If you have a food allergy, a Fairtrade chocolate biscuit may be an option only if the allergen information on the exact pack is compatible with what you need to avoid. Check the ingredients and any cross-contamination warning before looking at what the Fairtrade claim applies to; the certification does not mean the product is free from allergens.
If you need to avoid, for example, milk, eggs, peanuts, nuts or soya, check the ingredients and any cross-contamination warning for the exact biscuit. A certification or trusted brand name is no substitute for checking.
You’re looking for a product labelled gluten-free, but you should check for other allergens separately. Verkade describes Oaties Milk Chocolate as gluten-free; according to the product information, this variety also contains milk and soya.
You want to know whether the Fairtrade claim applies to the biscuit you’ve chosen or to specific ingredients. Once the allergen information is compatible with what you need to avoid, the claim can help you decide what to choose next.
Start with the allergens that matter to you. Then check the precise Fairtrade claim on the same pack, so you don’t mistake a claim about the cocoa for one that applies to the whole biscuit.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Allergens and cross-contamination | Read the highlighted allergens in the ingredients list and check any cross-contamination warning on the current packaging. | If a particular allergen is a deal-breaker for me, I want to know what the exact variety says before I look at the certification. Around 42% of consumers put this allergen check first. |
| Gluten-free claim | Check the gluten-free claim, as well as any mention of other allergens, including milk and soya. | I’m looking for a gluten-free chocolate biscuit, but that doesn’t mean I can assume it’s free from other allergens too. For around 25% of consumers, choosing a gluten-free product comes first. |
| What the Fairtrade claim covers | Look at the certification and the information on the packaging. If the certification has an arrow, Fairtrade International directs shoppers to information on the back. | Once a biscuit meets my allergen needs, I still want to know which ingredients the Fairtrade claim covers. Around 33% of consumers then give this check top priority. |
A Fairtrade claim relates to trading conditions or certified ingredients. It doesn’t mean the product is free from milk, gluten-containing cereals, soya, nuts or eggs.
Check the allergens and any cross-contamination warning first. Then find out which Fairtrade claim applies to the product.
Verkade describes Oaties Milk Chocolate as gluten-free, while the product information also lists milk and soya. So one claim doesn’t answer every question about allergens.
Check the full ingredients list for the exact variety, even if its gluten-free claim matches what you’re looking for.
Albert Heijn, Lidl and ALDI describe certification for their own-brand cocoa, but not all the certification schemes they mention are Fairtrade. A retailer-wide claim also doesn’t tell you which allergens an individual biscuit contains.
Look for the specific Fairtrade claim and allergen information on the product you want to buy.
A product page may remain visible even when availability changes. For allergen checks, the packaging of the variety you’re actually buying is what matters.
Check the current product information and packaging before buying; don’t assume a similar biscuit is the same product.
These examples can help you find a suitable variety. Claims about cocoa or a product range don’t automatically apply to every chocolate biscuit from the same brand or retailer.
Worth considering for biscuits with a Fairtrade cocoa claim and as a separate gluten-free option.
A brand whose chocolate biscuits you can compare by their ingredients, without assuming they’re Fairtrade based on the brand name.
A retailer where you can check the claims on own-brand products biscuit by biscuit.
A retailer with an example product where you should check the Fairtrade ingredients alongside the allergens.
A retailer where you can check the specific cocoa certification on own-brand products.
A retailer with Fairtrade claims for named chocolate ranges, but not necessarily for chocolate biscuits.
No. A Fairtrade logo says nothing about whether a product is free from allergens. Read the ingredients, highlighted allergens and any cross-contamination warning on the packaging of the exact product.
Always check for the allergens that matter to you. These may include gluten-containing cereals, milk, soya, eggs, peanuts and nuts. The allergens present vary by product: for example, Lotus Bakeries lists wheat, milk ingredients and soya in its chocolate speculoos biscuits.
No. Verkade describes Oaties Milk Chocolate as gluten-free, while the product information lists milk and soya. So check for other allergens separately from the gluten-free claim.
The arrow points to additional information on the back of the packaging. Fairtrade International recommends checking there how to interpret the Fairtrade claim on a product with multiple ingredients.
Use online information to shortlist products, then check the current packaging of the exact variety when you buy it. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority states that allergen information must appear on the label of pre-packed products; also check for any cross-contamination warning.
