If you’re choosing chocolate spritz biscuits with Fairtrade cocoa for St Nicholas’ Eve, check the claim for the specific product. Albert Heijn lists Fairtrade milk chocolate for Verkade Nobo Sprits milk chocolate, while Jumbo says its cocoa is Fairtrade-certified via mass balance. The product title alone isn’t enough: the ingredients information for PLUS Chocolate spritz biscuits names Rainforest Alliance-certified cocoa, even though the title includes Fairtrade. Check the packaging on the pack you buy too, especially if your guests need to avoid allergens.
You’re looking for chocolate spritz biscuits with a Fairtrade claim specifically for the cocoa in that product, rather than a general promise from a brand or supermarket. Product information from Albert Heijn and Jumbo shows which claim applies to the Verkade version.
You’ll want to check the ingredients and allergen information on the pack you’ve bought before serving. Milk, wheat and soya are among the allergens to look out for in the chocolate spritz biscuits discussed here; the information varies by version.
You’re weighing up a biscuit with a milk chocolate coating against a version that also contains chocolate pieces and cocoa nibs. Albert Heijn’s product descriptions make this distinction, but you’ll need to check the cocoa and allergen claims for each version separately.
First, check which cocoa claim applies to the exact pack you’re buying. Then compare the chocolate versions and read the allergen information on the packaging before sharing.
| What to look out for | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade cocoa | Read the cocoa claim on the pack and compare it with the latest product information. For Verkade Nobo Sprits milk chocolate, Jumbo says the cocoa is Fairtrade-certified via mass balance. This does not mean the cocoa in the biscuit can be physically traced separately. | I want to know whether the cocoa in my spritz biscuits is Fairtrade, rather than relying on a general promise from a brand. For around 50% of consumers, this product-specific claim matters most. |
| Chocolate version | Compare a milk chocolate coating with a version that also contains chocolate pieces and cocoa nibs, as in Albert Heijn’s descriptions of the two Verkade Nobo versions. Check the certification claim separately. | For the sharing platter, I want to choose the chocolate texture that suits the occasion. Around 30% of consumers give this choice top priority. |
| Allergens | Check the allergen information on the pack you’ve bought, including any warnings about possible traces. For these versions, look out in particular for milk, wheat, soya, egg, nuts and sesame; which ones apply varies by product. | If guests need to avoid certain ingredients, I want to be able to check each pack before putting the biscuits out. Allergen information comes first for around 20% of consumers. |
PLUS and ALDI talk about cocoa certification in their own-brand products, but that doesn’t confirm the certification of an individual chocolate spritz biscuit product.
Read the claim on the current packaging of the product you want to buy. Don’t rely on information about a brand’s general policy instead of checking the product-specific claim.
The title of PLUS Chocolate spritz biscuits includes Fairtrade, but the ingredients information describes the cocoa mass and cocoa butter as Rainforest Alliance-certified. These two claims do not clearly confirm that the product is Fairtrade-certified.
If you spot this difference, check the pack’s label or ask PLUS to confirm before choosing it as a Fairtrade cocoa option.
The versions discussed here have different allergen information. Milk, wheat and soya are relevant for the Verkade versions, which also carry warnings about possible traces of nuts and sesame; egg is another allergen to look out for in the PLUS version.
Keep the packaging available for guests and check the latest ingredients and allergen information for every pack you buy.
Jumbo no longer lists Verkade Nobo Sprits double chocolate in its online range. So an existing product description doesn’t mean you’ll be able to order that version for St Nicholas’ Eve.
Check the current range before relying on this particular version, and have another checked option ready as a back-up.
The Nobo chocolate spritz biscuits are worth considering if you want to check the Fairtrade cocoa claim for each version.
PLUS lists a chocolate spritz biscuit product whose title mentions Fairtrade.
ALDI lists Biscotto butter spritz biscuits in plain and chocolate versions.
No. A Fairtrade claim for cocoa doesn’t mean the other ingredients are Fairtrade too. Fairtrade Netherlands also explains that cocoa can be sourced via mass balance. Check the pack to see which ingredient and type of certification the claim refers to.
The product title mentions Fairtrade, but PLUS’s ingredients information identifies the cocoa mass and cocoa butter as Rainforest Alliance-certified. So don’t take the title as confirmation that the cocoa in the pack you buy is Fairtrade-certified. Check the label or ask PLUS for product-specific information.
At the very least, check the pack for information about milk, wheat, soya, egg, nuts and sesame. The Verkade versions described here contain, among other things, milk, wheat and soya, and warn of possible traces of nuts and sesame. Egg is also listed for the PLUS version described. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says allergen information must be clearly displayed on the label of prepacked foods.
Follow the storage and best-before information on the pack, and seal any opened packaging tightly. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends keeping chocolate biscuits in a cool, dry and dark place.
