Toblerone's triangular peaks are about as recognisable as packaging gets, which is exactly why a change to the gaps between them turned into national news in 2016 rather than going unnoticed.
What actually happened
In November 2016, UK shoppers noticed their Toblerone bars looked different. Mondelez — the bar's maker — hadn't changed the recipe or the triangular shape itself, but had spaced the peaks further apart and removed a couple of them altogether. The practical effect: the 400g bar dropped to 360g, and the 170g bar dropped to 150g, while the cardboard packaging stayed exactly the same size. Visually, that meant a bar with noticeably more gap than chocolate.
Shrinkflation, not a redesign
Mondelez's official explanation at the time pointed to rising costs of ingredients. Several commentators, including academics quoted by the press, used a more pointed term: shrinkflation — cutting the amount of product in a pack rather than raising the price outright, so the change is easy to miss unless you're looking closely at the bar itself. The story spread quickly in the UK partly because Toblerone's shape is so distinctive that any change to it was instantly visible, and partly because it landed in the middle of wider post-Brexit-vote discussion about rising food costs.
The reversal
The wider-gap version didn't last. By 2018, Mondelez had gone back to the narrower-gapped design closer to the original, with an executive describing the 2016 change as only ever intended as a short-term measure. Mondelez maintained the reversal wasn't a response to falling sales, and told the BBC that sales of the 150g bar had actually gone up after the gaps were widened.
What we actually stock
We carry the Toblerone Milk Chocolate Bar 340g, along with Milk Chocolate Toblerone 360g, Toblerone Orange Twist 360g and Toblerone Crunchy Almonds 360g.
Frequently asked questions
What actually changed with Toblerone's shape in 2016?
The gaps between the triangular peaks were widened and two peaks were removed, reducing bar weight while keeping the packaging the same size.
Why did Toblerone make bars smaller instead of raising the price?
Mondelez cited rising ingredient costs; the move was widely described as shrinkflation.
Did Toblerone go back to the old shape?
Yes, Mondelez reversed the change in 2018 and returned to narrower gaps between the peaks.
Does Supreme Sweets stock Toblerone?
Yes — including the classic milk chocolate, orange twist and crunchy almond bars.