If Fairtrade cocoa is a must, only choose chocolate-covered speculaas if the latest packaging for that exact variant carries a verifiable Fairtrade claim for the cocoa. A retailer’s sustainability policy or the word ‘chocolate’ in the product name doesn’t confirm this. In a school lunchbox, speculaas should remain a small treat alongside lunch; decide on the portion in advance and check the ingredients and allergens for your chosen variant.
You want to know whether the cocoa in the chocolate in your chosen product is covered by a Fairtrade claim. A general promise from a brand or supermarket isn’t the same as a claim on the packaging. Fairtrade Netherlands highlights income problems and the associated risks in the cocoa supply chain.
You’re looking for a biscuit you can pack in a pre-decided portion, without letting it take the place of lunch. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends including vegetables, fruit and wholegrain products in primary school children’s lunches, among other things.
If a child needs to avoid certain ingredients, the exact variant matters more than a general description on the front of the pack. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, allergens are clearly listed in the ingredients on packaged products; also read any warnings on the latest packaging.
When to choose it: Choose this option if you want chocolate and can verify the Fairtrade cocoa claim on the exact variant.
The trade-off: The presence of chocolate alone doesn’t prove Fairtrade status; check the allergens for this variant too.
When to choose it: This works as a small speculaas treat if Fairtrade cocoa isn’t a requirement.
The trade-off: Plain speculaas won’t meet your preference for chocolate with a Fairtrade cocoa claim.
When to choose it: If Fairtrade cocoa matters more than having it with speculaas, you can check the claim on a separate chocolate product.
The trade-off: A claim on that chocolate doesn’t automatically apply to the speculaas you pack alongside it.
The main consideration when choosing speculaas for a school lunchbox varies from person to person. Use the points below to decide on your top priority first, then check the label of your chosen variant.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade cocoa | Look for an explicit Fairtrade cocoa claim on the exact packaging and check that the product contains chocolate. | If Fairtrade cocoa is my top priority, I want to be able to link the claim to the chocolate in the pack I’m sending in. For around 40% of consumers, this verifiable product claim comes first. |
| Its place in the lunch | Decide on the portion in advance and compare the nutritional information per 100 g and per portion. | I want to be able to pack a biscuit without it replacing lunch. For around 30% of consumers, making it a small treat is the first consideration. |
| Allergens | Read the ingredients list and any allergen warnings for the exact variant. | If a child needs to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know exactly what’s in this speculaas first. Around 20% of consumers put checking allergens first. |
| Portioning convenience | Check how many biscuits are in a pack or individual packet. | For a school day, I want to be able to prepare a portion easily in advance. Around 10% of consumers put convenience first. |
According to Albert Heijn, the cocoa in its own-brand products is Rainforest Alliance or Fairtrade certified. This policy doesn’t confirm that an individual branded product or every chocolate speculaas variant is Fairtrade certified.
If Fairtrade is a firm requirement, check the claim on the latest packaging for the exact product you’re choosing.
Speculaas is a sweet biscuit, even when it contains chocolate. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends including vegetables, fruit and wholegrain products in a primary school lunch, among other things.
Prepare a small portion as a treat in advance rather than packing the whole packet.
Vegan doesn’t mean a product is free from wheat or soya. The standard Lotus Biscoff Speculoos described by Albert Heijn contains both ingredients; the ingredients list for the Belgian chocolate variant described also includes milk.
Read the full, up-to-date ingredients list and any allergen warnings for the variant you choose.
Albert Heijn describes both standard Lotus Biscoff Speculoos and a separate variant with Belgian chocolate.
Albert Heijn publishes product information for speculoos and describes its own cocoa sourcing policy for own-brand products.
Fairtrade Netherlands lists Jumbo as a retailer with a range of Fairtrade products.
Lidl Netherlands describes Bakkers speculaas as speculaas biscuits in a 600 g pack.
ALDI Netherlands describes a 2 × 250 g pack of filled speculaas with almonds and almond paste.
No. A general sourcing policy doesn’t confirm that the cocoa in that exact speculaas is Fairtrade certified. Albert Heijn describes certification for the cocoa in its own-brand products, but that alone says nothing about an individual branded product. Check the Fairtrade claim on the latest packaging for the variant you choose.
Speculaas can be included as a small treat, but shouldn’t be the main part of lunch. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends vegetables, fruit and wholegrain products for school, among other things; decide in advance how many biscuits you’ll pack.
Read the ingredients and allergen warnings for the exact variant. The standard Lotus Biscoff Speculoos described by Albert Heijn contains wheat and soya; milk is also listed for the Belgian chocolate variant described. Other variants may contain different ingredients.
Use the online list to compare variants, but also read the latest packaging before use. Ingredients, nutritional information and allergens may differ from information you’ve seen before if the product has changed.
