If you want to choose a Fairtrade biscuit to enjoy with your tea, check for the certification mark or a specific Fairtrade statement on the current packaging; chocolate in the product name isn’t enough. Fairtrade International allows mass balance for ingredients including cocoa and sugar, which means they may be mixed in the supply chain. Also choose a flavour and pack that suit how you plan to serve the biscuits, and check allergen information separately.
You want to see exactly which Fairtrade claim applies on the specific pack. If physical traceability matters to you, read the explanation alongside the certification mark too, as Fairtrade International allows mass balance for ingredients including cocoa and sugar.
You’re looking for a flavour and type of packaging that suit the number of people at the table. Individually wrapped biscuits or a larger assortment can be handy, but the way they’re packaged says nothing about their Fairtrade status.
As well as checking the certification mark, you look at the ingredients, allergens and any dietary claims. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends checking the back of the label, not just the front.
First, check that the biscuits meet your main requirement: a verifiable Fairtrade claim, a particular way of serving them or label information that meets your dietary needs. Then check whether the pack you’ve chosen is available.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade status | Look for the FAIRTRADE mark or a specific statement about the ingredients on the pack. For cocoa, read the information about traceability too; Fairtrade International allows mass balance. | I want to know exactly what the Fairtrade claim on my biscuits applies to, rather than relying on a chocolate flavour or an eco-friendly look. This is the top priority for around 36% of consumers. |
| Flavour and how they’re served | Check the type of biscuit, the number in the pack and whether they’re individually wrapped. | If I’m sharing biscuits with guests, I want a flavour and pack that suit the occasion. Ease of serving is the first consideration for around 21% of consumers. |
| Allergens and dietary requirements | Read the ingredients, allergen information and any cross-contamination warnings on the specific pack; don’t rely on a vegan claim alone. | If I have a food allergy, I need to be able to check the label before serving or eating a biscuit. This is the top priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Availability | Check that the pack you’ve chosen is still being sold, and compare the latest product information with the pack you receive. | I want to be able to buy a suitable biscuit for the planned tea occasion. Availability is the deciding factor for around 14% of consumers. |
A chocolate biscuit doesn’t automatically carry a Fairtrade claim. What’s more, mass balance, which Fairtrade International allows for cocoa and sugar, doesn’t mean those ingredients remain physically separate at every stage.
Check the certification mark or the specific statement about the ingredients, and read the traceability information on the current packaging.
A product page being visible doesn’t guarantee that the product is available or that its recipe hasn’t changed. For example, Jumbo says Bio+ Fair Chocolade Koekjes 140 g is no longer in its online range, while Albert Heijn warns that product information can change.
Check that you can order the product, then read the label on the pack when it arrives.
A vegan claim doesn’t rule out allergens or possible cross-contamination. For example, the ingredients listed by Albert Heijn for regular Lotus Biscoff speculoos include wheat and soya.
If you have an allergy, check the ingredients, listed allergens and any warnings on the exact pack you’re buying.
A chocolate biscuit with a specific Fairtrade ingredients claim on Jumbo’s product page.
A biscuit assortment to share over tea, with a Fairtrade description from retailer DEKAS.
Speculoos biscuits to enjoy with tea or coffee if confirmed Fairtrade status isn’t your deciding factor.
No, Fairtrade chocolate isn’t essential for serving biscuits with tea. If Fairtrade is your reason for buying, check the claim on the specific pack. Assess the flavour, how you’ll serve the biscuits and allergen information separately.
No, not always. Fairtrade International allows mass balance for ingredients including cocoa and sugar: ingredients may be mixed in the supply chain while Fairtrade volumes are tracked. If physical separation matters to you, read the information alongside the certification mark.
Read the ingredients and allergen information on the pack you’re buying. If you have a food allergy, check for any cross-contamination warnings too; a vegan claim isn’t a substitute for doing this.
Use the product page as a starting point, but check the packaging too. Albert Heijn warns that ingredients, nutritional values and dietary or allergy information can change, and advises checking the packaging before eating the product.
Check with the retailer before choosing either product. Jumbo says Bio+ Fair Chocolade Koekjes 140 g is no longer in its online range. DEKAS describes the Hoppe assortment as Fairtrade; when you buy it, check the current packaging too to see what the claim applies to.
