Chocolate Bunny Wars
Two very cute foil wrapped chocolate bunnies and their design are in dispute. Swiss chocolate master Lindt & Sprungli makes cute chocolate bunnies and so does chocolate maker Hauswirth based in Austria. Both chocolate bunnies look similar because of a traditional chocolate mould shape that dates back to the 1930s. This particular chocolate bunny mould shape is a successful one because it is very sturdy and actually quite light in weight considering the size of the chocolate bunny.
Lindt & Sprungli makes many millions of these bunnies. Lindt wants to protect their gold bunny investment and trademarked the three dimensional shape as an exclusive design shape and look to Lindt & Sprungli.
Lindt says this is a unique shape and bunny likeness exclusive to their company. Hauswirth has been making similar bunny shaped chocolate for years. Lindt won a settlement against the German chocolate maker Hans Riegelein & Sohn which forced them to stop making gold foiled chocolate bunnies of similar shape. Lindt says that the competitor's gold chocolate bunnies are confusingly similar and that this particular look is a Lindt exclusive.