CLEVELAND, Ohio – Mondelez International, the Chicago-based snack food conglomerate behind brands like Oreo, Ritz, and Chips Ahoy!, has filed a federal lawsuit against Aldi, accusing the discount grocery chain of mimicking the packaging of its popular products to mislead consumers.
The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, alleges that Aldi’s private-label items, including Benton’s cookies and crackers, imitate unique elements of Mondelez’s packaging, such as color schemes, product imagery, and font styles. Mondelez claims this intentional action confuses and misleads customers, takes advantage of its reputation, and causes the company economic loss.
Products named in the lawsuit include Oreo, Chips Ahoy, Nutter Butter, Wheat Thins, Nilla Wafers, Ritz Crackers and Original Premium Saltine Crackers. Documents show side-by-side images of the products, highlighting similarities in packaging design…