Chocolate War, Moja Chokolada online shop

It is true that there was a war, which is being talked about. It was a political war that did not involve weapons, violence and death. However, it was a war that contained many harsh and difficult words and many activities by politicians who were, in reality, saving the interests of the chocolate industry.

The European Union

In 1994, the European Union introduced various food standards aimed at standardising the quality of foodstuffs on the markets of all EU Member States. This was necessary because, prior to unification, countries had different standards and views on food quality, which was totally unacceptable in a united Europe.

For most foodstuffs, standardisation has proceeded without major problems. However, it was chocolate, which continued to cause grey hairs for politicians in Europe for some time, that was the problem. Belgium, France and Germany took the position in the chocolate standardisation process that the word "chocolate" could only be used for foods containing at least 50% cocoa. Nor should chocolate products contain vegetable fats, which are often found in chocolate bars in the UK.

Chocolate products

This would mean that all chocolate bars, confectionery and other chocolate products found on the shelves of shops that contain vegetable fats and less than 50% cocoa would no longer be called "chocolate", but would have to be renamed, otherwise they would no longer appear on European markets. This would, of course, be a major blow to the chocolate industry, which makes a large proportion of its profits from these chocolates. That is why the chocolate manufacturers have rebelled and sent their politicians into the fire.

Thus, the three countries that have set strict and high criteria for chocolate were first to be challenged by the UK. But in reality, it was not a rebellion by politicians, but by one of the biggest chocolate makers - Cadbury.

The company, which produces several tonnes of chocolate products a year containing less than 10% cocoa, was unable to accept the European Union''s tough and high criteria.

The losses would simply be too great for this company. After months of talks, arguments and threats of trade bans and prisons, Germany unexpectedly changed sides and joined the UK. Pressure from Switzerland, which is not a member of the European Union but is a major producer of chocolate products, is believed to have been the cause. Like Cadbury, Swiss companies would be hit hard by the EU restriction, as they would no longer be able to export their milk chocolates to the EU market.

The dispute dragged on for several months, but Germany''s defection was decisive. Together, the two major European countries have achieved that in Europe, chocolate is now considered to be anything containing at least 2.5% dry non-fatty matter - cocoa solids (white chocolate is an exception), and can also contain up to 5% vegetable fats. But MEPs voted in favour of an additional rule that requires every chocolate bar to be labelled with the ingredients and the amounts of those ingredients contained in the chocolate.

In the end, practically everyone was a winner. Chocolate companies can still export all their products to the European market, because the standards for chocolates are much lower than the starting point. However, this does not make us any less of a consumer, because we can always check how much cocoa and other ingredients are in our chocolate before we buy it, so that we can decide which chocolate we want to buy.