If you specifically want Fairtrade chocolate, choose chocolate or chocolate sprinkles with a Fairtrade indication for the cocoa ingredient; aniseed sprinkles are not a substitute. According to PS in foodservice, De Ruijter aniseed sprinkles contain aniseed and sugar, but no cocoa. With an otherwise savoury breakfast, aniseed sprinkles or chocolate only work if you want to add a sweet topping.
Wants to be able to check on the packaging whether the cocoa in their chosen chocolate or chocolate sprinkles is Fairtrade. As Milieu Centraal explains, a certification mark for one ingredient does not automatically apply to the whole product.
Wants to keep the savoury base but is considering aniseed sprinkles or chocolate as a small sweet topping. The choice depends on how much sweetness works with that breakfast.
Needs to check before buying whether a particular pack of aniseed sprinkles, chocolate sprinkles or chocolate meets their ingredient or allergen requirements. A Fairtrade or vegan label does not answer that question.
First decide whether a sweet topping works with your savoury breakfast. Then choose between the aniseed flavour of traditional Dutch aniseed sprinkles and a chocolate product whose Fairtrade indication you can check on the packaging.
When: you want to keep the aniseed flavour and distinctive look of aniseed sprinkles, and Fairtrade cocoa matters to you.
Trade-off: the aniseed sprinkles themselves do not provide proof of Fairtrade cocoa; check the chocolate separately and be happy to add something sweet.
When: the Fairtrade indication for the cocoa matters more to you than the shape and aniseed flavour of traditional aniseed sprinkles.
Trade-off: chocolate sprinkles are a sweet bread topping; according to PLUS, its milk chocolate variety also contains milk.
When: you want to break up or grate chocolate yourself and can check the Fairtrade status of the bar you choose.
Trade-off: you’ll need to prepare the topping yourself; even if a bar is labelled vegan, check the allergen information too.
When: a savoury breakfast means you don’t want to add aniseed sprinkles or chocolate.
Trade-off: you’ll also miss out on the traditional presentation with aniseed sprinkles.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Especially relevant to |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade indication for cocoa | Look for the Fairtrade logo or an explicit Fairtrade cocoa indication on the chocolate product you choose. Milieu Centraal explains that a logo on a white background may refer to a certified ingredient, rather than the whole product. | I’ll only add chocolate if I can check the Fairtrade indication for the cocoa on that product; this is the most important check for around 33% of consumers. |
| Savoury base and sweet topping | Decide whether a small sweet finishing touch works for you, or whether you’d rather avoid a sweet topping altogether. Check the ingredients and nutritional information on the pack if necessary. | My breakfast should remain primarily savoury, even if I’m considering a celebratory touch. Around 45% of consumers put this consideration first. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredients list, allergen information and any ‘may contain’ statement for the exact product you’re buying. | If particular ingredients or allergens are decisive for me, I look beyond the certification mark; this check comes first for around 22% of consumers. |
According to the ingredients list published by PS in foodservice for De Ruijter Blauwe & Witte Muisjes, these aniseed sprinkles contain no cocoa. Choosing aniseed sprinkles therefore tells you nothing about the Fairtrade status of chocolate.
Choose aniseed sprinkles for their flavour if you like it, and check any chocolate product you add separately.
A statement about a brand’s own-label cocoa or range doesn’t necessarily tell you which indication appears on the packaging of an individual product.
Check the certification mark, product name and ingredients of the item you’re actually buying.
The AH Biologisch extra dark bar, labelled vegan by Albert Heijn, states that it may contain milk and nuts, among other things. According to the product information, PLUS milk chocolate sprinkles contain milk.
Check Fairtrade status and the suitability of ingredients and allergens separately, using the current label.
Fairtrade International allows mass balance for cocoa: Fairtrade and non-Fairtrade cocoa can be physically mixed, while the volumes are tracked administratively.
If physical segregation is a requirement for you, look for a product that states this explicitly rather than assuming it from the Fairtrade logo alone.
A relevant choice if you’re looking for the familiar aniseed-flavoured sprinkles as a topping.
An own-label option if you’re looking for chocolate sprinkles with a Fairtrade cocoa indication.
A brand to consider if you’re looking for chocolate sprinkles with a Fairtrade indication.
The option considered here is an AH Biologisch extra dark chocolate bar that you can break up or grate as a topping.
Another option to consider if you’re looking for Fairtrade chocolate, particularly seasonal products.
No. According to the ingredients list, the De Ruijter Blauwe & Witte Muisjes described by PS in foodservice contain no cocoa. If the Fairtrade status of cocoa matters to you, choose and check a chocolate product separately.
Check whether the indication on the product you’ve chosen applies to the cocoa or to the whole product. According to Milieu Centraal, a Fairtrade logo on a white background may mean that only one ingredient is certified.
No. Fairtrade International allows mass balance for cocoa, which means certified and non-certified cocoa can be physically mixed while the volumes are tracked administratively. If physical segregation matters to you, check whether the product states that it is physically segregated.
Yes. A vegan label doesn’t replace allergen information. For example, the AH Biologisch extra dark bar labelled vegan states that it may contain milk, cereals containing gluten and nuts. So be sure to read the packaging of the bar you’re buying.
They can if you want a mostly savoury base with a sweet topping. If you don’t want to add anything sweet, neither chocolate sprinkles nor aniseed sprinkles will suit your choice.
