Shoppers who look for a certification
You want to know whether the chocolate in your snack carries a Fairtrade statement for that specific product. A shop’s general cocoa policy is not the same as information about the egg cake you choose.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Shoppers who want something ready to eat
You’re looking for a ready-made chocolate egg cake for the morning and don’t want to combine two products yourself. For the chocolate egg cakes listed on Jumbo’s product pages, you’ll need to check the Fairtrade status of the chocolate separately.
Shoppers comparing ingredients
As well as the origin of the cocoa, you want to check the nutritional information and highlighted allergens in your snack. This is particularly important when you combine an egg cake and chocolate from separate packs.
What should you look for when choosing?
Ready-made chocolate egg cake
Right for you if: you want to pick up a single snack without putting anything together.
The trade-off: the product pages for the Jumbo varieties mentioned here do not confirm whether the chocolate is Fairtrade. Check the current packaging before choosing one on that basis.
Egg cake with separate chocolate
Right for you if: you want to check the Fairtrade statement for your chosen chocolate separately.
The trade-off: you buy and combine two products yourself. A statement on the chocolate says nothing about the certification of the egg cake.
| What to consider | What to check | Most relevant to |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade statement | Check whether the current packaging carries a Fairtrade statement and whether it applies to the chocolate or cocoa in this particular variety. | If the origin of the chocolate is the deciding factor for me, I want to be able to find the statement on the product I choose. Around 40% of consumers say this is their main concern. |
| Ready to eat | Check whether the chocolate is already on the egg cake and how many pieces are in the pack. | When I’m out and about, I want to be able to take a chocolate egg cake with me without putting it together myself. This convenience comes first for around 30% of consumers. |
| Nutritional information and allergens | Check the ingredients, nutritional values per 100 g or per serving, and highlighted allergens in both products. | When I combine two products, I want to know what each one contains before choosing my snack. This is the main concern for around 20% of consumers. |
| Practical availability | Check whether you can find the egg cake and chocolate you want at the same shop. | If I want to sort out my snack in one shop visit, where I shop makes all the difference. Around 10% of consumers give this their top priority. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming a general cocoa policy certifies the egg cake
Albert Heijn, ALDI and Lidl each describe a cocoa policy, but a general statement like this does not confirm that the chocolate in a specific egg cake is Fairtrade.
Check whether the current packaging carries a Fairtrade statement that applies to the chocolate or cocoa in that particular variety.
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Assuming chocolate on an egg cake is automatically Fairtrade
Jumbo lists chocolate egg cakes on its product pages. The product name alone does not tell you what certification applies to the chocolate.
Check the packaging or ask for up-to-date product information before choosing the egg cake on the basis of Fairtrade.
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Overlooking the rest of the label
A Fairtrade statement does not assess the nutritional value or allergens in a snack. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that allergens must be listed on the labels of pre-packed foods.
Read the ingredients and highlighted allergens, and compare nutritional information per 100 g or per serving. If you buy the egg cake and chocolate separately, do this for both.
Brands and shops to consider
Jumbo
Jumbo has product pages for chocolate egg cakes in packs of eight and four.
- A good starting point if you’re looking for a ready-made chocolate egg cake.
- Check the Fairtrade status of the chocolate on the packaging for your chosen variety; the product name does not confirm it.
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn sells own-brand egg cakes and says that the cocoa in its own-brand products is Rainforest Alliance or Fairtrade certified.
- Its cocoa policy can help you decide what further product information to look for.
- This general statement does not automatically mean that a specific egg cake contains Fairtrade chocolate.
Verkade
Verkade says that all the cocoa in its chocolate bars and letters is Fairtrade.
- A chocolate bar is a separate ingredient you can choose for a snack you put together yourself.
- This brand statement applies to bars and letters, not to a Verkade egg cake or the combination as a whole.
ALDI
ALDI lists barn egg cakes as well as Choceur Pure Chocolate, which its product page describes as Fairtrade chocolate.
- You can assess the egg cake and chocolate as separate products.
- The Fairtrade description of the chocolate does not automatically apply to the egg cake; you put the snack together yourself.
Lidl
Lidl describes a sustainable cocoa policy for its own-brand products and has a separate range of chocolate.
- A starting point for looking into information about an individual chocolate bar.
- A general cocoa policy does not confirm the Fairtrade status of a specific chocolate egg cake.
Bolletje
Bolletje describes a Brosse Eierkoek topped with sugar.
- An egg cake to consider if you want to choose your chocolate separately.
- The information about this egg cake does not support a claim that the product contains Fairtrade chocolate.
Chocolate to pair with it yourself
These Joybuy products are chocolate bars for anyone who wants to pair an egg cake with chocolate chosen separately. Neither bar is an egg cake, so choose and check the egg cake separately.
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Tony's Chocolonely milk chocolate pecan caramel – 180 g
For a snack where you pair an egg cake with chocolate yourself; you buy the egg cake separately. The product description says this milk chocolate bar is Fairtrade. Check the current statement and the allergens on the packaging before choosing.
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Tony's Chocolonely Pure 70% – 180 g
For anyone who wants to pair a plain egg cake with separately chosen dark chocolate. The product description says this bar is Fairtrade; check the current statement and the allergens on the packaging. If the cocoa percentage matters to you, check that on the packaging too.
Frequently asked questions
Does a supermarket’s cocoa policy prove that a chocolate egg cake is Fairtrade?
No. A general cocoa policy does not confirm the Fairtrade status of the chocolate in a specific egg cake. Look for a statement on the current packaging of the variety you choose, and check which ingredient it applies to.
Can I pair a plain egg cake with Fairtrade chocolate?
Yes. You can pair an egg cake with chocolate whose Fairtrade statement you check on that separate product. For example, ALDI lists barn egg cakes and, separately, Choceur Pure Chocolate as Fairtrade chocolate. This does not automatically give the egg cake itself Fairtrade status.
Which allergens should I check in an egg cake with chocolate?
Read the highlighted allergens on the current packaging of both the egg cake and the chocolate. The allergens present depend on the varieties you choose, so check each ingredient list separately.
Does a Fairtrade statement tell me anything about nutritional value?
No. A Fairtrade statement is not an assessment of nutritional value. For the products you actually choose, compare the nutritional information, such as sugars, fats and fibre per 100 g or per serving.