Shoppers looking for both vegan and Fairtrade
You want to be able to check both claims for the same chocolate biscuit. The name of the chocolate, a certification logo on the front or a vegan label on its own doesn’t answer the whole question.
Who is this choice for?
Supermarket shoppers who care about certification
You’re browsing Fairtrade options on the supermarket shelf and want to check what the certification applies to and which ingredients the biscuit contains.
Shoppers who care about physical traceability
As well as the Fairtrade claim, you want to know whether the cocoa has been kept physically separate. This means checking the product’s certification information separately.
What should you look for when choosing?
Check vegan suitability, what the Fairtrade claim covers and any information about cocoa traceability separately. None of these points automatically confirms the others.
| What to look for | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Vegan suitability | Read the ingredients for the exact variant, checking in particular for butter, milk, whey powder and egg. Look for a vegan label alongside the ingredients list. | I want to avoid animal-derived ingredients in the biscuit, even if the chocolate is dark; around 50% of consumers put this check first. |
| What the Fairtrade claim covers | Check the Fairtrade claim on the packaging and read what the logo applies to. According to Milieu Centraal’s Keurmerkenwijzer, a logo on a white background may identify only a certified ingredient. | If I choose Fairtrade, I want to know whether the claim applies to the cocoa or the product; for around 30% of consumers, this is the main question. |
| Traceability and the current variant | Read the certification information for details about mass balance, and check the packaging of the variant on offer when you buy it. | I want to know which cocoa arrangement applies to my purchase, rather than relying on an older product description; around 20% of consumers give this their highest priority. |
Common pitfalls
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Assuming dark chocolate means the biscuit is vegan
The chocolate doesn’t tell you which ingredients are in the biscuit or filling. Foodello’s ingredients information for Fairtrade Original Chocolade Biscuits Puur lists both butter and whey powder.
Read the full ingredients list for the exact variant rather than relying on the word ‘dark’ on the front.
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Confusing vegan, Fairtrade and other cocoa certifications
A vegan product isn’t automatically Fairtrade. Jumbo’s description of its Vegan Chocolade Cranberry Haverkoek stated that it contained Rainforest Alliance-certified cocoa. It was also a chocolate bar with oat biscuit crumble, not a standard chocolate biscuit.
Check the plant-based ingredients and the Fairtrade claim you want as two separate requirements.
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Assuming a Fairtrade logo guarantees physically separate cocoa
Fairtrade International allows mass balance for cocoa. This means Fairtrade and non-Fairtrade cocoa may be mixed during processing, so the logo alone doesn’t confirm complete physical separation in the finished product.
If physical separation is essential for you, look for an explicit explanation on the specific packaging.
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Relying on an old product page
Ingredients and dietary information can change. That’s why Albert Heijn recommends checking the packaging; according to Jumbo, the Jumbo variant mentioned is no longer in its online range.
Check which variant you’re buying and read the packaging again when it arrives.
Relevant brands to consider
Fairtrade Original
A brand whose chocolate biscuits are worth checking for both the certification claim and the full recipe.
- Foodello lists the ingredients for the Fairtrade Original Chocolade Biscuits Puur variant.
- The list includes concentrated butter and whey powder, so this variant isn’t vegan.
Verkade
A well-known chocolate and biscuit brand, but a claim about one product type doesn’t automatically apply to another.
- Verkade says that all the cocoa in its chocolate bars and chocolate letters is Fairtrade.
- This doesn’t confirm the Fairtrade or vegan status of a specific Verkade chocolate biscuit.
PLUS
A supermarket where Fairtrade claims on different biscuit varieties can be a starting point for comparison.
- PLUS’s biscuit range includes Chocobruintjes Puur Fairtrade and Fairtrade oat biscuits.
- A listing in the range doesn’t confirm that the variant is vegan; check the packaging for that information.
Jumbo
An example of why a vegan label and cocoa certification need to be checked separately.
- Jumbo described a Vegan Chocolade Cranberry Haverkoek made with Rainforest Alliance-certified cocoa.
- It was a chocolate bar with oat biscuit crumble, not a Fairtrade chocolate biscuit; according to Jumbo, it’s no longer in its online range.
Related products at Joybuy
Related products coming soon.
Frequently asked questions
Are Fairtrade Original Chocolade Biscuits Puur vegan?
No. Foodello’s ingredients information lists concentrated butter and whey powder. Always check the packaging for the exact variant when you buy.
Does Fairtrade mean the cocoa has been kept physically separate?
Not always. Fairtrade International allows mass balance for cocoa, where Fairtrade and non-Fairtrade cocoa may be mixed during processing while Fairtrade volumes are accounted for. If physical separation is a requirement for you, look for an explicit explanation for the product.
Why should I read the packaging if I’ve already seen the ingredients online?
Because ingredients and dietary or allergen information can change. That’s why Albert Heijn recommends checking the packaging; make sure you’re looking at the information for the variant you’re buying.
Does a vegan label replace allergen information?
No. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority states that the 14 designated allergens must be listed on the labels of pre-packed foods. Check the allergen information for the specific biscuit separately from any vegan or Fairtrade claims.