shape with rounded humps.
Catherine's Originals has denied the allegations. The case centres on whether the O'bar's design – a chocolate bar divided into segments with semi-oval bumps – too closely resembles the iconic Swiss chocolate bar's well-known structure.
Why it matters
The case tests how far trademark protection extends to product shape and design in the food industry, potentially affecting how smaller brands can differentiate their products.
Original reporting
- The Guardian — BusinessToblerone owner sues British vegan chocolate brand over chunky shape
- The Guardian — WorldToblerone owner sues British vegan chocolate brand over chunky shape
This brief was written with AI assistance from the reports listed above and checked against our editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.
