Choose a ready-made chocolate egg cake only if the current packaging or product page explicitly states that the chocolate is Fairtrade-certified. If you want to check this yourself for the autumn half-term, you can pair plain egg cakes with Fairtrade chocolate chosen separately; be sure to read the allergen and nutritional information for both products.
You need to know whether the Fairtrade mark applies to the chocolate, an ingredient or the whole product. According to Milieu Centraal’s Keurmerkenwijzer, a Fairtrade logo on a white background indicates that only an ingredient is certified, not the entire product.
You’re looking for something that’s easy to share during the autumn half-term. Check whether the specific chocolate egg cake you have in mind is available, or choose plain egg cakes and chocolate that you can take along separately.
If children or guests need to avoid certain ingredients, or you want to compare nutritional values, read the current allergen list for each product. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends comparing similar products per 100 g, as portion sizes can vary between manufacturers.
A ready-made chocolate egg cake saves preparation time, provided the Fairtrade claim applies to that specific chocolate. With plain egg cakes and chocolate chosen separately, you can check the chocolate’s certification on its own, but you’ll need to check two packs.
Choose this when: the current packaging explicitly states that the chocolate is Fairtrade-certified and the ingredients suit your group.
The trade-off: there’s nothing to put together, but a different cocoa certification doesn’t confirm that it meets the Fairtrade requirement. Jumbo’s Eierkoeken met Chocolade product page mentions UTZ Certified Cacao and says that this product is no longer available in its online range.
Choose this when: you want to be able to check the Fairtrade claim on the chocolate separately.
The trade-off: you’ll need to combine the products yourself and read the ingredients on both packs.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade claim | Check whether the certification mark or explicit claim applies to the chocolate you’ve chosen. If the claim relates to an ingredient, check which ingredient is certified. | If I specifically want to serve Fairtrade chocolate, I don’t want to rely on a general sustainability label. For around 50% of consumers, this check matters most. |
| Convenience and quantity | Check the current product listing and the number of items or quantity in each pack; decide whether you want to serve the chocolate separately. | For a half-term outing, I want to know in advance what I can take along and hand out without lots of preparation on the day. For around 30% of consumers, convenience comes first. |
| Allergens and nutritional information | Read the allergen information on both packs and, for similar products, compare sugars, saturated fat, fibre and salt per 100 g. | If I’m bringing snacks for others, I want to take their dietary and nutritional preferences into account. Around 20% of consumers give this check top priority. |
Lidl and ALDI describe policies that include various cocoa certifications. On their own, these don’t mean that the chocolate in a specific egg cake is Fairtrade-certified.
Check the Fairtrade claim on the packaging or product page for the specific chocolate you choose.
Jumbo’s product page for Eierkoeken met Chocolade says that this product is no longer available in its online range. The page therefore doesn’t confirm that you can order it for your outing.
Check current availability before choosing a specific variety.
The ingredients in an egg cake tell you nothing about the allergens in chocolate served alongside it. Product listings from Albert Heijn and Jumbo mention egg, cereals containing gluten, milk and soya among the allergens in the egg cakes reviewed.
Check the current allergen information for both products you choose, even if you’ve bought a different variety from the same brand before.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, manufacturers set their own portion sizes. Comparing two different portion sizes therefore doesn’t necessarily show you the difference between the products.
First compare similar products per 100 g, then consider how much you actually want to serve.
Jumbo lists plain egg cakes in its online range.
AH Eierkoeken are an option if you want to pair plain egg cakes with chocolate chosen separately.
Lidl is worth considering if you’re choosing your chocolate separately.
ALDI features a Choceur chocolate product with an explicit Fairtrade claim.
Bolletje includes a Brosse Eierkoek Kaneel in its product information.
Verkade Duo’tjes Chocolade may be worth considering if you’re also looking at other types of biscuits.
Look for the Fairtrade mark or an explicit claim relating to the chocolate on the current packaging or product page. According to Milieu Centraal’s Keurmerkenwijzer, a Fairtrade logo on a white background may apply only to a certified ingredient, not the entire product.
No, a UTZ Certified Cacao claim doesn’t confirm that the chocolate is Fairtrade-certified. Jumbo’s product page for Eierkoeken met Chocolade mentions UTZ Certified Cacao; don’t treat this as proof that it meets the Fairtrade requirement.
Yes, this lets you check the Fairtrade claim on the chocolate separately. Lidl describes its Way To Go chocolate bars as fully Fairtrade-certified, and ALDI lists Choceur Pure Chocolade as Fairtrade; also read the current ingredient and allergen information for the egg cakes and chocolate you choose.
Compare similar products per 100 g, then consider the portion you want to serve. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that manufacturers set their own portion sizes, so nutritional information per serving isn’t always a good basis for a direct comparison.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging of the egg cakes you’re taking along. The plain Jumbo egg cakes reviewed say to store them in a cool, dry, dark place; check the storage instructions for any chocolate you’re serving separately too.
