If you want to hand out a packaged biscuit with verifiably Fairtrade cocoa on King’s Day, check whether the exact variety carries a Fairtrade mark or explicitly states that it contains Fairtrade cocoa. A claim about the whole biscuit is not the same as a claim about one ingredient. When baking cookies yourself, you can check the information on your chosen chocolate separately, but you’ll also need to consider preparation time and allergen information. Rainforest Alliance certification is not proof of Fairtrade status. For packaged biscuits, compare the nutritional information per 100 g as well.
You’re looking for a treat to hand out on King’s Day and want to check the Fairtrade information on the biscuit or chocolate ingredient you choose. A general statement about sustainably sourced cocoa isn’t enough.
You’d rather choose the chocolate yourself when making a larger batch of cookies. Fairtrade Netherlands’ chocolate chip cookie recipe makes 12–14 cookies and takes around 60 minutes to prepare, plus at least 30 minutes’ chilling time. Those quantities apply to that recipe.
As well as checking for Fairtrade information, you look at the ingredients, allergens present and nutritional information. For packaged biscuits, you can compare the current labels of similar products side by side.
First decide whether you want a ready-made biscuit to hand out or have time to bake your own. Then check for Fairtrade information on the exact biscuit variety or the chocolate you’ll actually use. Assess allergens, quantity and nutritional information separately.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade information | Check the current packaging of the exact biscuit variety or chocolate for a Fairtrade mark or an explicit statement that it contains Fairtrade cocoa. Lidl Netherlands and ALDI Netherlands also mention other certifications for cocoa, so their general cocoa policies don’t confirm the claim for every individual biscuit. | If Fairtrade is my main requirement, I want to be able to point to the claim on the product I’m buying. Around 36% of consumers would put being able to verify the claim first. |
| Allergens | For packaged biscuits, read the current ingredients list and allergen information. If you’re baking biscuits yourself, make sure recipients can get information about any allergens present before choosing. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority also explains the information requirements for non-prepacked food. | When I bring biscuits for other people, I want to know which ingredients matter to them before I hand anything out. For around 29% of consumers, allergen information would be the top priority. |
| Preparation and quantity | Work out how many biscuits you need and how much time you have. Fairtrade Netherlands’ recipe for 12–14 chocolate chip cookies takes around 60 minutes to prepare, plus at least 30 minutes’ chilling time. If you choose this option, check the chocolate you use too. | If I need to bring lots of biscuits on King’s Day, I want to know whether I can fit baking into the time I have. Around 21% of consumers would put ease of handing them out and quantity first. |
| Nutritional information | For similar packaged biscuits, compare the nutritional information per 100 g and check the ingredients list too. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends comparing products per 100 g, as figures per portion may not provide a like-for-like comparison. | When choosing between similar biscuits, I want to compare sugar, fat and other nutritional values on the same basis. For around 14% of consumers, this comparison would matter most. |
Lidl Netherlands and ALDI Netherlands mention various certifications for cocoa. Lotus Bakeries states that cocoa in certain product ranges is Rainforest Alliance certified. None of these statements, on its own, confirms that every biscuit from the brand is Fairtrade.
Check the current packaging of the exact variety for a Fairtrade mark or an explicit statement that it contains Fairtrade cocoa, depending on which claim you want to be able to verify.
Fairtrade information doesn’t tell you which allergens a biscuit contains. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergens must be listed on the label of prepacked food, and information about allergens present must be available where non-prepacked food is offered.
Read the label on every pack. If you’re baking biscuits yourself, keep the ingredients you’ve used and information about any allergens present to hand before offering them to others.
Portion sizes on labels don’t have to be the same. That means the per-portion values for two biscuits aren’t necessarily directly comparable.
First compare similar biscuits per 100 g, as recommended by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, then look at the portion you plan to hand out.
Albert Heijn warns that product information, including ingredients, nutritional values and allergen information, can change. A description you looked at earlier may therefore not match the pack you’re buying now.
Check the current packaging again when you buy the biscuits and before handing them out.
Brand and supermarket policies can help guide your search, but they don’t automatically tell you whether a specific biscuit variety is Fairtrade.
Worth considering if you’re looking at Biscoff biscuits and want to distinguish which products are covered by a cocoa claim.
A useful place to start if you’re looking for products carrying a Fairtrade mark in a supermarket range.
Worth considering if you want to look at Fair Trade products and chocolate biscuits in the same supermarket.
Worth considering if you’re looking at own-brand products containing cocoa and want to know which certification applies to the product you’ve chosen.
Worth considering if you’re thinking of using chocolate with a specific Fairtrade label as an ingredient in homemade cookies.
Check the current packaging of the exact flavour and variety you’re buying for a Fairtrade mark or an explicit Fairtrade statement. Check whether the claim applies to the biscuit itself or specifically to the cocoa used. A supermarket’s general statement about certified cocoa doesn’t confirm either claim for every biscuit.
No, they’re different certifications. Lotus Bakeries mentions Rainforest Alliance certification for cocoa in specific product ranges, while Lidl Netherlands and ALDI Netherlands mention several possible certifications for cocoa. If Fairtrade is a condition of your purchase, look for an explicit Fairtrade statement on the product or ingredient you choose.
Compare similar packaged biscuits per 100 g using the nutrition table. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, comparing per portion can be confusing. Check the ingredients list too if you want to know what the biscuits contain.
Make sure people can get information about any allergens present before choosing. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains the requirements for non-prepacked food. If you plan to sell cookies, also ask the organiser or local council which rules apply at your location.
Yes. Ingredients, nutritional values and allergen information can change. Albert Heijn warns about this in its product information, so use the current packaging as your final check when buying or handing out biscuits.
