Choose taaitaai if you mainly want to share a spiced treat, but don’t assume that standard taaitaai is Fairtrade-certified. If a verifiable Fairtrade claim is essential, choose a product that carries one, such as Fairtrade chocolate as an alternative or an extra. If any of your guests have allergies, always check the current packaging for the exact product variant.
You want to be able to verify the Fairtrade claim on the product you choose. Chocolate with its own Fairtrade claim may be a different choice from standard taaitaai; serving chocolate alongside it doesn’t change the status of the taaitaai.
You’re looking for taaitaai to serve at an informal birthday get-together and want to know how much comes in a pack. Albert Heijn and Jumbo both describe a 500 g pack of taaitaai; also read the ingredients for the variant you buy.
Only make your choice after reading the allergen information for each exact variant. The taaitaai described by Albert Heijn and Jumbo contains milk and cereals containing gluten; other allergens may be relevant in a chocolate assortment.
First decide whether taaitaai itself or a verifiable Fairtrade claim matters more to you. Then assess each product, taking its allergens and packaging into account, to decide whether you want to serve it to your guests.
Choose this if: you want to share a spiced treat and Fairtrade certification for the taaitaai isn’t essential.
Bear in mind: the Albert Heijn and Jumbo variants described don’t carry a stated Fairtrade claim and contain milk and cereals containing gluten.
Choose this if: the Fairtrade claim on the product matters more to you than choosing taaitaai.
Bear in mind: chocolate isn’t taaitaai. Fairtrade Netherlands also allows mass balance for cocoa, so a Fairtrade claim alone doesn’t prove that all the cocoa has remained physically separate.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this most important to? |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade claim | Look for the certification mark and check whether the claim applies to the whole product or specific ingredients. If there’s an arrow next to the logo, read the explanation on the packaging too. | If Fairtrade is my priority, I want to be able to see what the claim applies to on the product I choose. For around 42% of consumers, this verifiability is their main concern. |
| Allergens and serving | Read the current ingredients and allergen information for each variant. Decide whether you need to serve snacks separately. | When guests have food allergies, I want to know which snacks I can serve separately. Around 33% of consumers put allergens and how food is served first. |
| Flavour and quantity | Compare the pack size with the amount you want to serve, and check shortly before the get-together that your chosen variant is available. | For an informal get-together, I want enough spiced taaitaai to suit my group. For around 25% of consumers, this practical consideration matters most. |
A claim on chocolate doesn’t automatically apply to the taaitaai served alongside it. The standard taaitaai described by Albert Heijn and Jumbo doesn’t carry a stated Fairtrade claim.
If Fairtrade certification is essential to your choice, check each product separately.
Fairtrade Netherlands allows mass balance for cocoa. So a Fairtrade claim alone doesn’t tell you whether the cocoa in a particular bar has remained physically separate throughout the supply chain.
If this kind of traceability is important to you, look for a specific explanation for the exact product.
The taaitaai variants described contain milk and cereals containing gluten. PLUS says its Fairtrade chocolate assortment includes ingredients such as milk, soya, peanuts and nuts.
Check the current packaging for each variant and, if necessary, use separate, clearly labelled platters.
These brands offer options to consider for taaitaai or chocolate with a Fairtrade claim. Assess the claim and ingredients for each product rather than relying on the brand name alone.
Albert Heijn describes its own-brand taaitaai in a 500 g pack and also sells chocolate with a Fairtrade cocoa claim.
Jumbo describes Sint Taai Taai Figuurtjes in a 500 g pack for anyone looking to share taaitaai.
PLUS describes a 225 g Fairtrade chocolate assortment as a chocolate option to share.
Lidl describes Way To Go as a range of Fairtrade-certified chocolate bars.
ALDI describes 200 g Choceur dark chocolate as a Fairtrade product.
Dirk lists chocolate as one of the product categories where you may find the Fairtrade mark.
This chocolate bar could suit a get-together where you’re considering chocolate with a Fairtrade claim as an alternative or an extra. It isn’t taaitaai: check the claim and allergens on the current packaging before deciding what to serve.
Image unavailable
This bar is a chocolate option to serve alongside taaitaai or instead of it. The product description mentions Fairtrade; check the current packaging to see what the claim applies to, and check the allergen information for your guests.
Look for the certification mark on the exact packaging. For a composite product, also read the explanation accompanying any arrow. Fairtrade Netherlands says a composite product carrying this label must contain at least 20% Fairtrade ingredients overall; check which ingredients the label refers to.
No, you can’t assume that from the Fairtrade claim alone. Fairtrade Netherlands allows mass balance for cocoa, meaning Fairtrade and non-Fairtrade cocoa may be mixed in the supply chain. If physical separation matters to you, look for a separate traceability claim.
Don’t assume so without checking the label: the taaitaai variants described by Albert Heijn and Jumbo contain milk and cereals containing gluten. Check the current allergen information for the exact variant and, for guests with a relevant allergy, choose a suitable alternative and serve it separately.
You can share either; choose based on how much you want to serve and the ingredients in the exact product. PLUS describes a 225 g Fairtrade chocolate assortment that includes ingredients such as milk, soya, peanuts and nuts. A Fairtrade label doesn’t automatically make a mix suitable for every guest.
