Choose aniseed sprinkles if you’re looking for a colourful, aniseed-flavoured topping for festival snacks. If you specifically want Fairtrade chocolate, a chocolate topping such as chocolate sprinkles is a different product choice: Jumbo lists sugar and aniseed among the ingredients for De Ruijter Muisjes Blauwe & Witte, but no cocoa. Check the Fairtrade claim on the packaging of the exact chocolate product, and make sure you have allergen information available if serving snacks loose.
You want to be able to link the Fairtrade claim to the product you actually serve. Fairtrade International describes the FAIRTRADE Mark as a label for products whose ingredients meet the applicable Fairtrade Standards.
You’re looking for a sprinkle topping for things like crispbread, yoghurt or cupcakes. Jumbo suggests these uses for De Ruijter Muisjes Blauwe & Witte; the listed ingredients show that it isn’t a chocolate topping.
You’re offering snacks with toppings to consumers without packaging. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority requires information about allergens present in this case, so you need to be able to check this information when choosing a product.
First decide whether your snack needs aniseed sprinkles or whether chocolate with a verifiable Fairtrade claim is the priority. Then consider how you’ll serve the topping.
Choose these when: you want a colourful, dry topping made from sugar-coated aniseed.
Trade-off: according to the ingredients listed by Jumbo, De Ruijter Muisjes Blauwe & Witte contains no cocoa. It therefore doesn’t meet a need for Fairtrade chocolate.
Choose these when: chocolate matters more than the specific type of aniseed sprinkles, and you can check the Fairtrade claim on the product you choose.
Trade-off: chocolate sprinkles aren’t a type of aniseed sprinkles. Albert Heijn lists Fairtrade Original Hagelslag puur among its brands; check the packaging before making a certification claim about the product you choose.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade claim | Check the applicable FAIRTRADE Mark or product claim on the exact packaging, and read any information about the ingredients. | I only want to present chocolate as Fairtrade if I can substantiate this for the product I’ve chosen; for around 40% of consumers, a verifiable claim is the priority. |
| Type of topping | Compare the ingredients in aniseed sprinkles with those in a chocolate topping, and decide which one you need for your snack. | I want the look and aniseed flavour of aniseed sprinkles for my crispbread or cupcake; around 30% of consumers say this function is their top priority. |
| Allergens when serving loose | Check the latest allergen information for each topping you choose, and make sure it’s available when serving food without packaging. | If I’m serving snacks loose, I want to be able to tell consumers about any allergens present; for around 30% of consumers preparing this kind of offering, this is the most important consideration. |
Jumbo lists sugar and aniseed among the ingredients for De Ruijter Muisjes Blauwe & Witte, but no cocoa. So choosing this variety won’t meet a need for Fairtrade chocolate.
Decide whether you want aniseed sprinkles or a chocolate topping before you buy. If you choose chocolate, check the Fairtrade claim on the packaging.
Albert Heijn says that the cocoa in its own-brand products is Rainforest Alliance- or Fairtrade-certified. This in itself says nothing about the Fairtrade certification of an individual De Ruijter product or another branded product.
Base any Fairtrade claim on the packaging or product information for the exact item you’re using.
The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority requires allergen information for food sold without packaging. Jumbo lists wheat as an ingredient in De Ruijter Muisjes Blauwe & Witte.
Check the latest packaging for each topping and have the allergen information ready before serving the snacks without packaging.
Worth considering if you’re thinking of using classic aniseed sprinkles to decorate festival snacks; Albert Heijn and Jumbo list sprinkles from this brand.
A brand to look at if chocolate sprinkles would work better than aniseed sprinkles for your snack.
This retailer lists both De Ruijter aniseed sprinkles and Fairtrade Original Hagelslag puur; these are different types of product.
No. Based on the ingredients listed by Jumbo, this isn’t a chocolate topping: the list includes sugar, aniseed and wheat starch, among other things, but no cocoa. Choose a different product if you specifically want to use Fairtrade chocolate, and check its packaging.
Check the mark and product information on the packaging of the topping you’re actually choosing. Fairtrade International links the FAIRTRADE Mark to applicable standards for ingredients; for a composite product, read any information provided about the mark too.
Make sure consumers can get information about any allergens present when you offer snacks without packaging. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority sets requirements for allergen information on food sold without packaging, so check the latest product information for every topping you use.
Jumbo lists wheat among the ingredients for De Ruijter Muisjes Blauwe & Witte. Check the packaging again when you buy the variety you’re going to serve.
