If you want to present the breakfast cake itself as a Fairtrade choice, check the certification mark and the accompanying information on the current packaging. A mention of Fairtrade chocolate or cocoa does not automatically apply to the whole cake. If you’re buying for several guests, also compare the nutritional information and allergens.
You want to be able to explain exactly why you’re calling a breakfast cake Fairtrade at a World Food Night. To do that, check the current packaging and the information provided about the certification mark, as described by Fairtrade International.
You’re looking for a chocolate or cocoa variety and want to know whether a Fairtrade claim applies to that ingredient or to the cake as a whole.
When shopping, you also take sugars, fibre, salt and allergens into account. Voedingscentrum provides nutritional values for different types of breakfast cake; for the one you serve, the information on the packaging you choose is what matters.
First decide what you want to say about the breakfast cake: that it carries a Fairtrade certification mark, or that a named ingredient is Fairtrade. Then check that the nutritional information and ingredients are suitable for what you want to offer your guests.
When: This is the right option if you want to present the cake itself as a Fairtrade choice and the current packaging supports this with a certification mark.
Bear in mind: According to Fairtrade International, an arrow beside the certification mark points to information on the back about the ingredients and sourcing method.
When: This is the right option if the current packaging supports the claim for cocoa or chocolate and you identify only that ingredient as Fairtrade.
Bear in mind: A claim about an ingredient is not proof that the whole breakfast cake carries a Fairtrade product certification mark.
When: This is an option if you can’t verify a suitable Fairtrade claim for the cake, but you can put a separate product with a visible certification mark on the table.
Bear in mind: Identify only that separate product as Fairtrade, not the breakfast cake beside it.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade status of the cake | Look for the certification mark on the current packaging. If there’s an arrow, read the information on the back about the relevant ingredients and sourcing method. | I want to be able to explain on the buffet label why I’m calling this particular breakfast cake Fairtrade. For around 50% of consumers, proof of certification is the priority. |
| Claim about chocolate or cocoa | Check whether the Fairtrade claim refers only to chocolate or cocoa, and whether the packaging is still current. | If I’m looking for a chocolate flavour, I don’t want to extend a claim about cocoa or chocolate to the whole cake. This is the main consideration for around 30% of consumers. |
| Nutritional information and allergens | Compare serving sizes, sugars, fibre and salt; also check the ingredients and allergens on the packaging you choose. | When I’m serving several guests, I want to know what’s in the cake and what information I can give them. Around 20% of consumers prioritise this check. |
For a product with several ingredients, the Fairtrade claim may refer to specific ingredients, according to Fairtrade International. Without that distinction, a buffet label can give a misleading impression.
Call it Fairtrade breakfast cake only if the certification mark on the current packaging supports that description. If the claim refers only to cocoa or chocolate, name that ingredient instead.
Albert Heijn’s page for AH Bio chocolate breakfast cake mentioned fairtrade chocolate, but also marked the product as discontinued. So that page doesn’t tell you what you can buy now.
Before shopping, check the current product information and look at the packaging of the cake you actually choose.
A Fairtrade claim doesn’t tell you how much sugar, fibre or salt a cake contains, or which allergens it includes. For example, Voedingscentrum lists 11,2 g of sugars in a 30 g slice of breakfast cake; values can vary between individual products.
Compare nutritional values on the same basis, such as per 100 g or per serving, and check allergens separately from the sustainability certification mark.
The word ‘salt’ in an ingredients list doesn’t tell you whether iodised baker’s salt was used in that cake.
If iodine matters to your choice, check the exact ingredients on the current packaging rather than assuming this applies to all breakfast cakes.
These examples can help you distinguish between claims and product information. A mention here says nothing about the current availability or Fairtrade status of any other breakfast cake.
An example of the difference between a claim about chocolate and a certification mark for the whole breakfast cake.
A shop where breakfast cakes and Fairtrade products are listed in separate categories.
Worth considering if you also want to compare the nutritional information for a particular wholemeal variety alongside the Fairtrade question.
Relevant when distinguishing a claim about own-brand cocoa from a certification mark for a specific breakfast cake.
You can consider these two breakfast cakes as standard cakes for your World Food Night table, for example alongside a separate product whose Fairtrade certification mark you’ve checked. Present the cake itself as Fairtrade only if the current packaging supports that claim.
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An option if you want to serve portions of standard breakfast cake without calling the cake itself Fairtrade. The product name isn’t proof that this variety is sugar-free: compare the sugars and serving size on the current packaging. If anyone has allergies, also check the ingredients and warnings for rye, gluten and possible traces of nuts or milk.
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Sliced breakfast cake can be handy if you want to serve slices on a buffet; this isn’t evidence for a Fairtrade claim. Before serving, check the current ingredients and allergens, especially if a guest needs to avoid rye or gluten. Compare nutritional values only after checking whether the packaging gives them per 100 g or per serving.
If the current packaging shows a Fairtrade certification mark for the breakfast cake, you can present it with the accompanying information. If there’s an arrow beside the certification mark, Fairtrade International advises you to read the back of the packaging, where you’ll find details of the ingredients and sourcing method covered. If the packaging mentions only a Fairtrade ingredient, name only that ingredient.
No. A claim about the chocolate alone doesn’t prove that the whole cake carries a Fairtrade certification mark. Check exactly what the current packaging claims. Albert Heijn’s page mentioning fairtrade chocolate in AH Bio chocolate breakfast cake also didn’t confirm a current buying option: the product was listed as discontinued.
Not always. For cocoa and, among other ingredients, sugar, Fairtrade International allows ‘mass balance’: Fairtrade volumes are tracked through the supply chain, but ingredients may be mixed during processing. Read the information provided with the certification mark to find out which sourcing method applies to the product you’ve chosen.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging of the cake you’ve chosen. For example, Jumbo recommends keeping its Ontbijtkoek Naturel in a cool, dry place; don’t assume that this applies to another variety or pack.
