Aldi has to remove Dubai chocolate-judgment judges!

Aldi has to remove Dubai chocolate-judgment judges!

The Cologne Higher Regional Court decided: Aldi Süd must stop selling its so-called "Dubai chocolate". This decision was made on June 27, 2025 as part of an urgent procedure and is now final. The Court ruled that the chocolate actually has to come from Dubai so as not to mislead consumers, since a significant part of consumers emanates from geographical origin. According to the court's reasoning, more than 15 to 20 percent of consumers combine "Dubai chocolate" with this specific origin. This decision represents a clear finger that the origin of the products is of great importance for consumers, as rnd.de.

The focus of the dispute is the product "Alyan Dubai Handmade Chocolate", which Aldi Süd has sold since December 2025. A confectionery importer had sued the company because the chocolate was produced in Turkey, not in Dubai. Aldi argued that the term "Dubai chocolate" stands for a genus of products and could not be used as a direct sign of origin. But the court did not follow this reasoning and saw a misleading consumer information.

The court decision in detail

The decision of the 6th Civil Senate comprises several urgent procedures in which the applicants have taken action against providers of "Dubai chocolate" and demanded that the sale were omitted. The Cologne District Court initially pronounced a ban, while no measures were taken in other procedures. The OLG 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 given.

Aldi has already reacted and took the chocolate out of sale as a precaution. Now it remains to be seen whether one of the parties is aiming for a main proceedings. It is also unclear how Aldi will ultimately implement the court decision. The company is currently examining the full reasoning that has not yet been published, as can be read in the communication of the OLG Cologne.

The legal framework for geographical origin information

The importance of geographical origin information should not be underestimated. The EU Ordinance 2024/1143 protects food and products associated with certain geographical names. This not only affects chocolate, but also numerous foods such as cheese, meat and wine. A distinction is made between protected original designations and protected geographical information, which is an important topic for food producers.

A high standard is required to ensure that only products that are produced in the named region are sold with the corresponding designation of origin. Consumers should be clear about the origin of their food, especially in times when fake foods represent a growing problem. According to dpma.de, fake products are often associated with dangerous substances, which underlines the need to pay attention to real descriptions 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 in order to meet the legal requirements. This will not only affect their business, but also strengthen consumers' trust in the brand.