Illustrative photo – A saleswoman packs Dubai chocolate at a shop in Ankara, Turkey on January 8, 2025. Photo credit: Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua News/Profimedia
Although sweets known as “Dubai chocolate” have become very popular in Germany, a local court decided on Monday that only products that are actually produced in Dubai can be promoted under this name, writes the agency of German press DPA.
The file concerned the product “Alyan Dubai artisanal chocolate” sold by the German grocery chain Aldi Sud, which became a real success after appearing in stores in December, notes Agerpres.
Above all “Dubai chocolate”, the sweets are filled with a pistachio cream and have launched a real fashion trend in Germany after being promoted by influencers on social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok.
However, a regional court in Cologne issued a temporary injunction against Aldi Sud on Monday, indicating that its product called “Alyan Dubai Artisan Chocolate” is actually produced in Turkey.
Under these conditions, the court ordered the store chain to stop selling the product.
The court stated that a product can only be labeled as “Dubai chocolate” or a similar label in Germany if it was produced in Dubai or has some other kind of geographical connection to Dubai. Otherwise, there is a risk of misleading consumers, the court said.
The court action was initiated by candy importer Andreas Wilmers, who sells the Dubai-produced Fex chocolate brand in Germany.
In case of recidivism, Aldi Sud could be fined.
The chain of stores did not want to comment on the court’s decision, which is not final and can be appealed.
In December 2024, candy importer Andreas Wilmers also warned the Lidl store chain, as well as candy manufacturer Lindt, about the sale of “Dubai chocolate.” So far no decision has been made on these processes.
Lindt responded that the term “Dubai chocolate” is one used for a chocolate dessert that is filled with pistachio cream and not for a chocolate that originated in Dubai.
For its part, the Association of German Sweets Manufacturers has announced that “Dubai chocolate” can be produced anywhere in the world.
