Organisers prioritising Fairtrade sourcing
If the office wants Fairtrade-related confectionery, distinguish a claim about named cocoa from the broader ingredient coverage described for the classic FAIRTRADE Mark by Fairtrade International.
Who is this choice for?
Buyers filling a shared sweet tin
Waitrose lists its Milk Chocolate Eclairs as approximately 25 sweets in a 170 g pack. The Green & Black's and Divine options described here are 90 g bars, which need breaking or serving separately.
People checking allergens for colleagues
Keep the current ingredient information with shared sweets. The listed Waitrose eclairs contain milk and soya, while the Green & Black's bar also carries a may-contain-nuts warning.
What should you check?
Decide what the Fairtrade claim needs to cover, then choose a format that works for the tin and check the current pack before sharing it.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade claim | Read the mark and named ingredients. Fairtrade International says the Fairtrade Sourced Ingredient Mark applies to the ingredient identified; mass balance permits certified and non-certified cocoa to be mixed while Fairtrade volumes are tracked. | I want to know whether the claim concerns cocoa specifically or the ingredients covered by the classic FAIRTRADE Mark. |
| Sharing format | Check whether the pack contains separate sweets or a bar. Waitrose lists approximately 25 eclairs per 170 g pack; the listed Green & Black's and Divine alternatives are 90 g bars. | For a tin colleagues use throughout the day, separate sweets are easier to put out. A bar works if I can break it up or serve it separately. |
| Allergen information | Read the current pack and keep its information beside the tin. The listed Waitrose eclairs contain milk and soya; the Green & Black's bar contains milk and soya and may contain nuts. | Colleagues need to be able to identify what is in a sweet after it has been taken out of its packaging. |
Common buying mistakes
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Reading a cocoa claim as a claim about every ingredient
Fairtrade International distinguishes the named-ingredient scope of the Fairtrade Sourced Ingredient Mark from the broader scope of the classic FAIRTRADE Mark. Cocoa described as mass balanced need not be physically separated from non-certified cocoa in the finished sweet.
Read the exact mark, named ingredient and any mass-balance explanation on the pack before deciding whether it meets the office’s sourcing requirement.
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Choosing a bar for a tin of separate sweets
A 90 g caramel-chocolate bar requires breaking or separate serving; Waitrose lists its 170 g eclairs pack as approximately 25 sweets.
Choose the serving format before comparing flavours and Fairtrade wording.
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Separating sweets from their allergen information
The listed eclairs contain milk and soya, and the listed Green & Black's bar also carries a may-contain-nuts warning. Once packaging is discarded, colleagues may not know which information applies to the sweets in the tin.
Keep the current pack or its ingredient label with the tin, and do not mix unidentified sweets.
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Assuming ordinary toffee carries a Fairtrade claim
The listed Tesco Toffee is dairy toffee, but its product description makes no Fairtrade claim. A retailer name alone does not establish the sourcing of a particular pack.
If Fairtrade sourcing is a requirement, look for a product-specific claim on the pack.
Relevant brand and retailer references
These examples illustrate different product claims and formats; a retailer’s wider sourcing statement does not replace the wording on an individual pack.
Waitrose
Waitrose lists its own-label Milk Chocolate Eclairs as a 170 g pack of approximately 25 toffee sweets with a milk-chocolate centre.
- The eclairs state “Fairtrade sourced cocoa - mass balance”. Waitrose says the cocoa used in its own-label confectionery has been Fairtrade since 2020.
- The eclairs’ claim concerns cocoa, not necessarily every ingredient; the product contains milk and soya.
Green & Black's
Its Organic Butterscotch Milk Chocolate is a 90 g bar for occasions when chocolate pieces, rather than separate toffee sweets, suit the office.
- The Waitrose listing describes the bar as organic and Fairtrade. Its product information names Fairtrade sugar, cocoa, molasses and vanilla, with a stated total of 71% on a mass-balance basis.
- The bar contains milk and soya and may contain nuts; it needs breaking or separate serving.
Divine
Tesco Marketplace lists Divine Milk Chocolate with Salted Caramel as a 90 g bar with toffee pieces.
- The listing describes the bar as Fairtrade and farmer-owned, and names Fairtrade cocoa butter, cocoa mass and vanilla.
- The listed offer is supplied by a third-party Marketplace seller and delivered by courier. Check the current pack for allergen information before sharing.
Tesco
Tesco Toffee provides a conventional dairy-toffee comparison in a 200 g pack.
- The listed product description makes no Fairtrade claim, so this particular toffee should not be chosen to meet a Fairtrade requirement without a product-specific claim.
M&S
M&S lists toffee assortments and chocolate eclairs, including some individually wrapped options.
- An individually wrapped format may suit a shared tin; check the particular pack’s format.
- M&S describes Fairtrade cocoa in its Choc Marks bars. That statement does not establish the Fairtrade status of an M&S toffee assortment or eclair pack.
Joybuy product options
This caramel-chocolate bar is an option if breaking and serving chocolate suits the office tin; it is not a pack of separate toffee sweets.
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Tony's Chocolonely Fairtrade Milk Chocolate Caramel Sea Salt 180g
This 180 g caramel and sea-salt milk-chocolate bar needs breaking or separate serving for a shared tin. Its product information lists milk and soya and warns that it may contain cereals containing gluten, eggs, nuts and peanuts; check the current pack for allergens and the precise scope of its Fairtrade claim.
Frequently asked questions
Does “Fairtrade sourced cocoa” mean every ingredient is Fairtrade?
No. Fairtrade International says the Fairtrade Sourced Ingredient Mark identifies the named ingredient, such as cocoa. Check the pack’s mark and wording if the office requires broader Fairtrade ingredient coverage.
What does mass balance mean for Fairtrade cocoa?
Fairtrade International says certified and non-certified cocoa may be physically mixed under mass balance, while the volumes sold on Fairtrade terms are tracked and audited. The claim does not mean the finished sweet contains only physically separated Fairtrade cocoa.
Which format works for a shared office tin?
Separate sweets work when colleagues need to take individual pieces: Waitrose lists approximately 25 Milk Chocolate Eclairs in a 170 g pack. The listed Green & Black's and Divine alternatives are 90 g bars that need breaking or separate serving.
What allergen information should stay with the tin?
Keep the current pack or ingredient label with the sweets and check it when restocking. The listed Waitrose eclairs contain milk and soya; the Green & Black's bar contains milk and soya and may contain nuts.