Bake them yourself if you want to choose Fairtrade cocoa for your currant buns and have time to knead, prove and bake the dough. Check the claim on the exact cocoa product. Choose ready-made currant buns if convenience matters more, but only consider them Fairtrade if the packaging or product page confirms this for those specific buns. Check the allergen information whichever option you choose.
You want to choose a cocoa or chocolate product that carries a Fairtrade claim for that particular variety. You’ll also be making the dough yourself, and a claim for an added ingredient does not automatically apply to the whole currant bun.
You’re looking for currant buns that need little preparation for a children’s or school event. Before buying, you want to be able to check the ingredients, allergens and any Fairtrade claim on the packaging you choose.
You want to know which allergens are listed for the specific currant buns and whether baker’s salt was used in their preparation. This is worth checking for both packaged and homemade buns.
Decide whether baking together or serving something quickly is your priority. Then check the Fairtrade claim and food information for the product you’ll actually be using.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade claim | Look for the claim on the packaging of the exact cocoa, chocolate or currant buns. Don’t assume that a claim for an added ingredient applies to the whole bun. | I want to be able to identify which product carries the Fairtrade claim before I start baking. This proof matters most to around 42% of consumers. |
| Preparation time | Choose between baking from scratch, which takes time for kneading, proving and cooling, and packaged currant buns that are ready to serve. | If I’m short on time for a children’s or school event, I don’t want to have to make and prove dough first. Convenience comes first for around 33% of consumers. |
| Food information | Read the allergen information. If you have questions about the type of salt used, check the label or ask the baker. Don’t let children taste raw dough when baking at home. | When children with different dietary needs are eating together, I want to know what’s in the buns and how to handle the dough safely. This information is the top priority for around 25% of consumers. |
A claim for chocolate or cocoa says nothing about the certification of the currant buns you make with that ingredient. A supermarket’s Fairtrade range also doesn’t confirm the status of an individual bun.
Check the claim on the exact product. If you’re baking at home, choose the cocoa or chocolate separately and describe only that ingredient as Fairtrade if the packaging confirms it.
Whether baker’s salt is used can vary between bread products. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that you can check the label.
Read the packaging of the currant buns you choose or ask the baker which type of salt was used. If you’re following a recipe, check which type of salt it calls for.
Ingredients and possible traces of allergens can vary from one currant bun to another. This is particularly important when several children are eating together.
Always read the label on the packaging you buy. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains which allergens must be listed on labels.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says you can become ill from eating raw dough, and this risk is particularly important for young children.
Before you start baking, make it clear that nobody should taste the dough. Wash your hands after handling raw egg and dough, and only serve the buns once they’re baked and cooled.
Albert Heijn offers a recipe for baking currant buns at home and also sells packaged currant buns.
Jumbo Raisin Currant Buns, pack of 6, are an example of the ready-made option.
PLUS is worth considering if you want to choose cocoa or chocolate separately for baking at home.
ALDI lists Fairtrade chocolate in its range, which may be relevant if you’re choosing an additional ingredient separately.
Lidl describes the certification of cocoa in its own-brand products and lists Fairtrade seasonal chocolate.
This cocoa product is suitable if you’re making currant buns at home and want to add cocoa. It is not a ready-made currant bun. Check the Fairtrade label and allergen information on the packaging of the variety you choose.
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For anyone who wants to bake a cocoa version at home and choose the cocoa ingredient separately. The product description identifies this cocoa powder as Fairtrade; that claim does not automatically apply to the baked currant buns. Check the claim and allergen information on the packaging before use.
No. A Fairtrade claim for added chocolate or cocoa applies to that ingredient, not automatically to the dough or the baked currant bun. If you’re buying ready-made buns, check the claim on the packaging of that exact product.
Read the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging of the currant buns you choose. Jumbo lists gluten, milk and wheat, among other things, for its Raisin Currant Buns. Don’t use this information as a substitute for checking the label of another product.
Don’t let children taste raw dough. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre warns that raw dough can make you ill and that young children are particularly vulnerable. Wash your hands after handling raw egg and dough, and bake the buns before serving them.
Don’t assume they do. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, you can check the bread label to see whether baker’s salt has been used. Check the packaging for the specific currant buns or ask the baker which type of salt was used.
