Only choose a biscuit for your Easter egg hunt if the specific product carries the Fairtrade mark or explicitly states that it contains Fairtrade cocoa. If you’d rather hide Easter eggs, check their packaging individually too. For every treat, check the ingredients, allergens and whether the pack size is suitable for sharing among the participants.
You want to see exactly what the Fairtrade claim covers on the pack you choose. For a chocolate biscuit, a general sustainability claim from the brand isn’t enough. Look for the mark and its explanation, or an explicit statement that the product contains Fairtrade cocoa.
You’re handing out treats to a group and need to take account of the ingredients participants avoid. Check the allergen information and any warnings on every pack: a Fairtrade cocoa statement says nothing about whether a treat is suitable for someone with a food allergy.
You’re looking for treats that are easy to count, hide and share out. Compare the size and packaging of biscuits and Easter eggs, and check the seasonal range again when you’re ready to buy.
Start by checking the Fairtrade information on the specific product. Then decide which treat is right for your participants, and finish by choosing a practical size for the egg hunt.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade cocoa | Check the mark and its explanation on the pack you’ve chosen, or look for an explicit statement that the specific variant contains Fairtrade cocoa. | If Fairtrade cocoa is my main requirement, I want to know exactly what the claim applies to. Around 50% of consumers prioritise this check. |
| Allergens | Read the ingredients and allergen information, and check the packaging for any warnings about the possible presence of allergens. | When handing out treats to a group, I want to avoid giving anyone something that doesn’t suit their dietary restrictions. This matters most to around 30% of consumers. |
| Sharing and hiding | Compare the number of items, size and packaging, and check the current seasonal product before buying. | I want to be able to count and share out enough treats fairly, without making them awkward to hide. This practical consideration comes first for around 20% of consumers. |
Albert Heijn says its own-brand cocoa is Rainforest Alliance or Fairtrade certified; Lotus Bakeries refers to Rainforest Alliance for certain product ranges. Neither statement means that every individual biscuit is a Fairtrade product.
Look for the Fairtrade mark or an explicit Fairtrade cocoa statement on the exact variant you want to buy.
A chocolate biscuit can contain allergens, regardless of the cocoa claim. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that allergen information must appear on the label of pre-packed products.
Before handing out treats, read the ingredients and allergen information on every pack you’ve chosen, and check for any warnings about the possible presence of allergens.
Easter eggs and Easter biscuits are part of a changing seasonal range. A product you looked at earlier may have different packaging or ingredients by the time you buy it.
Decide in good time what kind of treat you’d like, but check the specific product and its packaging again when you’re ready to buy.
Worth considering if you’re looking for a chocolate biscuit with a product-specific Fairtrade cocoa statement.
A retailer to explore if you’d like to look at both Easter eggs and Easter biscuits.
A retailer to explore if you want to check the details of a specific chocolate biscuit.
A biscuit to compare by product type, but not automatically a Fairtrade cocoa option.
No. A general statement from the brand doesn’t prove that the biscuit you’ve chosen is Fairtrade. Check the packaging or product-specific page for the Fairtrade mark and its explanation, or for an explicit statement that the product contains Fairtrade cocoa.
Check which ingredients the statement covers. Fairtrade International also describes marks for products with multiple ingredients, such as biscuits. The explanation on the pack can help you tell the difference between a Fairtrade mark for the product and a claim specifically about the cocoa.
Check the allergen information for every treat you’ve chosen and ask in advance which ingredients participants need to avoid. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that allergen information must appear on the label of pre-packed products. Also check for any warnings about the possible presence of allergens.
Check the range again when you’re ready to buy, as Easter products are seasonal. At that point, check the Fairtrade information, ingredients and allergens for the specific product too.
