Choose a chocolate biscuit whose Fairtrade claim you can verify for the exact variety. For example, Verkade lists Fairtrade cocoa for Choco Wolken. If you plan to crumble the biscuits or serve them unpackaged, check the allergen information and how you’ll provide it to customers before placing your order. Another cocoa certification does not automatically confirm Fairtrade status.
You want to be able to explain the cocoa claim for your chosen chocolate biscuit to customers. To do so, check the current packaging or official information for the exact variety, rather than relying on a general sustainability message from the brand.
You crumble biscuits over Dutch doughnuts or serve them from an opened packet. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA), customers must be able to obtain information about allergens present in unpackaged food before purchasing it.
You want to know which claim you can make about a chosen product. Verkade lists Fairtrade cocoa for Choco Wolken; for the Biscoff chocolate products it examined, Lotus Bakeries lists Rainforest Alliance Certified cocoa. These are different claims.
First decide which cocoa claim you want to be able to substantiate and how you plan to serve the biscuit. The way you serve it will also determine which product and allergen information you need close at hand at your stall.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade cocoa | Check whether the current packaging or official product page mentions Fairtrade for the exact biscuit variety, and what the claim applies to. | If I mention Fairtrade to customers, I want to be able to show them the cocoa claim for this specific biscuit. For around 34% of consumers, this product-specific confirmation is the priority. |
| Allergens when serving unpackaged | Check the ingredients and allergens for your chosen variety, including which gluten-containing cereals and nuts it contains. The NVWA requires allergen information to be available before purchase for unpackaged food. | If I’m serving crumbled biscuits as a topping, I want to answer questions about allergens accurately before anyone orders. Around 33% of consumers give this information top priority. |
| Serving at your stall | Decide whether to serve the biscuits in their original packaging or unpackaged, and make sure the product information matches the variety you’re using. | I want to be able to open and serve biscuits without losing track of their ingredients or how they’re handled. For around 20% of consumers, manageable serving is their main concern. |
| Other cocoa labels | Read the exact certification name for each product: a Rainforest Alliance claim does not, by itself, confirm Fairtrade cocoa. | If Fairtrade isn’t an absolute requirement, I still want to explain different cocoa claims accurately to customers. Around 13% of consumers prioritise this comparison. |
Verkade lists Fairtrade cocoa for Choco Wolken, while Lotus Bakeries lists Rainforest Alliance Certified cocoa for the Biscoff chocolate products it examined. The latter claim does not confirm Fairtrade status.
For each variety you buy, record the claim shown on the current packaging or official product page, and use only that wording at your stall.
Fairtrade says nothing about the allergens in a biscuit. According to Verkade, Choco Wolken contains, among other ingredients, wheat, milk, hazelnut and soya, and may contain peanuts, almonds and egg.
Check the information for the variety delivered to you before deciding how to serve it. If serving unpackaged, make sure customers can get accurate allergen information before purchasing, in line with NVWA requirements.
When you open, handle and serve biscuits, it should always be clear which biscuit you’re using and what information applies to it. The NVWA also sets requirements for preparing, selling and storing food safely at markets and events.
Set out how you’ll store and serve the biscuits, and how staff can find the correct allergen information. If you sell food several times a year, also check the NVWA requirements for registration and a food safety plan or hygiene code.
A brand name alone doesn’t tell you which claim applies to a chocolate biscuit. Check the claim and ingredients for the exact variety you’re considering.
A product-specific example for stallholders looking for a biscuit with a Fairtrade cocoa claim.
A reference point if you’re also considering chocolate products with a different cocoa certification.
A supermarket own-brand option where you’ll need to check the exact cocoa claim for each biscuit variety.
Look for an applicable Fairtrade claim on the current packaging or official product page for the exact variety. For example, Verkade lists Fairtrade cocoa for Choco Wolken; don’t assume the same applies to other biscuits from the brand.
No. A Rainforest Alliance claim does not, by itself, confirm Fairtrade status. Lotus Bakeries uses this claim for the Biscoff chocolate products it examined; describe them as Fairtrade only if you also have separate, product-specific confirmation.
For unpackaged food, the NVWA requires customers to be able to obtain information about allergens present before they buy. The NVWA lists 14 allergens; for gluten-containing cereals and nuts, you must name the specific types. You can provide this information verbally only if you meet the NVWA’s requirements.
According to the NVWA, you need to register if you sell food several times a year. You must also work with a food safety plan or hygiene code. The NVWA says registration isn’t required if you sell food only once a year.
Use the information for the variety supplied to you, rather than relying only on an old product page. Albert Heijn warns that ingredients and allergen information can change and advises customers to check the packaging. Update your allergen information sheet whenever the variety or recipe changes.
