When shopping for a festival, check the Fairtrade statement for the specific product you choose, rather than relying on a brand’s or supermarket’s reputation. Jumbo states that the cocoa in Verkade Speculaas Melkchocolade 135 g was sourced under Fairtrade terms using the mass balance principle. This statement does not automatically apply to the other ingredients or to other speculaas products. Before sharing the snack, check the current packaging for ingredients and allergen information too.
You’re looking for a chocolate and speculaas snack to share, but only want to make a Fairtrade claim if it appears on the product you’ve chosen. Jumbo lists Fairtrade cocoa for Verkade Speculaas Melkchocolade 135 g.
You’re handing out snacks to people with different dietary needs. Check the allergens and any ‘may contain’ statements on the packaging. The information for a product you bought previously may not match the packaging you’re buying now.
If Fairtrade isn’t essential, you could also look for a different product-specific claim. Lotus Bakeries states that the cocoa ingredients in Lotus Biscoff chocolate bars are Rainforest Alliance certified. This is a different claim from Fairtrade.
First decide whether Fairtrade cocoa is a must for your snack. Then choose between a chocolate and speculaas combination or separate products, and check the packaging for allergens before sharing.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade cocoa | Read the exact Fairtrade statement for the product you’ve chosen and check whether it specifically refers to cocoa. For Verkade Speculaas Melkchocolade, Jumbo also mentions the mass balance principle. | If I want to be able to say the cocoa in my festival snack is Fairtrade, the claim needs to apply to the snack itself. For around 42% of these consumers, checking this would be their main buying consideration. |
| Sharing and flavour combination | Decide whether you want to take one chocolate product with speculaas, or serve chocolate and speculaas separately. Check the net weight of the packs you choose. | I want something I can share without any preparation, with chocolate and speculaas together. For around 33% of these consumers, this would be the main reason for their choice. |
| Allergens and labelling | Read the allergen and ‘may contain’ statements on each pack, especially if you’re handing out two separate products. | When I’m buying for a group, I want to be able to check which snacks are suitable for each person. For around 25% of these consumers, checking the label would therefore be the priority. |
A retailer’s Fairtrade category or cocoa policy doesn’t tell you which certification appears on your specific snack. Jumbo lists Fairtrade cocoa for Verkade Speculaas Melkchocolade, but that doesn’t mean every speculaas variety is certified.
Read the claim for the product you’ve chosen. If it only refers to cocoa, don’t describe the snack as though all its ingredients are Fairtrade.
According to Jumbo’s product information, Verkade Speculaas Melkchocolade contains milk, cereals containing gluten and soya, among other ingredients. The product information also warns that it may contain nuts.
Read the label before handing out the snacks, and keep the packaging with them so people can check the information for themselves.
Albert Heijn points out that product ingredients, nutritional values and allergen information can change. A familiar product name is no substitute for checking the label on the pack you’re actually taking with you.
Check the product you’ve chosen just before buying, then read the packaging again when handing it out. Don’t assume an alternative is the same product just because its name looks similar.
Lotus Bakeries states that the cocoa ingredients in Lotus Biscoff chocolate bars are Rainforest Alliance certified. This does not support a Fairtrade claim for those bars.
If Fairtrade is essential to you, look for an explicit Fairtrade statement on the product you’ve chosen, rather than relying on a general sustainability claim.
These brands and retailers offer useful starting points for comparing claims on chocolate and speculaas. A statement below doesn’t mean that every variety carries the same certification.
For Verkade Speculaas Melkchocolade 135 g, Jumbo states that the cocoa is Fairtrade under the mass balance principle.
An option to explore if you’re looking for the Biscoff flavour and don’t require Fairtrade.
Relevant if you want to serve Fairtrade chocolate separately alongside speculaas.
For Verkade Speculaas Melkchocolade 135 g, Jumbo provides information about the Fairtrade cocoa and the ingredients in that product.
Relevant if you want to pair plain speculaas with separate Fairtrade chocolate.
A retailer to check product by product if you’re considering different cocoa certifications.
No. For Verkade Speculaas Melkchocolade, Jumbo specifically states that the cocoa was sourced under Fairtrade terms using the mass balance principle. Check the exact statement on your pack before making claims about the other ingredients.
Yes. Read the label on the pack you’re buying and handing out now. Albert Heijn warns that ingredients and allergen information can change. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says allergen information must appear on the label of prepacked foods.
Before buying, ask which allergens the loose speculaas contains and whether there are any warnings relevant to your group. Don’t assume it has the same ingredients as a similar packaged product.
No, they are different certification claims. Lotus Bakeries states that certain Biscoff chocolate bars contain Rainforest Alliance cocoa ingredients; don’t use this information to make a Fairtrade claim about those same bars.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging you’ve chosen. For Verkade Speculaas Melkchocolade, the product information says to store it in a cool, dry, dark place. Before you leave, check the instructions on your product.
