Traditional aniseed sprinkles aren’t automatically Fairtrade chocolate: the De Ruijter varieties described by Albert Heijn and Jumbo are sugar-coated aniseeds and don’t list cocoa. If Fairtrade is essential for your treat, check the certification and ingredients on the exact pack. If you mainly want to serve aniseed sprinkles, also look out for the listed wheat.
If Fairtrade certification is a condition of your purchase, check the exact product for the certification, rather than relying on a brand or shop name. Fairtrade International also advises checking the explanation on the back of the packaging when a certification mark includes an arrow.
Aniseed sprinkles can be scattered over rusks, bread, yoghurt or cupcakes at a small housewarming get-together. Albert Heijn and Jumbo describe these uses for De Ruijter sprinkles.
If you’re buying for housemates or guests who need to avoid wheat, read the label on the pack you’re serving. The ingredient lists for the De Ruijter varieties described by Albert Heijn and Jumbo include wheat starch.
First decide whether you want traditional aniseed sprinkles for your treat, or whether a verifiable Fairtrade certification is the deciding factor. A certification mark on a different chocolate product doesn’t make it aniseed sprinkles.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade certification | Check the certification mark on the exact pack. If it includes an arrow, Fairtrade International advises reading the explanation on the back. | If Fairtrade is my main requirement, I want to know what the certification applies to before buying. This verifiable Fairtrade status would be the priority for around 50% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients and allergen information on the pack you buy; Albert Heijn and Jumbo list wheat starch in the De Ruijter varieties described. | If I’m buying for housemates with a wheat allergy, the product I choose needs to suit their needs. Ingredients and allergens would be the first consideration for around 33% of consumers. |
| Serving as a treat | Check that the aniseed flavour suits what you want to serve, and follow the storage instructions on the packaging. | For a small housewarming get-together, I want something I can sprinkle over rusks or cupcakes without much preparation. This convenience would be the main reason for around 17% of consumers. |
The De Ruijter sprinkles described by Albert Heijn and Jumbo are sugar-coated aniseeds. So they aren’t suitable if you specifically want to serve chocolate.
If you’re looking for chocolate, check that cocoa or chocolate appears in the ingredients list of the product you choose.
A shop or brand name doesn’t tell you whether an individual product carries Fairtrade certification. Fairtrade International says that when a certification mark includes an arrow, further information may be provided on the back of the packaging.
Check the certification mark and its accompanying explanation on the exact pack before you decide.
The ingredients lists for the De Ruijter varieties described include wheat starch. This matters if someone you’re buying for needs to avoid wheat.
Ask about any relevant allergies in advance and compare them with the label on the pack you’re actually serving.
De Ruijter makes traditional aniseed sprinkles, with several varieties described by Albert Heijn and Jumbo.
No. The varieties described by Albert Heijn and Jumbo aren’t chocolate products: their ingredients lists include sugar, aniseed and wheat starch, among other things, but no cocoa. Don’t rely on the product name to determine Fairtrade status; check the certification mark on the exact pack.
Check which Fairtrade certification mark appears on the product and read the accompanying packaging information. If the mark includes an arrow, Fairtrade International advises checking the back for an explanation of the ingredients and sourcing methods.
Check the ingredients and allergen information on the pack you plan to serve. Albert Heijn and Jumbo list wheat starch in the De Ruijter sprinkles described.
Follow the storage instructions and best-before date on the packaging of the sprinkles you’ve bought.
