Who are these choices relevant to?

If Fairtrade cocoa matters to you

You want to serve a chocolate biscuit with your coffee and know exactly whether the Fairtrade claim applies to the cocoa, the chocolate or the whole product.

If you’re hosting a coffee get-together

You want to match the number of portions to the number of guests and choose between biscuits for a sharing plate and individually portioned packs.

If you need to consider allergens

You want to check the ingredients and allergens in the specific biscuit before serving it. A Fairtrade claim doesn’t tell you whether it’s suitable.

What should you look for when choosing?

Start by checking exactly what the Fairtrade claim covers. Then compare portions and check the allergen and nutritional information for your guests.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
Fairtrade claim Read the certification mark and the wording on the pack: does the claim cover the cocoa, the chocolate or the whole biscuit? According to Milieu Centraal, a Fairtrade logo on a white background indicates a certified ingredient. If the cocoa’s origin is my main reason for choosing this biscuit, I want to know exactly what the claim covers. For around 42% of consumers, this check comes first.
Portions and packaging Compare the pack size and stated number of portions with the number of guests. Also check whether the biscuits are individually wrapped. When I’m sharing coffee with guests, I want to put out enough biscuits without having to guess how many I’ll need. Around 33% of consumers give serving convenience top priority.
Allergens and nutritional information Check the allergens on the pack. If relevant to your choice, compare nutritional values such as sugars and fat per 100 g; Voedingscentrum recommends using this basis for comparison. If a guest has a food allergy, I first want to know whether I can serve the biscuit. For around 25% of consumers, allergens or nutritional information matter most.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming Fairtrade applies to every ingredient

    According to Milieu Centraal, a Fairtrade logo on a white background may mean that only one ingredient is certified. With a chocolate biscuit, it’s therefore important to distinguish between the cocoa and the whole product.

    Read the logo alongside the product description and check whether the claim matches what you want to buy.

  • Overlooking allergens because of the Fairtrade claim

    A claim about cocoa doesn’t tell you whether the biscuit is suitable for guests with a food allergy. The product information for Verkade Chocorondjes and Lange Nekken lists different allergens or possible traces of them.

    Check which allergens are relevant to your guests and read the label on the pack you’ve bought before serving.

  • Looking only at the pack weight

    The number of portions and how the biscuits are packaged can affect how easy they are to serve. Albert Heijn lists nine portions for 150 g packs of Verkade Chocorondjes and describes Verkade Lange Nekken as being wrapped in pairs.

    Compare the stated number of portions with the number of guests and choose the packaging that suits the occasion.

Brands and retailers to consider

Verkade

Product pages for specific Verkade chocolate biscuits mention Fairtrade cocoa.

  • Albert Heijn lists FairTrade COCOA for Verkade Chocorondjes and Fairtrade cocoa for Verkade Lange Nekken.
  • Check the claim, ingredients and allergens for each variant; information for these biscuits doesn’t automatically apply to other Verkade products.

Albert Heijn

Albert Heijn’s product pages provide information about the Verkade biscuits mentioned above. Albert Heijn also states that the cocoa in its own-brand products is Rainforest Alliance or Fairtrade certified.

  • For the Verkade products mentioned, you can check details including the Fairtrade cocoa claim and portion information.
  • The own-brand policy doesn’t prove that an individual biscuit is Fairtrade certified; check the specific pack.

Jumbo

Jumbo has an online category for Fair Trade products that can be a useful place to start your search.

  • The category can help you find products labelled Fair Trade.
  • A category page doesn’t prove that a biscuit you choose is Fairtrade certified; check the information for the individual product.

Related products on Joybuy

Related products will be available soon.

Frequently asked questions

Does a Fairtrade logo mean the whole biscuit is certified?

No, not always. According to Milieu Centraal, a Fairtrade logo on a white background means that an ingredient is Fairtrade certified, not necessarily the whole product. For a chocolate biscuit, check what the claim says about the cocoa or chocolate.

Which allergens should I check when buying biscuits for guests?

Check the label on the specific biscuit for any allergens relevant to your guests. Voedingscentrum lists, among others, cereals containing gluten, milk, eggs, peanuts, nuts and soya as allergens that must be declared on the label; information varies by product.

How do I compare the nutritional value of two chocolate biscuits?

Compare the nutritional information per 100 g so that different portion sizes don’t skew the comparison. Voedingscentrum recommends this basis for comparing products; for example, check sugars and fat if they’re relevant to your choice.

Should I still read the packaging if I’ve already checked the product page?

Yes, read the packaging of the biscuit you’re actually serving. Albert Heijn warns in its product information that ingredients, nutritional values and allergen information can change.