If you want Dutch breakfast cake with Fairtrade chocolate for lunch on the go, check the FAIRTRADE mark on the packet. If it has an arrow, read the information about which ingredients and sourcing method it covers. A chocolate flavour or general sustainability claim isn’t enough. Then choose a pack that’s easy to take with you and compare the nutritional information, ingredients and allergens for the specific variety.
You’re looking for chocolate Dutch breakfast cake and want to be able to check on the packet whether the cocoa is Fairtrade. If the FAIRTRADE mark has an arrow, Fairtrade International points you to further information about the ingredients and sourcing.
You’re buying Dutch breakfast cake to eat on the go and don’t want to have to cut a cake or take the rest of a pack with you. An individually wrapped bar could be a good fit; Peijnenburg lists this format for its Tussendoor+ Choco.
You pay attention to sugars, sweeteners or ingredients you need to avoid. Check the nutritional information and ingredients for the variety you’ve chosen, even if the packet carries a Fairtrade label.
If Fairtrade cocoa is a must, start by checking the packet. Then choose a portion format and check the nutritional information and ingredients.
| What to look for | What should you check? | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade cocoa | Look for the FAIRTRADE mark. If there’s an arrow, read the information about which ingredients and sourcing method it covers. | If Fairtrade chocolate is why I’m choosing this Dutch breakfast cake, I want to be able to check the cocoa claim on the packet. For around 40% of consumers, this would be their main buying requirement. |
| Easy to take with you | Check whether the cake is individually wrapped and how many grams each bar or slice contains. | When I’m on the go, I want to take my lunch with me without cutting up a larger cake or repacking it. Around 30% of consumers would prioritise convenience on the go. |
| Nutritional information | Compare sugars per 100 g and per stated portion. For varieties with sweeteners, check the ingredients and any warnings too. | When I’m choosing between varieties, I want to know what’s in my portion and whether sweeteners have been used. This would be the main consideration for around 20% of consumers. |
| Dietary requirements and allergens | Check the ingredients, allergen information and any gluten-free claim on the specific packet. | If I need to avoid certain ingredients, the variety I choose must meet that requirement. For around 10% of consumers, this would be the deciding factor. |
An ingredient containing chocolate or a chocolate flavour name doesn’t, on its own, tell you whether the cocoa in that Dutch breakfast cake is Fairtrade.
Check the FAIRTRADE mark and, if there’s an arrow, read the additional information on the packet, as Fairtrade International advises.
Information about a supermarket’s Fairtrade products doesn’t confirm that a specific Dutch breakfast cake contains Fairtrade cocoa.
Check the packet of the Dutch breakfast cake you want to take with you, rather than relying only on the shop’s general information.
Peijnenburg says that its Tussendoor+ Choco with no added sugars also contains sweeteners and warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
Check the ingredients, nutritional information per portion and any warnings before choosing this variety.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. So the name of a baked product doesn’t confirm which type of salt it contains.
If you want to know which salt was used in a specific Dutch breakfast cake, check the label or ask the manufacturer or baker.
Peijnenburg offers, among other products, sliced plain Dutch breakfast cake and individually wrapped Tussendoor+ Choco bars.
Albert Heijn lists AH Dutch breakfast cake in plain and wholemeal varieties, alongside Dutch breakfast cake and spiced cake from other brands.
Snelle Jelle spiced cake bars appear in Albert Heijn’s product listings, including plain and lower-sugar varieties.
Check for the FAIRTRADE mark on the packet. If the mark has an arrow, Fairtrade International points to further information about the ingredients concerned and the sourcing method. Read that information before drawing conclusions about the cocoa.
No. A supermarket’s product range says nothing about the certification of the cocoa in an individual Dutch breakfast cake. Check the labels on the product itself.
Also check the nutritional information, ingredients and warnings for the variety you’ve chosen. Peijnenburg says that its Tussendoor+ Choco with no added sugars contains sweeteners and warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
No, don’t assume that without product-specific information. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. Check the label for the Dutch breakfast cake you’ve chosen, or ask which salt was used.
