Choose a canoe-shaped biscuit as a Fairtrade option only if the current packaging clearly displays an applicable Fairtrade mark or a Fairtrade cocoa claim. Jumbo, Albert Heijn and PLUS describe their canoe-shaped biscuits as biscuits with almond paste, without making a cocoa or Fairtrade claim. If Fairtrade cocoa matters more to you than the shape of the biscuit, you could consider a different type; Verkade makes this claim for Crunchy Koek Pinda, which also contains peanuts, milk, soya and wheat.
You want something sweet to take with you, but the Fairtrade label needs to be clear. For a product made with several ingredients, the information on the packaging helps you check which ingredients the mark applies to, as Fairtrade Nederland explains.
You’re looking for a biscuit with almond paste and want to know how many portions are in a pack. Jumbo and Albert Heijn list portion sizes for their canoe-shaped biscuits; also check the storage instructions and nutritional information per portion.
You read the current label before buying. The ingredients or allergen information for the canoe-shaped biscuits mentioned here includes wheat, milk, egg, soya and almonds or other nuts; the specific details vary by product.
First decide whether the canoe shape or a verifiable Fairtrade cocoa claim matters more. Then check the portion size, label and nutritional information for the product you’re actually taking with you.
Choose this if: you’re mainly looking for a canoe-shaped biscuit and Fairtrade cocoa isn’t a must-have.
The trade-off: the product information for Jumbo, Albert Heijn and PLUS canoe-shaped biscuits makes no explicit Fairtrade cocoa claim; check the current packaging for any such claim.
Choose this if: an explicit Fairtrade cocoa claim matters more to you than the canoe shape.
The trade-off: Verkade Crunchy Koek Pinda isn’t a canoe-shaped biscuit. The Fairtrade cocoa claim comes from Verkade; remember to check the listed allergens too.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade label | Check the mark, any arrow and the information on the packaging. Fairtrade Nederland advises reading the back of the pack too if the label has an arrow. | If I only buy something when its Fairtrade cocoa claim is clear, the label matters more than the shape of the biscuit. For around 42% of consumers, a verifiable claim comes first. |
| A portion to take with you | Compare the number of portions, the weight per portion and the storage instructions. Albert Heijn lists six portions of 45 g; Jumbo lists five portions of 55 g. | If I want to take one biscuit with me, I want to be able to choose a portion without treating the whole pack as one snack. That convenience comes first for around 33% of consumers. |
| Allergens and nutritional information | Read the current ingredients and allergen information, and compare sugars and fats per 100 g and per portion. | I want to know what’s in the biscuit before taking it with me, and how the portion fits into my lunch. Allergens and nutritional information are the top priority for around 25% of consumers. |
Jumbo, Albert Heijn and PLUS describe their canoe-shaped biscuits as biscuits with almond paste. Their product information makes no cocoa or Fairtrade claim.
Let a Fairtrade mark or an explicit claim on the current packaging guide your decision. If Fairtrade cocoa is essential, a different type of product may be a better fit.
Fairtrade Nederland explains that mass balance is permitted for cocoa: Fairtrade and non-Fairtrade cocoa may be mixed during processing, while the volumes sold as Fairtrade are tracked.
If the way cocoa is tracked through the supply chain matters to you, read the information accompanying the mark.
Ingredients and warnings can vary between canoe-shaped biscuits with almond paste. The product information mentioned here includes wheat, milk, egg, soya and almonds or other nuts.
Check the ingredients and allergens on the current packaging every time you buy, even if you’ve bought the same biscuit before.
A canoe-shaped biscuit is a sweet treat. The weight of a pack and the nutritional values per 100 g don’t automatically tell you what’s in one portion to take with you.
Check the portion size and nutritional information per portion when deciding how the biscuit fits into your lunch.
Jumbo describes its canoe-shaped biscuits as butter biscuits with almond paste, sold in a 275 g pack.
AH butter canoe-shaped biscuits come in a 270 g pack with six listed portions.
PLUS describes a butter canoe-shaped biscuit with almond paste and an almond decoration.
Lidl describes Sondey canoe-shaped biscuits as butter biscuits with almond paste, in a 325 g pack.
ALDI describes these as pastries in a canoe shape, sold in a 330 g pack.
Verkade is an example of a different type of product here: Crunchy Koek Pinda isn’t a canoe-shaped biscuit.
No. The description ‘canoe-shaped biscuit with almond paste’ doesn’t tell you whether it carries a Fairtrade mark. Check whether the current packaging or official product information clearly states which ingredients are covered by a Fairtrade claim.
No. According to Fairtrade Nederland, mass balance is permitted for cocoa: volumes may be mixed during processing, while the volumes sold under Fairtrade conditions are tracked. If this type of traceability matters to your choice, read the information accompanying the mark.
Read the full allergen information for the biscuit you’re buying. The product information for the varieties mentioned here includes wheat, milk, egg, soya and almonds or other nuts, but details vary by product. Check the current label for warnings about possible traces too.
Compare the listed portion size and nutritional information per portion, rather than just the weight of the whole pack. Also check the storage instructions if the biscuit will be in your bag for a while.
Use online product information to compare products, but check the current packaging before relying on a Fairtrade claim. Albert Heijn, for example, warns that product information may change; the label on the pack you buy is also important for ingredients and allergens.
