Suche
Mein Konto
Aldi has to remove Dubai chocolate” from sale – court rules!
The Cologne Higher Regional Court bans Aldi Süd from selling “Dubai chocolate” because it does not come from Dubai and misleads consumers.
Aldi has to remove Dubai chocolate” from sale – court rules!
The Cologne Higher Regional Court has decided: Aldi Süd must stop the sale of its so-called “Dubai chocolate”. This decision was made on June 27, 2025 as part of an urgent procedure and is now legally binding. The Court ruled that the chocolate must actually come from Dubai in order not to mislead consumers, as a significant proportion of consumers assume a geographical origin. More than 15 to 20 percent of consumers associate “Dubai chocolate” with this particular origin, according to the court’s ruling. This decision is a clear indication that the origin of products is of great importance to consumers, as rnd.de reports.
The focus of the dispute is the product “Alyan Dubai Handmade Chocolate”, which Aldi Süd has been selling since December 2025. A confectionery importer had filed a lawsuit against the company because the chocolate was produced in Turkey, not Dubai. Aldi argued that the term “Dubai chocolate” represents a category of products and cannot be used as a direct symbol of origin. However, the court did not follow this argument and found that misleading consumer information was provided.
The court decision in detail
The decision of the 6th Civil Senate includes several urgent proceedings in which the applicants took action against suppliers of “Dubai chocolate” and demanded that the sale be stopped. The Cologne Regional Court initially issued a ban, while no measures were taken in other proceedings. The Higher Regional Court decided that the distribution of the products was inadmissible, based on several relevant paragraphs of trademark law and competition law. In particular, the risk of misleading consumers was considered to be present.
Aldi has already reacted and removed the chocolate from sale as a precautionary measure. Now it remains to be seen whether one of the parties will pursue main proceedings. It is also unclear how Aldi will ultimately implement the court decision. The company is currently examining the full reasoning for the judgment, which has not yet been published, as can be read in the communication from the Cologne Higher Regional Court.
The legal framework for geographical indications of origin
The importance of geographical indications of origin should not be underestimated. EU Regulation 2024/1143 protects foods and products associated with certain geographical designations. This applies not only to chocolate, but also to numerous foods such as cheese, meat and wine. A distinction is made between protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications, which is an important issue for food producers.
A high standard is required to ensure that only products manufactured in the named region are sold with the corresponding designation of origin. Consumers should be aware of the origins of their food, especially at a time when counterfeit food is a growing problem. According to dpma.de, for example, counterfeit products are often associated with dangerous substances, which underlines the need to pay attention to genuine designations of origin.
The topic shows how important it is to ensure clarity and honesty in the food industry and how companies like Aldi Süd have to adapt their processes to meet legal requirements. This will not only affect their business but also increase consumer trust in the brand.