Choose a biscuit whose packaging lets you check whether the Fairtrade claim applies to the cocoa or chocolate you’re looking for. Fairtrade International advises checking the back of the pack if the FAIRTRADE mark has an arrow, for information about the ingredients and sourcing method. Serve the biscuit as a sweet addition alongside the savoury nibbles, and check the ingredients and allergen information on the current pack too.
You’re looking for a sweet biscuit to serve with drinks and want to see on the packaging whether the cocoa or chocolate is covered by the Fairtrade claim. A general sustainability claim made by a retailer isn’t enough to confirm this.
You’re putting together a drinks table for guests with allergies and need to check the ingredients and clearly stated allergens in the biscuit you choose. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority highlights the allergen information in the ingredients list of prepacked foods.
You want to offer biscuits without presenting them as a replacement for the savoury nibbles. A separate plate of sweet treats makes it clear to guests which items are the savoury ones.
First, check what the Fairtrade claim on the specific pack means. Then decide how you’ll serve the biscuits alongside the savoury bites, and read the ingredients and allergen information before buying.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade cocoa or chocolate | Look for the Fairtrade claim on the pack. If the mark has an arrow, check the back to see which ingredients and sourcing method it covers, as advised by Fairtrade International. | When I choose a chocolate biscuit, I want to know whether the Fairtrade claim on this pack applies to the cocoa or chocolate. For around 50% of consumers, checking this would be the most important question when buying. |
| Sweet alongside savoury | Decide whether you’d like to serve the biscuits on a separate plate or after the savoury bites. | I want to offer something sweet alongside the savoury nibbles without replacing the savoury platter. For around 30% of consumers, serving this sweet addition would be the main consideration. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients list and allergen information on the current packaging, even if you’ve checked a product page. | If a guest has an allergy, I want to be able to check whether the biscuit is suitable for them before buying. Around 20% of consumers would make this their first priority. |
Alongside Fairtrade, Albert Heijn and Lidl mention other certification schemes for cocoa in their own-brand products. Their policies therefore don’t tell you which claim appears on the biscuit you’ve chosen.
Use the retailer’s policy as a starting point for your search, then check the packaging of the specific biscuit.
Jumbo says Bio+ Fair Chocolade Koekjes is no longer in its online range. ALDI describes Winter Kransen with Fairtrade cocoa as a winter product. Neither example confirms that a pack is currently available.
Check the current packaging or product page before choosing a biscuit to serve with drinks.
Savoury nibbles usually consist of small, savoury bites. A biscuit has a different role on the drinks table.
Serve the biscuits separately as a sweet addition, and plan the savoury bites separately.
A Fairtrade claim doesn’t tell you whether a biscuit is suitable for someone with an allergy. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority stresses that allergens must be clearly stated in the ingredients list of prepacked foods.
Read the ingredients list and allergen information on the pack you’re actually going to serve.
Retailers can be a starting point when looking for cocoa with a Fairtrade claim. Check each individual biscuit: a statement about a product range isn’t a certification mark on the pack.
Albert Heijn says that all the cocoa in its own-brand products is certified by Rainforest Alliance or Fairtrade.
Jumbo described how a Fairtrade ingredient claim can appear on a composite product in its information about Bio+ Fair Chocolade Koekjes.
Lidl lists Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance and organic certification as routes for the cocoa in its own-brand products.
ALDI features Fairtrade products in its range and describes Winter Kransen as containing Fairtrade cocoa.
No. A Fairtrade cocoa claim on its own doesn’t mean that every ingredient in the biscuit is covered by it. Fairtrade International advises checking the back of the pack if the FAIRTRADE mark has an arrow, for information about the ingredients covered and the sourcing method.
No. Check the Fairtrade claim on the packaging of the specific biscuit. Albert Heijn and Lidl mention several certification schemes in their cocoa policies; their general statements don’t tell you which scheme applies to each individual product.
Read the ingredients list and allergen information on the current packaging of the biscuit. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that allergens must be clearly stated in the ingredients list of prepacked foods.
Not as a savoury staple: savoury nibbles usually consist of small, savoury bites. You can still serve chocolate biscuits separately as a sweet addition, either alongside or after the savoury platter.
