At Christmas, choose a chocolate biscuit that carries a Fairtrade claim for that exact product: Verkade identifies its Choco Wolken biscuits as containing Fairtrade cocoa, but that claim doesn’t apply to its other biscuits. Lidl says its Favorina seasonal chocolate meets the Fairtrade Sourcing Program requirements for cocoa, while ALDI says its seasonal chocolate is Fairtrade certified. For both, check whether the product you’ve chosen also contains a biscuit. If you’re serving guests, check the latest ingredients and allergen information on the packaging too.
If you’re buying something for the Christmas table or as a gift, you’ll want to know whether the Fairtrade claim applies to the chocolate biscuit itself. A general statement about a supermarket’s range doesn’t offer the same reassurance.
If you’re browsing seasonal chocolate at Lidl or ALDI around Christmas, check the product type too. Their information about Fairtrade cocoa or Fairtrade seasonal chocolate doesn’t mean that every product contains a biscuit.
If your guests need to avoid certain ingredients, the current packaging is more important than an online description you saw earlier. Your Europe explains that EU labelling rules require pre-packed foods to include information about ingredients and allergens.
Start with the exact product: check its Fairtrade claim, then make sure the product type is right for what you want to serve at Christmas. Before buying, check the packaging for ingredients and allergen information.
| What to check | What to look for when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade status of the cocoa | Look for a Fairtrade cocoa claim or Fairtrade mark on the exact product. Don’t take a general sustainability claim from the retailer as confirmation for this biscuit. | I’ll only choose a chocolate biscuit if the Fairtrade claim appears on that product; around 40% of consumers give this check top priority. |
| Product type and Christmas range | Check that the product really contains biscuits or cookies, how many are included and whether it’s available when you do your Christmas shopping. | For the Christmas table, I want biscuits to share, not just seasonal chocolate without biscuits. For around 30% of consumers, product type and availability matter most. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredients list, the clearly highlighted allergens and any cross-contamination warnings on the packaging. | If my guests need to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know what the packaging says before serving; for around 30% of consumers, this check comes first. |
A statement about certified cocoa across a range doesn’t confirm that the chocolate biscuit you’ve chosen carries a Fairtrade claim. For example, Albert Heijn says its own-brand products use Rainforest Alliance- or Fairtrade-certified cocoa. You still need to check the individual product.
Check the Fairtrade claim on the packaging or product page for the biscuit you want to buy.
The Christmas and seasonal chocolate mentioned by Lidl and ALDI may not contain any biscuits or cookies. That matters if you specifically want biscuits on the table.
Read the product name and description, and check the contents before choosing a seasonal product as a biscuit.
Albert Heijn warns that ingredients and allergy information can change. So a product page you viewed earlier may not match the packaging in your hands.
Before serving, check the current ingredients list and any warnings on the packaging, especially if your guests have allergies.
A Fairtrade cocoa claim doesn’t tell you anything by itself about the ingredients, allergens or dietary suitability of a chocolate biscuit.
Check the Fairtrade claim and the information relevant to your guests separately. For example, don’t assume a product is gluten-free or vegan just because it carries a Fairtrade mark.
A brand can be a useful starting point, but you’ll need to check the Fairtrade claim and product type for the item you choose.
If you’re specifically looking for a chocolate biscuit, Verkade describes Choco Wolken as a product with a chocolate filling, crispy biscuit and Fairtrade cocoa.
If you’re looking at own-brand products, Albert Heijn says its own-brand range uses Rainforest Alliance- or Fairtrade-certified cocoa. Fairtrade Nederland cites organic AH chocolate as an example of Fairtrade-certified products.
For your Christmas shopping, Lidl highlights its Favorina seasonal chocolate. According to Lidl, it meets the Fairtrade Sourcing Program requirements for cocoa.
If you’re buying seasonal chocolate around Christmas, ALDI says its seasonal chocolate, including its Christmas range, is Fairtrade certified.
If you’re looking in one supermarket, Jumbo has a Fairtrade range. Fairtrade Nederland lists chocolate among Jumbo’s organic products.
Check for a Fairtrade cocoa claim or Fairtrade mark on the exact product, both on its product page and packaging. A statement about the brand or supermarket range alone doesn’t confirm the status of that biscuit. ALDI says its blue-and-green logo is a way to identify its Fairtrade products.
No. A claim for seasonal chocolate doesn’t confirm that the product you’ve chosen contains a biscuit. Lidl and ALDI’s information about their seasonal chocolate may point you towards a Christmas range, but check the product description if you want to serve biscuits.
Check the current ingredients list, the clearly highlighted allergens and any cross-contamination warnings on the packaging. Your Europe explains the EU labelling rules for pre-packed foods. Albert Heijn also points out that online ingredients and allergy information can change.
Check the date and follow any storage instructions on the packaging for the product you’ve chosen. Under the EU labelling rules explained by Your Europe, any special storage conditions must be stated when necessary.
