If you specifically want to support Fairtrade cocoa, only choose a breakfast cake if the packaging or product information confirms the claim for that exact variety; an organic logo or the shop’s general Fairtrade page isn’t enough. For lunch, compare the ingredients, sugars and fibre per portion too: according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, a 30 g slice of Dutch spiced breakfast cake contains 11.2 g of sugars and 1.1 g of fibre. Without a product-specific Fairtrade statement, you can’t identify a particular breakfast cake as a Fairtrade choice.
If the origin of the cocoa is a deciding factor for you, look for a certification mark or an explicit Fairtrade claim on the exact breakfast cake you’re considering. A Fairtrade range at Jumbo or PLUS doesn’t, by itself, tell you anything about that particular variety.
You look at the ingredients, sugars, fibre and portion size rather than relying on the image of breakfast cake. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists 11.2 g of sugars and 1.1 g of fibre for a 30 g slice of Dutch spiced breakfast cake; check the values for the product you want to buy.
A pre-sliced or individually wrapped breakfast cake can make it easier to take a chosen amount with you. The packaging doesn’t tell you whether the cake contains Fairtrade cocoa or what the nutritional value of your portion is.
When choosing Dutch spiced breakfast cake for lunch, decide which question matters most to you: the Fairtrade origin of the cocoa, the nutritional information, a convenient portion or finding a suitable variety.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade cocoa | Check the exact packaging for a Fairtrade certification mark or an explicit cocoa claim. If it mentions mass balance, check what the claim applies to. | If I want to support Fairtrade cocoa, I want to know that the claim applies to my breakfast cake, not just to the shop. Around 30% of consumers put this product-specific confirmation first. |
| Nutritional information | Compare the ingredients, sugars, fibre and salt for equivalent portions; don’t rely only on terms such as wholegrain or no added sugars. | For my lunch, I want to be able to judge what a slice adds to the rest of the meal. For around 30% of consumers, ingredients and nutritional values are the top priority. |
| Portion and packaging | Check the weight per piece, the number of portions and the nutritional value of the amount you’re taking with you. | When I’m having lunch on the go, I want to be able to take a suitable amount with me. Portion control comes first for around 20% of consumers. |
| Finding a variety | Use range pages to find options, then check the information for the individual product. | I want to choose a breakfast cake that suits my lunch without assuming that every variety is certified just because it’s listed in the shop’s range. For around 20% of consumers, finding a suitable variety is their main concern. |
Jumbo and PLUS show Fairtrade products, but that doesn’t automatically mean a breakfast cake in their range is Fairtrade certified.
Look for a certification mark or an explicit claim on the packaging or product page for the breakfast cake you want to buy.
These labels refer to different properties. For example, Peijnenburg lists wholegrain rye flour for one wholegrain variety; that ingredient isn’t proof of Fairtrade cocoa.
Check the nutritional information and certification separately, for the same product variety each time.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists 11.2 g of sugars and 1.1 g of fibre for a 30 g slice of Dutch spiced breakfast cake. The name or image of breakfast cake doesn’t tell you what your whole lunch consists of.
Consider the portion alongside the rest of your lunch and compare the nutritional information for the variety you’ve chosen.
Ingredients, nutritional values and allergen information can change, as Albert Heijn and PLUS point out in their product information.
Check the packaging again when you buy, especially if a Fairtrade claim, ingredient or allergen is important to your choice.
A Dutch spiced breakfast cake brand with wholegrain and individually wrapped varieties, among others.
A supermarket that sells products including AH Bio chocolate breakfast cake.
A supermarket with separate listings for Dutch spiced breakfast cake and Fairtrade products.
A supermarket with breakfast cake products and a separate Fairtrade programme.
No. Organic and Fairtrade are different claims. Fairtrade Netherlands cites organic chocolate products from Albert Heijn as Fairtrade examples, but that doesn’t tell you whether AH Bio chocolate breakfast cake is certified. Check the claim for the exact breakfast cake.
No, consider breakfast cake as part of your whole lunch. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, a 30 g slice of Dutch spiced breakfast cake contains 92 kcal, 11.2 g of sugars and 1.1 g of fibre. Compare the portion and nutritional information with what else you eat for lunch.
With a mass balance claim, certified cocoa may be mixed with non-certified cocoa during production. Albert Heijn describes this possibility for one chocolate product. So check which ingredients the statement applies to in the product you’re buying; don’t assume the same claim applies to a breakfast cake.
You can’t tell from the product category. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority describes rules for iodine in baking salt used in bakery products, but those rules don’t tell you which salt is in a particular breakfast cake. Check the ingredients list or ask the manufacturer.
Check the current packaging for the Fairtrade claim, ingredients, allergens and nutritional value. Albert Heijn and PLUS point out that online product information can change; when you buy, the information for the variety you’ve chosen is what matters for your comparison.
