Only choose a Dutch egg cake after comparing the allergens on the packaging with those you need to avoid; the product name alone doesn’t tell you enough. A gluten-free egg cake may still contain egg, milk and soya, while a general Fairtrade claim from a retailer doesn’t prove that the cocoa in a particular egg cake is Fairtrade. So check these two requirements separately for the product you’re buying.
Check every egg cake against your own allergens. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority highlights the allergen information on the label; product details from Albert Heijn, Jumbo and Bolletje list egg, milk, soya and wheat or cereals containing gluten among the ingredients in their standard egg cakes.
A gluten-free label doesn’t answer every question about allergens. According to the product information, the gluten-free egg cakes described by Albert Heijn and Jumbo contain egg, milk and soya; also check the packaging for warnings about sesame and nuts.
First check that the egg cake and any chocolate component are suitable for your needs. Then look for a Fairtrade claim that specifically applies to that cocoa or chocolate, rather than just to the retailer’s range.
Start by checking the allergens on the exact packaging. Then assess what a gluten-free label and any Fairtrade claim each mean in practice.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Personal allergens | Check the ingredients, allergen information and warnings about possible allergen presence on the exact packaging. | If I have a known allergy, I want to be able to rule out an egg cake as soon as my personal allergen, or a warning I can’t accept, appears on the label. For around 50% of consumers, avoiding personal allergens comes first. |
| Gluten-free and other allergens | Check the gluten-free label as well as details of egg, milk, soya and possible traces of sesame or nuts. | If you need to avoid gluten, the words “gluten-free” aren’t enough when other allergens are also a concern. For around 30% of consumers, checking for both is the top priority. |
| Fairtrade chocolate | Look for an explicit Fairtrade claim for the cocoa or chocolate in the specific product; assess the allergens in that component separately. | If the egg cake meets my allergy requirements, I also want to know whether the chocolate or cocoa used is Fairtrade. This product-specific Fairtrade check comes first for around 20% of consumers. |
The standard egg cakes listed in the product information from Albert Heijn, Jumbo and Bolletje contain several allergens, including egg, milk, soya and wheat or cereals containing gluten. So the product category doesn’t tell you whether a particular variety is suitable for your allergy.
Check the label on the pack you’re actually buying every time, even if you’ve bought the same product before.
According to their product information, the gluten-free egg cakes described by Albert Heijn and Jumbo still contain egg, milk and soya. They also carry warnings about the possible presence of sesame or nuts.
Use the gluten-free label to check for gluten, then assess all your other personal allergens and any warnings about traces separately.
Fairtrade Netherlands lists cocoa as a product category, and Jumbo stocks Fairtrade cocoa products. That alone tells you nothing about the cocoa in a particular egg cake.
Check the packaging or product page to see whether the Fairtrade claim specifically applies to the cocoa or chocolate you want to buy.
Compare specific varieties rather than relying on a brand name to indicate allergen content or Fairtrade status.
The standard AH Eierkoeken and AH Glutenvrij Eierkoeken show why the specific variety matters when checking for allergens.
Jumbo’s product information covers both its own standard egg cakes and gluten-free egg cakes from Gluten Free Bakery Holland.
Bolletje publishes allergen information for Brosse Eierkoek and Brosse Eierkoek Kaneel.
Not without checking the specific packaging. Albert Heijn and Jumbo list these allergens for their standard egg cakes; Bolletje’s Brosse Eierkoek also contains egg, milk, soya, wheat and cereals containing gluten. Compare the label with the allergens you need to avoid.
No. Gluten-free doesn’t mean free from egg, milk, soya, sesame or nuts. According to their product information, the gluten-free varieties described by Albert Heijn and Jumbo contain egg, milk and soya, and may contain sesame or nuts. So make sure you read all the allergen information.
Check whether the Fairtrade claim specifically applies to the cocoa or chocolate in the product you’re buying. Fairtrade Netherlands listing cocoa as a product category, or a retailer selling Fairtrade cocoa products, doesn’t confirm that a particular egg cake has this status.
Ask the seller for allergen information before choosing. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority distinguishes between prepacked foods, which must list allergens on the label, and unpackaged products, for which the information must be provided to consumers in another way.
