Oreo maker Mondelez sues Aldi over ‘copycat' packaging
In May, Mondelez, an Illinois corporation, submitted a 72-page federal complaint that claims Aldi uses similar packaging on its store items that 'trades upon the valuable reputation and goodwill' of multiple 'cookie and cracker snack products'.
The corporation said in the court documents, which were obtained by TODAY.com, that Aldi's packaging is 'likely to deceive and confuse consumers and dilute the distinctive quality of Mondelez's unique product packaging, and if not stopped, threaten to irreparably harm Mondelez and its valuable brands'.
TODAY.com has reached out to Mondelez and Aldi for a comment.
Mondelez is suing for monetary damages and is also asking that the court stop Aldi, which has its headquarters in Germany, from distributing the alleged 'copycats'. The suit did not specify the amount for damages.
The suit contained side-by-side comparisons of Mondelez snacks next to items sold by the grocery chain.
Next to images of Oreo, Wheat Thins, Nilla wafers and Ritz crackers were Aldi's Original Chocolate Sandwich Cookies with Vanilla Filling, Thin Wheat Original Crackers, Vanilla Wafers and Golden Round Crackers.
Mondelez pointed out similarities in packaging colours, fonts and symbols.
'Defendant's business model involves an emphasis on low-priced private label products that resemble the look and feel of well-known brands,' Mondelez said about Aldi's marketing strategy.
According to Mondelez, the company previously contacted Aldi about its 'copycat' items. The suit alleged that Aldi responded to the request by discontinuing or changing the flagged products.
But the supermarket has since, according to the snack company, 'continued its patterns and practice of selling products in packaging which infringes the trade dress of numerous Mondelez products'.
Aldi's dupes have been mentioned by customers over the years on social media.
One Aldi Reddit thread compared the grocery chain's 'knockoff' of Velveeta cheese.
An X user posted in 2023 that they enjoyed the dupes more than name brands.
Many TikTok users have also shared videos of them trying Aldi ice cream flavours and comparing them to other brands.
On Aldi's website, the company says it aims to save customers 'money on the food and products you want the most'.
The supermarket described itself as 'the fastest-growing grocer in the U.S.' in a February press release.
It also said it plans to open over 225 stores this year.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
2 days ago
- News.com.au
Clyde North retail boom continues with Aldi slated for St Germain
Families in Clyde North will soon have another reason to shop local, with Aldi locked in for a major new store in the heart of the walkable St Germain precinct. The German supermarket chain will join Coles and 19 specialty retailers at St Germain Central, as part of a masterplanned lifestyle hub that's reshaping one of Melbourne's fastest-growing corridors. Construction is expected to begin in early 2026, with doors set to open in 2027. RELATED: Inside Wendy's bold Aus expansion plan 'Traps': Vic homes you shouldn't buy Gill Family Corp chief executive David Blumenthal said Aldi's arrival marked a major win for local residents, many of whom had already embraced the estate's retail offering since it opened in December 2023. 'This will probably be the first time most residents are hearing about Aldi coming in, and I imagine they'll be thrilled,' Mr Blumenthal said. 'You'll literally be able to walk across the car park from Aldi to Coles, top up your shopping in any of our 19 other stores, and get everything done in one stop. 'It's all about value, convenience, and choice.' While this won't be the first Aldi in the Clyde North catchment, it will bring the chain's newest store format to the estate, with energy-efficient features and a modern design brief aimed at future-proofing the space. Mr Blumenthal said Gill Family Corp had just secured planning approval, and are now working through the finer details before construction starts early next year. The walkable St Germain Central precinct already includes a full-line Coles, a newly opened medical centre, and specialty dining and retail tenancies, all anchored by underground parking and a village-style layout that's rare in new suburban estates. 'We've had amazing feedback,' he said. 'One of the big points of difference is the underground carparking, it's rare in greenfield developments like this.' 'We want our centres to feel good, function well, and offer an enjoyable experience. That pays off for everyone, retailers, residents, and the broader community.' The broader St Germain estate has also completely sold out its residential land component, with a growing population of families and professionals driving ongoing demand for local services. The Gill Family Corp chief executive said the outer southeast corridor is booming. 'The population in Clyde North is forecast to triple in the next five to six years, that's the scale of growth we're talking about,' he said. 'And with that growth comes demand for high-quality services, retail, health, education, lifestyle. Aldi saw that and jumped on board.' Looking ahead, the developers are also preparing to launch a major bulky goods precinct across the road from the centre, with three national anchor tenants already secured and more to be announced in the coming months. 'We've got 55ha of commercial land to develop over the next decade,' Mr Blumenthal said. 'There's a large new healthcare facility nearing completion next month, and we're continuing to expand the retail mix as demand grows.' 'We're in this for the long haul — as landlords and developers — and our aim is to deliver something of real quality that grows with the community.'
AU Financial Review
7 days ago
- AU Financial Review
Woolworths, Coles, Aldi and Macca's to keep American beef off the menu
The nation's largest supermarkets, Woolworths, Coles and Aldi will not stock US beef on their shelves even after the government lifted bans on the import of such products last week. The grocery giants are not alone, with iconic American fast food chain McDonald's – the food retailer that uses the most beef nationally – and Mexican fast food chain Guzman Y Gomez also opting out of using US beef in its burgers and burritos locally.
West Australian
28-07-2025
- West Australian
Aldi brings home delivery to WA with DoorDash tie-up as the supermarket war heats up
Aldi will bring its home delivery service to WA as part of a tie-up with DoorDash in a move set to escalate the supermarket wars. Just weeks after launching a trial in Canberra, the German supermarket says the service will now be available in most of its 52 stores in WA from Tuesday. Aldi is promising its range of more than 1800 products — including fruit, vegetables, meat, seafood, dairy, bread and household essentials — at a few clicks of a button. WA becomes the second location to have the service available, with the company planning to roll it out more nationally in the coming months. It comes as online delivery and click-and-collect services quickly become key areas of growth for larger rivals Coles and Woolworths. In the half-year, Coles and Woolworths recorded a 22.6 per cent and 20 per cent increase, respectively, in online sales, outpacing in-store growth. Coles and Woolworths are already available on DoorDash. Aldi Australia chief commercial officer Jordan Lack said the supermarket's mission was to deliver high quality groceries at the lowest prices. 'Through our partnership with DoorDash, we can now literally deliver on this mission directly to Aussies' doorsteps in an exciting new way that we know our customers have been seeking,' Mr Lack said. 'We're thrilled that customers will be able to shop with Aldi from the comfort of their homes, bringing our 'Good Different' shopping experience to more and more people in the tap of an app.' DoorDash APAC vice president Simon Rossi said the partnership represented an exciting step forward in how it was redefining how Australians shopped for groceries. It is the last major supermarket chain to make home delivery available, after Costco announced a similar partnership with DoorDash in early February to bring bulk-buy goods to Australians' doorsteps. US supermarket giant Costco signed a similar deal with DoorDash in February, making same-day delivery available across Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane.
