Toblerone Owner Mondelēz Sues UK Vegan Brand Over Bar Shape
Mondelēz claims Catherine's Originals copied Toblerone's iconic chunky silhouette. The small British brand denies passing off and trademark infringement.
The multinational confectionery giant behind Toblerone has launched legal action against a small British vegan chocolate company, alleging its product mimics the Swiss bar's distinctive triangular profile. Mondelēz filed papers at the High Court in London against Catherine's Originals, the maker of a plant-based chocolate bar called the O'bar.
According to the court filing, Mondelēz accuses Catherine's Originals of "passing off" — a legal claim that a product is being misrepresented as, or unfairly associated with, a more established brand — as well as trademark infringement. At the center of the dispute is the O'bar's physical design: a length of chocolate segmented into pieces, each featuring a rounded semi-oval hump that Mondelēz argues is too close to Toblerone's recognizable form.
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Catherine's Originals has denied both allegations. The case highlights the increasing legal scrutiny major food corporations apply to product shapes, which can be registered and protected as three-dimensional trademarks in the United Kingdom and across the European Union. Toblerone's triangular mountain-inspired silhouette is among the most commercially recognizable candy shapes globally.
The David-versus-Goliath dynamic of the case — a global snack conglomerate pursuing a tiny artisan vegan brand — is likely to draw public attention as proceedings continue. Outcomes in shape-trademark cases can set meaningful precedents for independent food producers navigating intellectual property law. The High Court has yet to schedule a full hearing on the merits.
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