Who is this relevant to?

Fairtrade-conscious coffee drinker

Wants to choose a biscuit to enjoy with coffee that explicitly states its cocoa or chocolate is Fairtrade, rather than relying on a general reputation for sustainability.

Allergen and ingredients checker

Is looking for a biscuit that meets their own or their guests’ dietary requirements, and therefore checks the current packaging.

Host planning a coffee break

Wants to know how many biscuits are in a pack and how they can be served, as well as the Fairtrade status of the chosen product.

What should you look for when choosing?

Start by checking the Fairtrade claim on the individual biscuit. Then look at the label and pack size to make sure they suit the people you’re having coffee with.

What to look for What to check before buying Who it matters to
Fairtrade status Look for an explicit Fairtrade claim for the cocoa or chocolate on the chosen pack or product page; don’t rely on the shop’s policy alone. I specifically want to choose Fairtrade cocoa to enjoy with my coffee, not just cocoa with another sustainability certification. For around 46% of consumers, verifiable Fairtrade status comes first.
Allergens and ingredients Read the current ingredients list and allergen information for the exact variety, even if you’ve bought the biscuit before. If a guest needs to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know whether this biscuit is suitable for them. Around 27% of consumers give this check top priority.
Quantity and servings Compare the net weight and the number of biscuits or stated servings with the number of people at the table. For a shared coffee break, I want to put out enough biscuits without judging by the pack size alone. This is the main consideration for around 27% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming a sustainable cocoa policy means a biscuit is Fairtrade

    Albert Heijn, Lidl and ALDI also mention certifications other than Fairtrade in their cocoa policies. This doesn’t tell you which certification appears on an individual pack of biscuits.

    Check the Fairtrade claim on the packaging or product page for the biscuit you want to buy.

  • Confusing Fairtrade status with allergen information

    A Fairtrade claim for cocoa says nothing about the other ingredients. This is especially important when choosing biscuits for someone with an allergy.

    Check the allergen information on the current packaging of the chosen variety every time you buy it.

  • Looking only at the size of the pack

    For a shared coffee break, the pack weight alone won’t tell you how many biscuits you can serve.

    Also check the number of biscuits or the stated serving size to make sure the pack is right for your coffee break.

Brands and shops to consider

Verkade

A good option if you’re looking for a specific chocolate biscuit that explicitly states it contains Fairtrade chocolate.

  • Albert Heijn lists Verkade Fairtrade milk chocolate for Lange Nekken Milk Chocolate and Chocorondjes Milk Chocolate.
  • Check the ingredients and allergen information for your chosen variety too; the Fairtrade claim doesn’t tell you anything about these.

Albert Heijn

A shop where you can browse product pages for chocolate biscuits and may come across own-brand products containing cocoa.

  • Albert Heijn says the cocoa in its own-brand products is Rainforest Alliance or Fairtrade certified.
  • This policy doesn’t make every own-brand biscuit a Fairtrade choice, so check the individual product.

Lidl

Worth considering if you’re looking for a biscuit containing cocoa at Lidl and specifically want to check for Fairtrade.

  • Lidl lists Fairtrade as one of the certifications for its own-brand cocoa.
  • Lidl also mentions Rainforest Alliance and organic certification, so check which claim applies to the biscuit you choose.

ALDI

Worth considering if you’re looking for an explicit Fairtrade claim in ALDI’s biscuit range.

  • In its information about cocoa, ALDI mentions Fairtrade alongside Rainforest Alliance and the EU organic logo.
  • A biscuit’s name or type of chocolate doesn’t confirm its Fairtrade status; check the packaging of the product you choose.

Joybuy products to enjoy with your coffee

Related products will be available soon.

Frequently asked questions

How can I tell whether a chocolate biscuit contains Fairtrade cocoa?

Look for an explicit Fairtrade claim for the cocoa or chocolate on the packaging or product page for the specific biscuit. A general statement about sustainably sourced cocoa doesn’t confirm that this particular biscuit contains Fairtrade cocoa.

Are biscuits containing cocoa from Albert Heijn, Lidl or ALDI automatically Fairtrade?

No, their general cocoa policies don’t confirm this. Albert Heijn mentions Fairtrade or Rainforest Alliance for its own-brand cocoa; Lidl and ALDI also mention other certification schemes. So check the claim on the biscuit you choose.

What should I check if a guest has a food allergy?

Read the current ingredients list and allergen information on the packaging of the exact variety. A Fairtrade claim for the chocolate says nothing about allergens in the biscuit.

How can I compare two packs for a shared coffee break?

Compare the net weight, number of biscuits and any serving information with what you want to serve. If you’d also like to compare nutritional information, use the values per 100 g; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends this as the basis for comparing products.