Mondelez Accuses ALDI of Copying Its Snack Packaging
Private label packaging has come under fire. CPG giant Mondelez International Inc. has filed a lawsuit against discount retailer ALDI U.S., alleging that the supermarket chain “blatantly copies” Mondelez’s packaging for its own store-brand cookies and crackers.
With 2024 net revenues of approximately $36.4 billion, Mondelez owns iconic global and local brands such as Oreo, Ritz, LU, Clif Bar, and Tate's Bake Shop biscuits and baked snacks, as well as Cadbury Dairy Milk, Milka and Toblerone chocolate.
On May 27, Chicago-based Mondelez filed a federal lawsuit in an Illinois court against the U.S. branch of the German supermarket chain ALDI, which has its U.S. headquarters in Batavia, Ill.
As reported by The New York Times, the suit claimed that ALDI’s lookalike product packaging copies that of Mondelez’s signature snacks in a way that is “likely to deceive and confuse customers.”
Mondelez's lawsuit singled ALDI products that have a similar appearance to its Chips Ahoy and Oreo cookies, Wheat Thins, and Nabisco Premium Saltine Crackers. The CPG company claimed that although ALDI store-brand items have different names, they bear similar packaging design elements — font, colors and image placement — that are deceptively similar to the originals. To back up its allegations, Mondelez even included side-by-side photos of its products with ALDI store-brand products in the lawsuit.
AP News reported that Mondelez contacted ALDI on numerous occasions about “confusingly similar packaging.” While ALDI discontinued or changed the packaging on some items, it continued to sell others.
The lawsuit also claimed that some of ALDI packaging threatens to “dilute the distinctive quality of Mondelez’s unique product packaging” and “irreparably harm Mondelez and its valuable brands.”
Progressive Grocer reached out to ALDI for comment but did not hear back at press time.
Mondelez is seeking monetary damages and a court order preventing ALDI from selling products that the snack giant claimed infringe on its trademarks.
Meanwhile, ALDI U.S. made news last week when it revealed that its current COO, Atty McGrath, would take over the CEO position on Sept. 1. McGrath will take the helm at ALDI U.S. as current CEO Jason Hart transitions to the role of global COO of ALDI South Group.
Batavia, Ill.-based ALDI U.S. serves millions of customers across the country each month at more than 2,500 stores in 39 states. The company is No. 25 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2025 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. PG also named ALDI among its 10 Most Sustainable Grocers.
