Alexia Fragaki's Blog

Toblerone is one of the most known Swiss chocolate brands. Its point of distinction that has differentiated from its competitors and has created consumer loyalty has long been the triangular shape of the Toblerone chocolate bars. The whole bar is in the shape of a triangle and is divided into small triangles packed close to each other. Recently, Toblerone changed two of its bars, the one weighing 400g and the one weighing 170g by widening the gaps between the triangles and thus reducing the weight by bar to 360 and 150 grams respectively, but without changing their prices.

Toblerone argued that this decision has long been planned because the price of cocoa has been increasing while the value of the Euro has been decreasing compared to the Swiss frank and thus a reduction of costs was necessary. However, many consumers, including the most loyal ones, have been dissatisfied with this decision.

In my opinion this decision has some positive and negative aspects.

On the one hand, the reduction of chocolate per bar could be used as a technique to promote Toblerone’s care about the wellness of its consumers. By reducing the amount of chocolate per bar for the same price, people might be motivated to consume less chocolate per day thus improving their health.

In addition, the reduction of weight per bar with the same price, increases the revenues and profits of the firm, thus increasing the profits of the firm.

However,  this decision can destroy the relationship with some of the most loyal consumers as the shape of the bar has long been its point of distinction. Since Toblerone wanted to increase the difference between the cost and the revenue to gain more profits, it might have been better to increase the price per bar than to reduce the amount of chocolate per bar. Loyal consumers would be willing to pay more for the bar they so love, but they might not be willing to consume less of it. I think that a slight increase in price would have been less visible than the actual shape of it.