Frontal: The Chocolat Scam: Why the price is exploding
The Chocolate Scam - Who Profits from Rising Prices?
Chocolate is getting more and more expensive – especially around Christmas, which is particularly painful for consumers. Manufacturers blame cocoa. But there's more to the enormous price increases: the secret power of the brands.
"Frontal" reveals why the price of chocolate has been exploding since 2022.
Struggle for the Future of Ukraine - Powerless Europe?
German foreign policy experts describe the so-called US peace plan for Ukraine as a capitulation plan. They argue it would reward Russia, establish a new world order, and prioritize the law of the jungle over international law.
At the same time, US policy is exacerbating the situation for Europe and NATO. Because the US increasingly sees itself as a neutral mediator in the Ukraine issue rather than as the leading power of the defense alliance, while, according to the new US security strategy, Europe even has to fear "civilizational annihilation." What response Europe will find to this remains to be seen.
How Corruption Endangers Authorities - Police and Judiciary Under Suspicion
They are supposed to protect the state – and could themselves become a weak point. Criminal groups repeatedly succeed in gaining access to investigative authorities and thus infiltrating state structures: A public prosecutor, a police officer, and several state criminal police officers are currently the focus of investigations. In 2024 alone, according to the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), organized crime attempted to influence more than 108 cases.
Hunting Pickpockets - In the Crosshairs of Plainclothes Detectives
Pickpocketing is commonplace in many large cities – especially older people are repeatedly targeted by thieves. In Berlin, the program "frontal" accompanies plainclothes detectives on their work. They know the perpetrators' tricks precisely and provide insight into the methods of pickpockets. Often, it is internationally operating gangs that deliberately exploit the crowds on public transport, in markets, or on shopping streets.
Surveillance camera footage and documented arrests show how systematically the perpetrators operate – and why thousands of thefts are reported every year, while the consequences for the accused often remain limited.
Broadcasting on 09th of December 2025 at 07.00pm + 12th of December 2025 at 04.00am on ZDF
Music: POPVIRUS Library