Shoppers checking cocoa content
If cocoa content matters to you, look for a cocoa-solids declaration for the chocolate itself. Tesco and Sainsbury’s give one for their checked 282g packs, although both listings were marked out of stock.
Who is this choice for?
Online grocery basket builders
If you are adding Jaffa cakes to a delivery order, compare the available pack formats and check whether your chosen item can be added for your delivery.
Shoppers checking allergens
If you need to avoid an ingredient, read the information for the exact product and check the delivered pack, particularly if your order contains a substitution.
What should you check?
Start by separating cocoa content from the amount of chocolate in the cake, then choose a format and check the label and availability.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Cocoa declaration | Look for a cocoa-solids percentage for the chocolate component. Tesco and Sainsbury’s each state a 48% minimum for the chocolate in their checked 282g packs; their separate 22% figures describe how much of each cake is dark chocolate. | I want to know what a cocoa figure measures before comparing packs. A dark-chocolate description on its own does not give me a comparable cocoa-solids figure. |
| Filling and format | Compare net weight and whether you want mini cakes, a regular pack or individually wrapped portions. Waitrose lists a 125g mini pack; its Bahlsen Messino listing describes orange fruit filling as 53% of that product. | For a smaller format, I might choose mini cakes. If the balance of orange filling matters more, I would check the description of the exact pack rather than compare unlike ingredient percentages. |
| Allergen information | Read the ingredients and precautionary statements for the exact pack. Marks & Spencer says its checked 250g dark-chocolate Jaffa cakes are unsuitable for people with nut or peanut allergies. | I need the delivered item’s label to suit my requirements, especially if a different pack arrives as a substitution. |
| Availability | Check the current stock message and add-to-basket option for your delivery. The checked Tesco and Sainsbury’s 282g packs were marked out of stock; the checked M&S, Waitrose Mini and Bahlsen listings displayed an add-to-basket option. | A stated cocoa figure matters to me, but I also need to know whether that exact pack can be ordered for my delivery. |
Common buying mistakes
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Treating ‘dark’ or ‘22% chocolate’ as a cocoa-content figure
The chocolate’s share of a Jaffa cake and the cocoa-solids content of that chocolate measure different things. Tesco and Sainsbury’s state both figures for their checked packs; a dark-chocolate label alone does not establish an equivalent cocoa figure.
Look for a cocoa-solids declaration for the chocolate in the exact pack. Leave packs without one unranked on cocoa content.
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Assuming dark chocolate means an allergy-safe pack
A dark-chocolate description does not replace the ingredients and precautionary statements. Marks & Spencer marks its checked 250g cakes unsuitable for people with nut or peanut allergies.
Check the label of the pack delivered to you, including any substitute, before eating it.
Brands and product lines to compare
Tesco
Tesco’s checked 282g own-label twin pack gives separate figures for its dark chocolate and the cocoa solids in that chocolate.
- Tesco lists dark chocolate as 22% of the cake and states that the chocolate contains at least 48% cocoa solids.
- That exact pack was marked out of stock on the checked listing; confirm its current availability.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s checked 282g own-label pack also distinguishes the amount of chocolate from its cocoa-solids content.
- Sainsbury’s lists 22% dark chocolate and a minimum of 48% cocoa solids in that chocolate.
- The checked listing marked this pack out of stock; the figures do not describe other Sainsbury’s packs.
M&S
M&S dark-chocolate orange Jaffa cakes appear in a checked 250g listing and a 125g Ocado listing.
- The 250g M&S listing identifies dark chocolate as 19% of the product.
- That figure is not a cocoa-solids percentage. M&S also marks the checked 250g product unsuitable for people with nut or peanut allergies.
Waitrose
Waitrose’s checked own-label option is a 125g pack of mini Jaffa cakes.
- Waitrose lists 24% dark chocolate and 12% orange juice from concentrate for this pack.
- Neither figure states the cocoa-solids content of the chocolate.
Bahlsen
Bahlsen Messino is a 125g dark-chocolate orange sponge-cake option listed by Waitrose.
- The Waitrose listing describes 53% orange fruit filling and 19% dark chocolate.
- Those are proportions of the product, not a cocoa-solids figure for its chocolate.
McVitie’s
McVitie’s Original is an option for shoppers choosing its orange-centred Jaffa cakes rather than a pack with a stated cocoa-solids figure.
- Waitrose’s checked Original ten-pack lists dark chocolate as 19% of the product.
- That listing does not give a cocoa-solids percentage for the chocolate.
McVitie’s options on Joybuy
These McVitie’s Original formats suit shoppers choosing a familiar Jaffa cake in different pack sizes. Their dark-chocolate descriptions should not be taken as evidence of a higher cocoa-solids content.
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McVitie’s 80 Jaffa Cakes 1.07kg
The 80-cake, 1.07kg format is worth considering if you want a larger pack in your grocery order. If cocoa content is decisive, check the chocolate’s cocoa-solids declaration for this exact pack before choosing it.
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McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes Original Triple Pack 330g
This 330g triple pack offers a multipack format for a grocery order. Joybuy’s product information lists dark chocolate as 19% of the cake; that does not state the chocolate’s cocoa-solids content.
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McVitie’s The Original Jaffa Cakes Snack Pack 6 x 3pk 198g
Six individually wrapped packs of three offer a different format from a single larger pack. Joybuy’s product information lists dark chocolate as 18% of the cake; check the exact pack if you need a cocoa-solids figure or have an allergy-related requirement.
Frequently asked questions
Does ‘48% cocoa solids’ mean 48% of the Jaffa cake is cocoa?
No. On the checked Tesco and Sainsbury’s 282g packs, the minimum 48% cocoa-solids figure describes the dark chocolate. Each retailer separately lists dark chocolate as 22% of the complete cake.