Who is this choice relevant to?

Shoppers who put Fairtrade first

You want the chocolate in your TV snack to be explicitly labelled Fairtrade. If you can’t confirm this on a chocolate egg cake, you’d rather choose an egg cake and chocolate separately.

Egg cake fans

For you, the egg cake is the starting point for your snack. Then you can decide whether to add chocolate and how much to serve.

Readers who check labels carefully

You want to know which ingredients and allergens are in both the egg cakes and any chocolate before you buy. A Fairtrade label doesn’t replace those checks.

What should you look for when choosing?

Chocolate egg cake

A good fit if: the current packaging explicitly says the chocolate or cocoa is Fairtrade, and the ingredients suit you.

Worth noting: Jumbo labelled its chocolate egg cakes as containing UTZ Certified Cacao, not Fairtrade, so this doesn’t meet your Fairtrade requirement.

Egg cake with Fairtrade chocolate on the side

A good fit if: you want to eat egg cakes and be able to check the Fairtrade label on the chocolate you choose separately.

Worth noting: you decide on the quantities yourself and need to check the ingredients and nutritional information on two packs.

Fairtrade chocolate without an egg cake

A good fit if: the Fairtrade label on the chocolate matters more to you than having an egg cake as the base of your snack.

Worth noting: this means choosing a different snack; Fairtrade status doesn’t, in itself, tell you anything about its nutritional value.

What to consider What to check when buying Who should pay particular attention?
Fairtrade label Check whether the Fairtrade label explicitly applies to the chocolate product you’ve chosen or to the chocolate in the egg cake. A UTZ or Rainforest Alliance label is not the same claim. If I want chocolate with my egg cakes, I need to be able to see that the chocolate itself is labelled Fairtrade. For around 42% of consumers, this check comes first.
Portion and nutritional value Compare energy, sugars and saturated fat per 100 g, then decide how much egg cake and chocolate you want. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends comparing products per 100 g. For a TV night, I want to decide for myself how much of each product to serve. Around 33% of consumers prioritise portion size and nutritional value.
Ingredients and allergens Read the current labels on both products. Look out for egg, milk, soya, cereals containing gluten and any warnings about nuts. Before choosing a snack, I need to know whether its ingredients are suitable for me. For around 25% of consumers, this is the top priority.

Common mistakes

  • Mistaking another cocoa label for Fairtrade

    Jumbo labelled its chocolate egg cakes as containing UTZ Certified Cacao. According to its own product information, Lidl says its Way To Go chocolate is fully Fairtrade-certified. These labels shouldn’t be treated as the same product claim.

    Check the Fairtrade label on the specific chocolate product you choose, especially if the packaging or recipe has changed.

  • Assuming an old product page means the product is currently available

    The chocolate egg cakes described by Jumbo were listed as no longer available in its online range. A saved product page doesn’t make an item available to buy again.

    Use older product information only to compare features, and check the current product page or shop shelf before buying.

  • Looking only at the cocoa label

    A Fairtrade label doesn’t tell you how much sugar or saturated fat is in your chosen snack. Adding chocolate also changes what you’re eating overall.

    Compare the nutritional information for similar products per 100 g, then decide what portion you want.

  • Skipping the allergen check

    Egg cakes and chocolate may contain ingredients that matter for your particular needs. The products reviewed listed, among other things, egg, milk, soya and cereals containing gluten; Jumbo’s chocolate egg cakes also carried a warning about possible nuts.

    Read the ingredients and allergen information on the current packaging of both products, even if you’ve bought them before.

Brands to consider

Jumbo

Jumbo described both plain egg cakes and chocolate egg cakes. The chocolate version is a good example of why the exact cocoa label matters.

  • The chocolate egg cakes described included information about ingredients, allergens and nutritional values.
  • The label was UTZ Certified Cacao, not Fairtrade, and the product was listed as no longer available in the online range.

Albert Heijn

The AH egg cake described is a plain egg cake and can be considered separately as the base for a snack.

  • The product information helps you check the egg cake’s nutritional value and ingredients.
  • Albert Heijn’s general cocoa policy doesn’t mean this egg cake contains chocolate or Fairtrade cocoa.

Verkade

Verkade is worth considering if you want to choose chocolate separately to go with your egg cakes.

  • Verkade says all the cocoa in its chocolate bars and chocolate letters is Fairtrade.
  • That statement applies to bars and letters, not egg cakes or all Verkade biscuit products.

ALDI

ALDI describes free-range egg cakes and separate chocolate products, so you can consider the two types of product individually.

  • ALDI labels the Choceur dark chocolate it describes as Fairtrade.
  • The product information for its free-range egg cakes doesn’t mention chocolate or Fairtrade; check the label on the chocolate you actually choose.

Lidl

Lidl’s Way To Go bars are a separate chocolate option if you don’t need your snack in egg cake form.

  • Lidl says its Way To Go products are fully Fairtrade-certified.
  • This information doesn’t confirm that an egg cake contains Fairtrade chocolate; check the packaging of the bar you choose.

Chocolate alternatives at Joybuy

This chocolate bar suits you if you want chocolate without an egg cake. If you’d like both, choose and check the egg cakes separately.

Tony's Chocolonely Milk Pecan Caramel Chocolate Bar, 180 g

Tony's Chocolonely Milk Pecan Caramel Chocolate Bar, 180 g

A chocolate bar for anyone who wants chocolate for a TV night without using an egg cake as the base of their snack.

The variant listed is a 180 g milk chocolate bar with pecan and caramel. Before buying, check the current packaging for the Fairtrade label, ingredients and allergens.

View at Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

How can I check whether the chocolate with my egg cake is Fairtrade?

Look for an explicit Fairtrade label for the chocolate or cocoa on the current packaging or product page. The chocolate egg cake described by Jumbo was labelled UTZ Certified Cacao; this doesn’t confirm that the product is Fairtrade.

Are allergens listed on the label of a prepacked egg cake?

Yes. In the Netherlands, allergens must be clearly identifiable on the label of prepacked food. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that 14 allergens must be listed. If you’re combining products, check the chocolate label too.

Which allergens were listed for the egg cakes described?

The AH egg cakes described listed, among other things, egg, milk, soya and cereals containing gluten. The Jumbo chocolate egg cakes also listed egg, milk, soya and wheat, as well as a warning about possible nuts. Always check the label on the pack you buy.

How do I compare a chocolate egg cake with chocolate on the side?

First compare the nutritional information per 100 g, including energy, sugars and saturated fat. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends this basis for comparison because portion sizes can vary. Then decide how much of each product you want; a chocolate bar and a chocolate egg cake are not the same-sized portion.