Nestle has won an appeal in a trademark dispute with Mondelez International-owned Cadbury UK that looks set to allow the world’s largest food group to use the colour purple to package chocolate products.

This latest court ruling overturns a 2012 decision that found Cadbury could trademark the shade of purple it uses in chocolate products such as Dairy Milk.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

Responding to the decision, a spokesperson for Cadbury UK told just-food the company was “disappointed” by the ruling.

However, the spokesperson added: “It’s important to point out that it does not affect our long-held right to protect our distinctive colour purple from others seeking to pass off their products as Cadbury chocolate.
 
The spokesperson said the company is now “studying” the court’s findings and would “consider our next steps which includes the possibility of an appeal”.

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact