If you want to buy a Fairtrade breakfast loaf, only choose one if the certification mark or an explicit Fairtrade statement appears on the packaging or current product page for that exact loaf. A shop’s Fairtrade range doesn’t prove that the loaf you’ve chosen is Fairtrade. Then compare the ingredients, allergens, nutritional information and packaging format.
You want to be sure that the Fairtrade status applies to the breakfast loaf you’re buying. This means checking for a statement on the exact variant: a shop may list breakfast loaves and Fairtrade products in separate ranges, as Jumbo and Albert Heijn do on their websites.
You check the grains, sugars, fibre and allergens in the variant you’ve chosen. Product information from Peijnenburg and PLUS shows why you can’t assume that the details for one breakfast loaf apply to another.
You want to know whether the breakfast loaf is sliced or individually wrapped, and whether you can pick it up at your usual shop. Check availability for each variant: Lidl states that some breakfast loaves are only available in store.
If you’re looking for a Fairtrade breakfast loaf as part of your usual shop, first check the details for the individual product. Then compare its ingredients and practical packaging format.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade status | Look for the certification mark or an explicit Fairtrade statement for the exact product name and variant on the packaging or current product page. | If certification is the deciding factor for me, I want to see it on the exact breakfast loaf I’ve chosen. Around 46% of consumers give product-specific Fairtrade status top priority. |
| Ingredients | Compare ingredients, sugars and fibre per 100 g, and read the allergen information for the exact variant. | Anyone comparing ingredients closely will want to know which grains and allergens are listed for their chosen loaf. For around 27% of consumers, ingredients and nutritional information come first. |
| Availability and format | Check whether the sliced or individually wrapped variant you want is available at the shop where you do your shopping. | If you need to pick up the breakfast loaf straight away, it matters whether your preferred pack is in stock at your local shop. Around 27% of consumers prioritise availability and convenience. |
A shop may sell Fairtrade products without the breakfast loaf you choose carrying the certification mark.
Check that a Fairtrade statement appears on the packaging or current product page for the exact same breakfast loaf variant.
These words describe a product variant, not its Fairtrade status. Nutritional values for another variant also tell you nothing about the loaf you’ve chosen.
Check for the certification mark separately, then read the ingredients and nutritional information for the exact product.
A product page doesn’t necessarily mean you can order the breakfast loaf online. Lidl states that its zero and luxury breakfast loaves are only available in store.
Before you go shopping, check how the variant you want is available at your local shop.
A breakfast loaf brand with options including plain, wholemeal, zero and individually wrapped varieties.
A supermarket with AH breakfast loaves and Peijnenburg variants in its sliced breakfast loaf category.
A supermarket with breakfast loaf varieties and a separate Fairtrade product category.
A supermarket with its own breakfast loaf and branded varieties; PLUS also describes a Fairtrade programme for own-brand products.
A supermarket with Koek & Bakker breakfast loaf varieties and a separate Fairtrade range.
A supermarket with options including zero and luxury breakfast loaves.
No. A supermarket’s Fairtrade range doesn’t in itself tell you anything about the breakfast loaf you’ve chosen. Jumbo lists breakfast loaves and Fairtrade products in separate categories, so check for the certification mark or an explicit statement for the exact variant on the packaging or current product page.
You can’t assume this for every breakfast loaf. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, baker’s salt contains iodine, but bakers aren’t required to use it. Check the ingredients list for the breakfast loaf you’ve chosen rather than assuming which salt has been used based on the product category.
Read the ingredients and allergen information for the exact variant. PLUS Ontbijtkoek Naturel gesneden lists rye flour and may contain wheat, barley and oats; don’t assume this information applies to another breakfast loaf.
