If you want a snack made with Fairtrade cocoa, check for the Fairtrade mark and see which ingredient it applies to on the packaging; certified palm oil on a speculoos pack tells you nothing about the cocoa. Spiced biscuits can be a treat, but the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends choosing mainly foods from the Wheel of Five for children’s everyday snacks. Whichever you choose, check the portion size, nutrition information and allergens on the current packaging.
If you’re looking specifically for Fairtrade cocoa or chocolate in a holiday snack, the mark on the actual product is more useful than a general sustainability claim. Fairtrade International allows mass balance for cocoa, which matters if physical traceability is important to you too.
If you want to take spiced biscuits along or share them on an outing, you can weigh up the portion size and nutrition information against your child’s everyday snacks. For children aged 4 to 12, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends vegetables and fruit as snack choices.
If someone has a relevant food allergy, the current ingredients list and any cross-contamination warnings are essential. Jumbo lists wheat and soya in its Lotus Biscoff Speculoos; this tells you nothing about the ingredients in other products.
First decide whether Fairtrade cocoa is a must-have or whether you’re mainly looking for a biscuit treat. Then check the packaging for allergens, portion sizes and nutritional value; a certification mark won’t answer those questions.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade cocoa or chocolate | Look for the mark on the actual product and check whether the claim applies to the cocoa or chocolate. Read the explanation if physical traceability is important to you. | If Fairtrade cocoa is my main requirement, I want to know which ingredient the mark applies to. Around 33% of consumers put this check first. |
| A biscuit treat or an everyday snack | Check the portion size and compare sugars and fats per 100 g and per portion. Decide whether the biscuits are for a treat or a regular snack. | On a holiday, I want to distinguish between an occasional biscuit and what I usually give my child as a snack. This is the most important consideration for around 25% of consumers. |
| Allergens | Read the current ingredients list, allergen information and any cross-contamination warnings. | If a child has a relevant allergy, I need to be able to assess whether this particular product is suitable. This is the main concern for around 25% of consumers. |
| Packaging for taking on the go | Check the number of biscuits and portions per pack. For individually wrapped biscuits, check the product information on the outer packaging too. | For an outing, I want to be able to take and share the snack without planning more biscuit breaks than intended. Around 17% of consumers prioritise this practical consideration. |
A palm oil claim on a speculoos pack doesn’t confirm Fairtrade status for the biscuits or their cocoa. The Lotus Biscoff product information described here mentions certified palm oil, but doesn’t show a Fairtrade mark.
Check the packaging for a Fairtrade mark and see which ingredient it applies to.
Fairtrade International allows mass balance for cocoa: Fairtrade and non-Fairtrade ingredients may be physically mixed during processing, while Fairtrade volumes are tracked.
If physical traceability is a must-have for you, read the explanation accompanying the mark before choosing the product.
A vegan label doesn’t rule out allergens. Albert Heijn describes Lotus Biscoff Speculoos as suitable for vegans, while Jumbo lists wheat and soya for the product.
If you’re choosing for someone with an allergy, check the current allergen information on the specific pack rather than relying on the vegan label.
Whether spiced biscuits are right for a planned treat is a different question from what you usually give a child as a snack. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends vegetables and fruit as snack choices for children.
Check the portion size on the packaging, and make room for foods from the Wheel of Five at everyday snack times too.
A brand or shop that sells Fairtrade products doesn’t automatically offer Fairtrade-certified spiced biscuits. Check the mark on each product individually.
Lotus Biscoff sells Original Speculoos in various pack sizes, including a pocket pack listed by Lotus Bakeries Nederland.
Albert Heijn lists Lotus Biscoff Speculoos as a product. Fairtrade Nederland also includes chocolate among the supermarket’s Fairtrade range.
Jumbo lists Fairtrade Original cocoa powder and dark chocolate sprinkles among other products in its Fairtrade category. Lotus Biscoff Speculoos is listed separately.
Jumbo lists Fairtrade Original cocoa powder and dark chocolate sprinkles in its Fairtrade category.
This cocoa powder is for anyone who wants to make their own cocoa snack, not for those looking for ready-made spiced biscuits. If Fairtrade certification is a priority, check the mark on this product’s packaging.
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Cocoa powder for making your own cocoa snack; it isn’t a ready-made biscuit. The product name mentions Fairtrade, but check the mark and the explanation on the current packaging to make sure it meets your requirements. If you have allergies, check the ingredients and any cross-contamination warnings too.
The Dutch product information described here doesn’t confirm Fairtrade certification for Lotus Biscoff Original Speculoos: it mentions certified palm oil, but doesn’t show a Fairtrade mark. If you’re specifically looking for Fairtrade cocoa, check whether the product you choose contains cocoa and which ingredient the mark applies to.
No. Fairtrade International allows mass balance for cocoa, which means Fairtrade and non-Fairtrade ingredients may be physically mixed during processing. If physical traceability is important to your choice, read the explanation of the mark on the packaging.
Read the current ingredients list, highlighted allergens and any cross-contamination warnings on the specific pack. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that allergens must be listed on labels; Jumbo lists wheat and soya, among other ingredients, for Lotus Biscoff Speculoos.
It’s better to treat spiced biscuits as a planned treat rather than the go-to everyday snack. For children aged 4 to 12, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends vegetables and fruit as snack choices, among other options. If you’re choosing biscuits, check the portion size and nutrition information on the packaging.
