For this coffee break, start by choosing a biscuit whose packaging or product information explicitly mentions Fairtrade cocoa or Fairtrade chocolate. A large pack of biscuits is handy if you’ll be serving them several times, an assortment gives guests more choice, and a filled chocolate biscuit is ideal for a smaller group. Also check the storage instructions and allergen information on the packaging of the biscuits you’ll actually be serving.
You want to serve a biscuit with coffee or tea that explicitly states on the packaging or product page that it contains Fairtrade cocoa. You also want to understand what that claim means for the cocoa in the biscuit.
You’re looking for a larger pack to serve on more than one occasion, and can store the remaining biscuits in a cool, dry place as recommended.
You’re serving biscuits to others and want to check the ingredients and allergen information before opening the pack. A vegan claim doesn’t mean a biscuit is gluten-free or free from possible traces of milk.
First, check for a Fairtrade claim on the biscuit you’ve chosen. Then choose a pack that suits the number of occasions you’ll be serving it, and check the allergen information before offering anything to your guests.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade cocoa | Look for an explicit Fairtrade claim for cocoa or chocolate on the current packaging or product page. A general sustainability claim isn’t enough. | If Fairtrade is the deciding factor for me, I want to be able to find that claim on the exact biscuit I’m buying. For around 40% of consumers facing this choice, this check matters most. |
| Quantity and serving style | Compare the pack size and type of biscuit: PLUS lists 500 g for Biscuit duo's cacao Fairtrade and 300 g for Koekjes assorti Fairtrade, while Albert Heijn lists 150 g for Verkade Chocorondjes melkchocolade. Check the storage instructions too. | For several rounds of coffee, I’m looking to stock up; for a group, I might prefer to offer a variety of biscuits. Around 30% of consumers prioritise a suitable pack size and serving style. |
| Allergens and dietary requirements | Read the ingredients and the information about what the product contains or may contain on the current packaging. Check any vegan claim separately from the allergen information. | When I’m serving guests with allergies or dietary requirements, I need to know which biscuits are suitable for them. This is the main concern for around 30% of consumers. |
ALDI and Lidl each mention several certification schemes for cocoa. So you can’t tell from their general cocoa information whether a particular biscuit contains Fairtrade cocoa.
Check the packaging or product page for the biscuit you’ve chosen to see which Fairtrade claim for cocoa or chocolate actually applies.
Fairtrade allows mass balance for cocoa. This means Fairtrade and non-Fairtrade cocoa can be mixed during processing, while Fairtrade volumes are tracked through the supply chain.
If physical traceability matters to you, read the additional information for the specific product rather than assuming it from the Fairtrade cocoa claim.
The biscuits described differ in the allergens they contain or may contain. PLUS describes its Biscuit duo's cacao Fairtrade as vegan, but also states that they contain wheat and may contain rye or milk.
Read the current ingredients and allergen information, and keep it available when offering the biscuits to guests.
For PLUS Biscuit duo's cacao Fairtrade, PLUS recommends protecting the biscuits from moisture and heat and storing them below 25 °C.
Take out what you’ll be serving soon and keep the rest sealed, following the instructions on the packaging.
PLUS lists Fairtrade cocoa for both Biscuit duo's cacao Fairtrade and Koekjes assorti Fairtrade. This lets you compare a pack of biscuits with an assortment for guests.
For Verkade Chocorondjes melkchocolade, Albert Heijn’s product page states that it contains Fairtrade cocoa and describes a biscuit with milk cream and milk chocolate.
ALDI says that the cocoa in its products is certified through Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance or the EU organic logo.
For cocoa in its own-brand products, Lidl lists Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance and organic certification as possible options.
No, that doesn’t follow from the claim. Fairtrade allows mass balance for cocoa, so Fairtrade and non-Fairtrade cocoa can be mixed during processing, while Fairtrade volumes are tracked through the supply chain. Read the additional product information if physical traceability matters to you.
Don’t assume so based on the vegan claim. PLUS Biscuit duo's cacao Fairtrade is described as vegan, but contains wheat and may contain rye or milk. Check the current allergen information on the pack you’re buying.
Make sure guests can get the allergen information before choosing a biscuit. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, consumers must be given allergen information for unpackaged foods in a way other than a label on an individual pack.
