German court halts sales of Dubai chocolate made in Türkiye

COLOGNE

A German court has banned a discount supermarket chain from selling a version of Dubai chocolate made outside the Emirati city, particularly in Türkiye.

Dubai chocolate, filled with pistachio paste and delicate, shredded pastry, became a viral sensation on social media platforms such as TikTok, with some videos amassing tens of millions of views.

The highly sought-after chocolate bars sparked frenzied crowds in stores last year, with long lines outside popular establishments worldwide, as well as in Türkiye's major cities.

The Cologne court ruling, which is subject to appeal, followed a complaint filed by businessman Andreas Wilmers, who imports "Dubai chocolate" directly from the Gulf city.

He complained to the court about supermarket chain Aldi Sued stocking "Alyan Dubai Handmade Chocolate," which is actually produced in Türkiye.

Siding with Wilmers, the court determined that "the average consumer would assume the term 'Dubai Handmade Chocolate' indicates that the chocolate was produced in Dubai."

"The 'Origin: Türkiye' label on the reverse side is insufficient to resolve this misunderstanding," it added, citing its placement and small font size.

The court also ordered Aldi Sued to pay costs.

Wilmers said he became aware of various imitation products after customers began complaining about the taste of the treats. "If you see 'Dubai Handmade Chocolate' on a chocolate bar that is actually mass-produced in Türkiye, that is simply unacceptable," he told AFP, adding that he thinks wording such as "'Dubai style' or something along those lines would be fine."

In Türkiye, the surging demand for Dubai chocolate has led to a spike in pistachio prices, prompting baklava producers to call on the government to facilitate pistachio imports from Syria to help stabilize the market. In response, the Trade Ministry has recently begun evaluating import possibilities from Syria, assessing regional conditions and supply chains.