If organic is a must for you, choose a biscuit bearing the EU organic logo, and check separately whether the label states the cocoa percentage of the chocolate used. The words ‘dark chocolate’ don’t tell you how much cocoa the chocolate contains or what proportion of the biscuit is chocolate. If you have dietary requirements, check the ingredients and allergen information too.
You want to be able to check the organic status of a pre-packed biscuit on the packaging, rather than relying on words such as ‘natural’. According to Skal Biocontrole and RVO, the EU organic logo is the relevant certification mark.
You’re looking for a biscuit whose cocoa content you can assess. The Jumbo listing for Zonnatura mentions 11% dark chocolate pieces, but that isn’t the cocoa percentage of those pieces.
As well as checking whether a product is organic and what type of chocolate it contains, you need to check the ingredients. The Jumbo and Ekoplaza product listings show that gluten-free and plant-based are different qualities, each with its own allergen information.
Assess organic status, cocoa information and dietary suitability separately: none of these features automatically confirms the others.
| What to check | What to look for when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Organic status | Look for the EU organic logo on the packaging. Skal Biocontrole states that it is compulsory on pre-packed organic consumer products in the EU. | If I buy organic, I want to be able to check this on the biscuit itself. Around 42% of consumers put this reassurance first. |
| Cocoa information | Check whether the cocoa percentage refers to the chocolate. The proportion of chocolate pieces in a biscuit is a different percentage. Also compare sugars per 100 g if sweetness matters to your choice. | I’m looking for a biscuit with a verifiable cocoa content and don’t want to rely on the word ‘dark’ alone. This cocoa information is a priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| Diet and allergens | Read the ingredients, allergen information and ‘may contain’ warning on the current packaging. Check any plant-based or gluten-free claim separately. | If I need to avoid certain ingredients, the full information on the packaging determines whether a biscuit is suitable for me. Dietary or allergen suitability comes first for around 25% of consumers. |
The EU organic logo relates to organic status, not the cocoa percentage or the amount of chocolate in the biscuit.
Once you’ve checked the certification mark, look for the cocoa information for the specific product if a high cocoa content is essential to you.
The Zonnatura biscuits in the Jumbo listing are gluten-free, but contain eggs, oats and soya, and may contain milk, nuts and sesame.
Read both the ingredients and the allergen and trace information on the packaging you’re buying.
The organic, plant-based Wisselwaar biscuit in the Ekoplaza listing contains 10% oat milk chocolate. That doesn’t meet a strict requirement for dark chocolate.
Check which type of chocolate is listed in the ingredients before choosing based on the product name.
The Jumbo listing for the Zonnatura biscuits includes product information, but also says that the product is no longer part of its online range.
Check the current product status just before ordering, and read the label again if you choose an alternative.
Jumbo lists an organic, gluten-free Zonnatura biscuit with dark chocolate pieces.
Ekoplaza lists an organic-certified, plant-based Wisselwaar chocolate biscuit in a returnable glass jar.
Check for the EU organic logo on the packaging. According to Skal Biocontrole, this certification mark is compulsory on pre-packed organic consumer products in the EU. RVO explains that the logo shows that the product meets European organic regulations.
No. The type of chocolate doesn’t tell you whether the whole biscuit is vegan. The Zonnatura biscuits in the Jumbo listing contain eggs and may contain milk, so check the ingredients and allergen information on the current packaging.
No. That doesn’t follow from the words ‘organic’ or ‘dark’. Compare the sugars per 100 g in the nutrition table, and check the information per serving if you wish.
No. A percentage on a bar applies to that bar, not to an individual biscuit. For example, Albert Heijn lists 72% cocoa for an organic bar. Look for cocoa information specific to the biscuit you’re considering.
