Choosing Fairtrade chocolate biscuits for a board game night

Who are these choices relevant to?

Consumers who prioritise Fairtrade cocoa

You want to be able to see on the specific pack whether the cocoa meets Fairtrade standards. Also check which ingredient the claim applies to.

Consumers who want to share biscuits

You’re looking for a pack that suits the number of players. The net weight and stated number of servings can help you decide.

Consumers who need to check ingredients

Before serving, you want to be able to check the ingredients and allergens listed on the current packaging, including any warnings about traces.

What should you look for when choosing?

First, check that the Fairtrade claim applies to the biscuit you’ve chosen. Then make sure the pack is suitable for your group, and read the ingredient information before putting the biscuits out.

What to consider	What to check when buying	Who it matters to
Fairtrade cocoa	Check whether the Fairtrade statement on this product applies to the cocoa, another ingredient or the whole biscuit.	If I require Fairtrade cocoa, I want to be able to find the claim on the pack I’ve chosen. This is the top priority for around 50% of consumers.
Sharing	Compare the net weight and stated number of servings with the number of players.	When there are several players, I want to be able to share the biscuits without relying on an unclear quantity. Around 30% of consumers prioritise sharing.
Ingredients and allergens	Read the ingredients, highlighted allergens, any warnings about traces and the nutritional information on the current packaging.	If someone at the table needs to avoid an ingredient, I want to be able to check the label before serving. Ingredients and allergens are the top priority for around 20% of consumers.

Common mistakes

Assuming Fairtrade cocoa is always kept physically separate

Fairtrade Netherlands allows mass balance for cocoa. Fairtrade volumes are monitored throughout the supply chain, but certified and non-certified cocoa may be mixed during production.

If physical traceability is crucial to your choice, read the explanation accompanying the product claim.
Treating a product name or another sustainability claim as proof

The word Fair in a name, or a statement about palm oil, does not confirm that the cocoa in that biscuit is Fairtrade.

Look for the Fairtrade statement on the specific pack and check which ingredients it covers.
Checking the label only once the biscuits are on the table

The chocolate biscuits in this comparison include ingredients such as milk, wheat and soya. Some varieties also carry warnings about other allergens. Information varies by product.

Ask in advance which ingredients your guests need to avoid, and keep the current packaging so they can check it for themselves.
Assuming an old product page confirms availability

Jumbo states that Bio+ Fair Chocolade Koekjes is no longer part of its online range.

Check availability with the shop where you plan to buy it before including this pack in your plans for game night.

Brands and shops to consider

Verkade

For specific Verkade chocolate biscuits, Albert Heijn and Jumbo state that they contain Fairtrade cocoa.

Albert Heijn lists Crunchy haverkoek melkchocolade as 262 g with 14 servings; Jumbo lists Nizza Kokos Melkchocolade as 177 g with 15 servings.
Ingredients and allergens vary by variety. Check the pack you choose, including for milk, wheat and soya.

Jumbo

Jumbo provides product information for Verkade Nizza Kokos Melkchocolade and Bio+ Fair Chocolade Koekjes.

According to Jumbo, the dark chocolate and cane sugar in the Bio+ Fair biscuits, together making up 47% of the product, are traded under Fairtrade conditions.
Jumbo states that the Bio+ Fair biscuits are no longer part of its online range, so check availability rather than assuming they’re in stock.

Albert Heijn

Albert Heijn provides product information for Verkade Crunchy haverkoek melkchocolade and Verkade Chocorondjes melkchocolade.

The product pages state that the cocoa is Fairtrade and provide information about the pack size, servings and ingredients of these Verkade varieties.
A claim for a Verkade product does not automatically apply to chocolate biscuits under the AH own-brand range.

Lidl

Fairtrade Netherlands mentions Lidl in connection with its Way To Go chocolate bar.

This information can help you distinguish Fairtrade chocolate from a chocolate biscuit.
A claim for a chocolate bar tells you nothing about the cocoa in a specific Lidl chocolate biscuit.

Aldi

ALDI mentions Fairtrade chocolate in its range information.

This Fairtrade information gives you a useful starting point when comparing products in store.
For a particular chocolate biscuit, check separately whether its packaging states that it contains Fairtrade cocoa.

Lotus

Lotus Speculoos met Chocolade is a speculoos biscuit with chocolate, for anyone considering this type of biscuit too.

Lotus states that chocolate makes up 22% of the product.
A statement about sustainably sourced palm oil is not a Fairtrade cocoa claim. If Fairtrade cocoa is a must, check the specific pack.

Chocolate biscuits on Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

How can I identify Fairtrade cocoa in a chocolate biscuit?

Look for a Fairtrade statement on the specific pack and check whether it applies to the cocoa. Fairtrade Netherlands explains that mass balance may be used for cocoa: certified and non-certified quantities may be mixed during production, while Fairtrade volumes are monitored throughout the supply chain.

Are all the ingredients Fairtrade if the cocoa is?

No. A Fairtrade cocoa claim alone says nothing about the other ingredients. For example, Jumbo separately states that the dark chocolate and cane sugar in Bio+ Fair Chocolade Koekjes, together making up 47% of the product, are traded under Fairtrade conditions.

Which allergens should I check before a board game night?

Check the current packaging of every biscuit you plan to serve for allergen information. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains the mandatory allergen labelling on packaging. The products mentioned here include ingredients such as milk, wheat and soya, and warnings vary by variety.

Do organic and Fairtrade mean the same thing?

No, they describe different things: organic relates to the production method, while for this choice you need to check which ingredients have been traded under Fairtrade conditions. A biscuit can carry both claims, but check each one separately on the specific product.