Who is this choice relevant to?

Christmas market stallholder handing out treats

Wants to hand out biscuits quickly, ideally in their original portion packs. That way, the ingredient and allergen information stays with the product.

Shopper who wants to explain a Fairtrade claim

Wants to be able to point to the packaging and show whether it carries a FAIRTRADE mark or a claim about specific ingredients.

Seller expecting questions about allergens

Wants to be able to check the latest allergen information before handing out or selling the biscuits, and make it accessible to visitors when offering them unpackaged.

What should you look for when choosing?

Start by checking what the Fairtrade claim means on the specific packet. Then decide whether you’ll hand out the biscuits in their original packaging or offer them unpackaged.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
What Fairtrade means Read the mark and accompanying text: does the claim apply to the finished product, or to cocoa, chocolate or other named ingredients? I want to be able to tell visitors exactly what the Fairtrade claim applies to, without confusing cocoa with all the ingredients in the biscuit. Around 36% of consumers put this kind of verifiable claim first.
Portion packaging Check whether the biscuits come in original individual packs and how many you get in each pack. When I’m handing out biscuits at a busy stall, I want to be able to give them away in their original packaging. For around 29% of consumers, practical distribution is the main priority.
Allergen information Check the latest information about allergens present and any warnings on the packet. If offering the biscuits unpackaged, make the required information available before purchase. When offering loose biscuits, I want to be able to answer questions about allergens before someone buys. This information is the top priority for around 21% of consumers.
Availability Check that your chosen biscuits are still available before finalising your stock order for the stall. I want to plan my stall around biscuits I can actually buy, not an outdated product listing. Around 14% of consumers put current availability first.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming Fairtrade cocoa means all the biscuit’s ingredients are Fairtrade

    Fairtrade International uses different marks for different types of products and ingredient claims. A claim about cocoa says nothing, in itself, about where the other ingredients come from.

    Use the exact claim shown on the packet at your stall. If it carries a FAIRTRADE mark, read the accompanying packaging text too.

  • Relying on a retailer’s policy instead of checking the biscuit label

    Albert Heijn says that its own-brand cocoa is Rainforest Alliance or Fairtrade. This policy does not prove that a biscuit from another brand sold in that shop carries a Fairtrade claim.

    Check the packaging of the specific biscuit before making a Fairtrade claim to visitors.

  • Offering loose biscuits without accessible allergen information

    According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, consumers must be given information about allergens present in unpackaged foods in another way.

    Keep the original packaging and make the information accessible before purchase, for example by displaying a written allergen card at your stall. Copy any warnings on the packet carefully.

Brands to consider

Verkade

For specific Verkade chocolate biscuits, Albert Heijn mentions Fairtrade cocoa or Fairtrade milk chocolate. According to the product page, Lange Nekken are packed in pairs.

  • The product pages provide information about the named ingredients and packaging.
  • A claim about cocoa or chocolate does not automatically apply to all the ingredients. Check the current packet if the exact FAIRTRADE mark is important to your choice.

Bio+

According to Jumbo’s product description, the dark chocolate and cane sugar in Bio+ Fair Chocolade Koekjes—47% of the product combined—were traded on Fairtrade terms.

  • The description makes clear which ingredients the Fairtrade information applies to.
  • Jumbo says this product is no longer part of its online range. Check availability before planning to include it at your Christmas market stall.

Albert Heijn

Albert Heijn provides product information about the Verkade biscuits mentioned above, as well as details of its own cocoa sourcing policy.

  • For specific biscuits, you can compare the product description with the current packaging.
  • Albert Heijn says cocoa in its own-brand products is Rainforest Alliance or Fairtrade certified. This does not tell you which claim appears on an individual biscuit from another brand.

Lidl Nederland

Lidl Nederland says that its seasonal chocolate, including its Christmas chocolate, is Fairtrade certified. Seasonal chocolate is not the same as a chocolate biscuit.

  • Its sourcing policy can be a reason to take a closer look at the range.
  • Don’t assume this means a specific biscuit carries a Fairtrade claim; check the product label instead.

Lotus Biscoff

Lotus Biscoff is a biscuit brand, but the brand name alone doesn’t tell you whether a specific biscuit carries a Fairtrade claim.

  • Only consider the brand as a Fairtrade option if the current packaging of your chosen product displays the relevant claim.

Joybuy products for the Christmas market

Related products will appear soon.

Frequently asked questions

Does ‘Fairtrade cocoa’ mean all the ingredients in the biscuit are Fairtrade?

No. The claim applies to the cocoa, not automatically to the other ingredients. Fairtrade International uses different marks for composite products and specific ingredients, so check both the mark and the accompanying text on the packet.

What allergen information do I need if I sell biscuits unpackaged?

According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, consumers must also be given information about allergens present in unpackaged foods. Make sure the information is available before purchase, for example in writing at your stall, and base it on the current packaging of the biscuits you’re offering.

What should I check on a packet of Verkade Lange Nekken?

Check both the exact Fairtrade claim and the latest allergen information. In its product information, Albert Heijn lists barley, cereals containing gluten, milk, oats, soya and wheat, among other ingredients, and states that the product may contain nuts and egg. Allergens present and ‘may contain’ warnings are not the same thing.

Does a supermarket’s cocoa sourcing policy make every biscuit it sells Fairtrade?

No. Check the claim on the individual biscuit. Albert Heijn says its own-brand cocoa is Rainforest Alliance or Fairtrade, while Lidl Nederland describes different cocoa sourcing routes in its policy. Such statements do not automatically apply to every biscuit sold in the shop.