Shoppers who put Fairtrade first
You want to be able to spot the certification mark on the chocolate sprinkles you choose. Check the exact variety on the current packaging or product page, rather than relying on a general claim about the brand.
If Fairtrade is a must for your school lunch, choose chocolate sprinkles that carry the certification mark for that specific variety: Albert Heijn and Jumbo list Fairtrade Original Hagelslag Puur 380 g as a Fairtrade product. Also check the allergens in both the chocolate sprinkles and the rusks, the school’s rules and the nutritional information; the certification mark doesn’t tell you about these.
You want to be able to spot the certification mark on the chocolate sprinkles you choose. Check the exact variety on the current packaging or product page, rather than relying on a general claim about the brand.
You take the pupil’s needs and the school’s rules into account. The Fairtrade Original chocolate sprinkles examined may contain milk; check the rusks and any other lunch items separately for allergens too.
You want to know how much sugar the chocolate sprinkles contain and what else is going to school in the lunchbox. Fairtrade status and nutritional value are two different things to consider when choosing lunch.
Start with the requirement that matters most for your lunch, then check your chosen chocolate sprinkles and rusks against the other points.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade on the chocolate sprinkles | Look for the Fairtrade mark on the current packaging of the exact variety you’ve chosen; a different cocoa claim is not the same certification. | I want to see a Fairtrade mark on the chocolate sprinkles themselves, not just a general sustainability message. Around 50% of consumers would make this certification their first purchasing requirement. |
| Allergens and school rules | Read the allergen information for both the chocolate sprinkles and the rusks, and ask what rules the school has for packed lunches. | If I’m packing lunch for a pupil with an allergy or specific school requirements, my choice needs to meet them. Around 30% of consumers would give these requirements priority. |
| Nutritional information and variety at lunchtime | Compare the sugars per 100 g on the packaging and consider what else is in the lunch. | I want to choose chocolate sprinkles without losing sight of the rest of the school lunch. Around 20% of consumers would put the make-up of the lunch first. |
Jumbo states that its own plain chocolate sprinkles use Rainforest Alliance Certified cocoa. This is not the same certification as the Fairtrade mark on the Fairtrade Original variety examined.
Check the wording on the chocolate sprinkles’ packaging before deciding whether they meet your Fairtrade requirement.
Albert Heijn and Jumbo’s product information states that Fairtrade Original Hagelslag Puur may contain milk. Check the ingredients and allergens in the rusks separately.
Read both current packs before making up the lunch, and choose items that suit the pupil’s needs and the school’s rules.
The Fairtrade mark doesn’t tell you about nutritional value. Albert Heijn states that Fairtrade Original Hagelslag Puur contains 66 g of sugars per 100 g.
Check the nutritional information for the variety you’ve chosen and consider the chocolate sprinkles alongside the other items in the lunch.
Albert Heijn and Jumbo list Fairtrade Original Hagelslag Puur 380 g with a Fairtrade mark.
Jumbo’s product page lists Fairtrade Original Chocoladehagelslag Puur 380 g as a Fairtrade product.
Albert Heijn lists the Fairtrade mark, ingredients and nutritional information for Fairtrade Original Hagelslag Puur 380 g.
Look for an explicit Fairtrade mark on the current packaging or product page for the variety you’ve chosen. Rainforest Alliance Certified cocoa is a different claim and does not, by itself, confirm that the chocolate sprinkles are Fairtrade.
Don’t assume this variety is milk-free: Albert Heijn and Jumbo state that Fairtrade Original Hagelslag Puur may contain milk. Check the current packaging and consider the warning in light of the pupil’s needs.
Ask the school what rules apply to packed lunches. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises parents to find out whether a secondary school has a food policy and what it says; the school can explain its own rules.
Chocolate sprinkles are a sweet topping; the Fairtrade mark doesn’t change their nutritional value. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists chocolate sprinkles as a topping you can choose once a day. So check the nutritional information for your chosen variety and consider the other items in the lunch too.