For your birthday get-together, start by choosing a product whose Fairtrade label reflects what matters to you, then decide whether you’d like to serve biscuits or chocolate. Chocolatemakers describes its chocolate with speculaas as Fairtrade chocolate; on Verkade, the FairTrade COCOA label applies to the cocoa, while the Mocca D’Or speculaas biscuits are described as Fairtrade by the seller. Before serving, check the label, ingredients and allergens on the packaging you receive.
You want to know what the Fairtrade label on your chosen product applies to: the cocoa, the chocolate or the product as a whole. A general statement about sustainability isn’t the same as a label on the product itself.
You’re looking for something that suits the occasion: small chocolates to share or individual speculaas biscuits with coffee and tea. The number of pieces and stated portion sizes can help you plan how much to buy.
You’re serving guests for whom ingredients or possible traces of allergens are a deciding factor. You’ll want to be able to check the information on the packaging you receive before putting anything out.
Start by checking exactly what the Fairtrade label applies to, then choose a product format that suits the number of guests and the occasion. Check the current ingredients and allergen information for each product individually.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who is it important for? |
|---|---|---|
| What the Fairtrade label covers | Check the specific packaging to see whether the label applies to the cocoa, the chocolate or the product. Fairtrade International describes its labels as applying to specific products. | If Fairtrade is my main reason for buying, I want to know exactly what the label covers. For around 36% of consumers, this check would be their top priority. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the ingredients, any listed allergens and any ‘may contain’ warning on the packaging you receive. | When serving guests with allergies, I need to be able to judge in advance whether the product I’ve chosen is suitable for them. For around 29% of consumers, this check would come first. |
| Portions and serving | Compare the number of pieces with the net weight and any stated portion size. A biscuit with coffee calls for different planning from chocolate to share. | I want to serve something that’s easy to divide among my guests. Ease of serving would matter most to around 21% of consumers. |
| Product format and flavour | Check whether you’re buying individual speculaas biscuits, chocolate with biscuit pieces or another type of chocolate with speculaas. | If I’m expecting a biscuit with my tea, I don’t want to accidentally buy chocolate flavoured with speculaas. The type of product would be the main consideration for around 14% of consumers. |
Fairtrade International has a separate standard for cocoa. So the FairTrade COCOA label on the Verkade product described by Albert Heijn doesn’t automatically say anything about any of its other ingredients.
If the scope of the claim affects your choice, check the exact wording on the product packaging.
According to Albert Heijn’s product information, Verkade Hart melk speculaas contains milk, soya, wheat and cereals containing gluten. The product may also contain almonds, nuts and hazelnuts.
Keep the current packaging available so guests can check the ingredients and allergens for themselves.
A pack of chocolate and a box of individual biscuits aren’t equally easy to serve. Chocolatemakers lists 10 pieces for Organic Milky Speculoos Milk; the seller of Mocca D’Or Speculaas Fairtrade lists 150 speculaas biscuits.
Decide whether you want to offer each guest a biscuit or share out the chocolate, then compare the quantities and portions.
Albert Heijn points out that product information, including ingredients and allergens, can change. This is particularly important if you’re buying for guests with specific dietary needs.
Check the information again on the packaging you receive.
For anyone looking for chocolate with speculaas, with the Fairtrade chocolate claim taking centre stage.
The Hart melk speculaas product reviewed is milk chocolate with biscuit pieces and speculaas spices, not an individual speculaas biscuit.
The Speculaas Fairtrade product described is aimed at coffee or tea breaks where you want plenty of small biscuits.
No. The label applies to the cocoa and doesn’t in itself prove that all the other ingredients are Fairtrade. Fairtrade International describes its labels as applying to specific products, so check the exact wording on the product you’re buying.
Albert Heijn lists milk, soya, wheat and cereals containing gluten for this product. It may also contain almonds, nuts and hazelnuts. Check the current packaging before serving it to guests.
Make sure guests can check the allergens in the product you’ve chosen, for example by keeping the packaging. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that businesses serving unpackaged food to consumers must make information about allergens present available.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging for the product you’ve chosen. Albert Heijn says Verkade Hart melk speculaas should be stored in a cool, dry and dark place.
