If Fairtrade cocoa is a must for your Easter egg hunt, choose chocolate Easter eggs that carry this claim for the exact product variant. If you want to hand out spritz biscuits, check those separately: a Fairtrade claim on Easter eggs says nothing about the biscuit packaging. For both choices, check the allergens on the label and the current availability of seasonal products in store.
If you want chocolate Easter eggs made with demonstrably Fairtrade cocoa, check the claim on the exact product variant. Fairtrade International describes its cocoa standard for the production, sourcing and sale of certified cocoa beans and processed cocoa; this does not automatically make every chocolate product Fairtrade.
If you’re handing out Easter eggs to a group where milk, soya, nuts, peanuts, wheat or egg may be an issue, check the label of every variant you choose. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, pre-packed foods must include allergen information on the label. For spritz biscuits, don’t rely on information for a different product either.
If you’re planning several hiding places, you’ll want to know how many individual eggs you can use, not just the weight of a bag. Also check current stock of seasonal products at the retailer you plan to buy from.
First decide whether you want to hand out spritz biscuits or hide chocolate Easter eggs. Then check certifications and allergens on the packaging of the product you actually choose. The flavours, weights and quantities listed below relate to Easter eggs, not spritz biscuits.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade claim | For chocolate Easter eggs, look for Fairtrade Cocoa, Fairtrade chocolate or the Fairtrade mark on the exact product variant. Check any certification claim on spritz biscuits separately; another cocoa certification does not confirm a Fairtrade claim. | I want to know that the cocoa in the Easter eggs meets my Fairtrade requirement. For around 36% of consumers, this check comes first. |
| Allergens and dietary requirements | Check the ingredients and information about allergens and possible traces on each pack. Don’t assume a different variant is vegan just because one is labelled that way. | If I’m handing something out to a group, I need to know in advance which pack suits their stated allergies or dietary requirements. For around 29% of consumers, this check is the top priority. |
| Variety of flavours | Compare solid dark chocolate eggs with assorted or filled varieties, checking their actual ingredients and types of chocolate. | I want to offer participants a choice of chocolate flavours, but first I need to check that everyone can have the varieties I’ve chosen. Around 21% of consumers put variety of flavour first. |
| Quantity and availability | Compare the stated number of eggs or bag weight with your plans for the hunt, and check current stock at your local retailer. | I want enough individual eggs for all the hiding places and don’t want to rely on a product my retailer doesn’t stock. This practical planning comes first for around 14% of consumers. |
A Rainforest Alliance claim on a product does not confirm that the same variant is Fairtrade. This distinction matters if Fairtrade cocoa is a firm requirement for your choice.
Check the certification claim on the exact bag or box. Don’t draw conclusions about spritz biscuits based on a claim on chocolate Easter eggs.
Ingredients vary between Easter eggs and fillings. The product information reviewed from PLUS and Albert Heijn lists several allergens or possible traces for certain assorted varieties.
Ask in advance which allergens are relevant to the group, then check the ingredients and allergen information on every pack you choose.
For seasonal products, the existence of a product page doesn’t tell you whether your local retailer has the item available to buy at that moment.
Check local availability shortly before you set off, and allow for a suitable alternative in your plans.
PLUS offers own-brand Easter eggs whose product information lists Fairtrade Cocoa for certain varieties.
Albert Heijn lists a Tony's Chocolonely variety with assorted Easter egg flavours as Fairtrade.
Albert Heijn is a place to buy the Tony's Chocolonely Easter eggs mentioned above, not a certification for all Easter eggs in its range.
Not on the basis of that claim alone. If Fairtrade cocoa is a condition of your purchase, check that the exact pack explicitly says Fairtrade; don’t treat different certifications as interchangeable.
Check the label on the pack you’re buying. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, pre-packed foods must include allergen information on the label. Also read any warnings about possible traces, especially for assorted flavours and fillings.
No. According to the product information, the solid dark chocolate eggs labelled vegan by PLUS contain soya and may contain milk and nuts. Check the vegan claim and allergen warnings separately for the exact product variant.
Start with the number of hiding places you want, then check whether the pack states how many eggs it contains. Albert Heijn lists twelve eggs in the Tony's Chocolonely pack discussed here; the weight of a bag alone won’t tell you how many eggs are inside. Also check local availability before buying.
