Choose chocolate sprinkles with an explicit Fairtrade cocoa claim if that certification is a must-have for you; PLUS makes this claim for its 300 g dark chocolate sprinkles. For lunch on the go, a large pack is most practical if you make your sandwich before setting off. Check the claim and allergen warning on the pack before buying.
You want chocolate sprinkles for a sandwich to take with you, but will only choose a variety with a verifiable Fairtrade claim. Check whether the claim applies specifically to the cocoa or to the finished product; Milieu Centraal makes the same distinction in its explanation of the certification.
You make your sandwich before setting off or at work. In that case, you can use sprinkles from a larger pack without taking the box with you. Individual portions are another packaging option, but they do not automatically carry the same certification claim.
You look beyond descriptions such as dark or vegan. PLUS labels its dark Fairtrade sprinkles as vegan, but says they may contain milk and lactose. The warning on the pack is therefore important if you need to avoid these substances.
First decide whether Fairtrade cocoa is a must-have for you. Then consider how you want to take your sandwich with you, and read the label if ingredients or allergens affect your choice.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who does this matter to? |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade claim | Look for Fairtrade or Fairtrade Cocoa on the current packaging, and check which ingredient the claim applies to. A UTZ or Rainforest Alliance statement does not, by itself, confirm Fairtrade status. | If I only want sprinkles made with verifiably Fairtrade cocoa, the claim on the pack needs to be clear. Around 38% of consumers put this Fairtrade check first. |
| Taking it with you and portioning | Check whether a larger pack suits you if you make your sandwich in advance, or whether you would rather measure out the sprinkles before setting off. PLUS lists a 300 g pack; Albert Heijn also describes a small pack of De Ruijter with 80 portions of 15 g, but says it carries the UTZ certification. | When I eat lunch on the go, I don’t want to have to sprinkle chocolate onto my sandwich from a large box. For around 31% of consumers, convenience when taking it with them comes first. |
| Label and ingredients | Read the ingredients and allergen warning on the pack you buy. For PLUS’s dark variety, don’t rely on the vegan label alone: PLUS warns that the product may contain milk and lactose. | If I need to avoid milk, I want to know what the packaging says before packing my lunch. The label is the first thing around 31% of consumers check. |
ALDI lists Rainforest Alliance for Kiekeboe chocolate sprinkles; Albert Heijn lists UTZ for the De Ruijter small pack reviewed. Neither statement confirms Fairtrade status for those specific sprinkles.
If Fairtrade is a must-have, check that the current packaging explicitly says Fairtrade or Fairtrade Cocoa.
PLUS describes its dark Fairtrade sprinkles as vegan, but also warns that they may contain milk and lactose. These two statements answer different questions about the product.
If you need to avoid milk, read the allergen warning on the packaging rather than relying on the vegan label alone.
A 300 g box of chocolate sprinkles is not a ready-made lunch portion. If you want to make your sandwich while you’re out, you’ll also need to think about how to take the sprinkles with you.
Make your sandwich before setting off, or measure out a portion in advance and put it in a suitable, resealable container.
Albert Heijn marks Fairtrade Original Dark Chocolate Sprinkles as discontinued. The former product description does not mean the product can still be ordered from Albert Heijn.
Before buying, check a current product page or the packaging in store.
PLUS explicitly states Fairtrade Cocoa on its 300 g pack of dark chocolate sprinkles.
The former product description at Albert Heijn lists a 300 g pack of dark chocolate sprinkles made with cocoa sourced from Fairtrade farmers.
Albert Heijn describes a small pack of milk chocolate sprinkles with 80 portions of 15 g.
ALDI Netherlands describes Kiekeboe chocolate sprinkles in milk and dark varieties, in 300 g packs.
Lidl describes Way To Go as a range of Fairtrade chocolate.
No, this statement applies specifically to the cocoa. For products with multiple ingredients, Fairtrade International also uses a certification mark with an arrow; Milieu Centraal explains that a Fairtrade logo applying to one ingredient does not make the same claim as one covering the whole product. So read the exact wording and check the logo on the packaging.
Don’t rely on the vegan label alone: PLUS warns that its dark Fairtrade sprinkles may contain milk and lactose. Check the allergen information on the pack you buy.
Make your sandwich before setting off and wrap it well if you don’t want to take a large pack with you. If you want to keep the sprinkles separate, measure out a portion in advance into a suitable, resealable container, and make sure you can refer to the allergen information on the original pack.
