Choose chocolate breakfast cake for the office biscuit tin as a Fairtrade option only if the FAIRTRADE Mark appears on the current packaging and the accompanying information makes clear whether the cocoa is covered by the claim. Then decide whether a larger cake or individually wrapped portions are better suited to office use, and keep the allergen information available if you serve the cake unwrapped.
Wants to establish whether the cocoa in the chosen breakfast cake is covered by the Fairtrade claim. Fairtrade International advises checking the explanation on the back of the packaging too when the mark includes an arrow.
Needs packaging that suits the number of colleagues taking from the supply and how quickly the cake is eaten. A larger cake needs to be sealed carefully, while individually wrapped portions use more packaging.
Wants colleagues to be able to check the ingredients and allergens in the version purchased, even when slices are placed in the tin without their original packaging. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority stresses the importance of allergen information on the label.
Start with the certification mark if Fairtrade cocoa is a condition of purchase. Then choose packaging that suits your shared supply, and keep the information about the version you bought with the cake.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade status of the cocoa | Check the FAIRTRADE Mark on the current packaging. If the mark includes an arrow, read the explanation about the ingredients and sourcing method. | Anyone buying cocoa for the office with a verifiable Fairtrade claim needs to know which ingredients are covered by the mark; around 42% of consumers put this check first. |
| Serving and storage | Compare a larger cake with individually wrapped portions and match the quantity to how it will be used. Seal opened breakfast cake securely. | If lots of colleagues are taking from the same supply, I want to be able to hand out portions without touching the whole cake each time; this practical consideration matters most to around 33% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the label on the version you bought and keep the information available if you serve slices unwrapped. | If a colleague has an allergy, I want to be able to check exactly what is in this version; for around 25% of consumers, this clarity is the top priority. |
On their own, these words don’t tell you whether the cocoa in a mixed-ingredient breakfast cake is covered by a Fairtrade claim.
Check the certification mark and ingredient information on the current packaging of the exact version.
Ingredients, nutritional information and allergens can change. Albert Heijn itself warns that product information may be updated.
Compare the packaging you receive with the information you keep for your office supply.
If it isn’t eaten quickly, the cake may dry out or go off before it’s finished.
Choose a quantity that suits how it will be used, seal opened cake securely, and check for mould or dryness.
Colleagues can no longer easily see which ingredients and allergens are in the cake being served.
Keep the original packaging, or have the current ingredient and allergen information for that version to hand with the supply.
Peijnenburg offers several types of breakfast cake, including a plain version wrapped individually.
Albert Heijn stocks products including AH Bio chocolate breakfast cake.
Jumbo has separate online categories for breakfast cake and Fairtrade products.
In a campaign from May 2023, Fairtrade Netherlands described Fairtrade cocoa in PLUS own-brand products.
No. Organic and Fairtrade are different claims. Check the FAIRTRADE Mark on the packaging and, for a product made with several ingredients, read the explanation to see which ingredients are covered by the claim.
Seal opened breakfast cake securely and follow the instructions on the packaging. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says opened breakfast cake can be kept in a kitchen cupboard for more than two months; check it for mould and dryness in the meantime, and throw away any mouldy cake.
Keep the information for the version you bought available, for example by storing the original packaging with the supply. This lets colleagues check the ingredients and allergens before taking a slice.
