Choose a dark chocolate with a product-specific Fairtrade claim if that certification is your priority, then check that its cocoa percentage suits the recipe. A cooking bar or buttons may suit the way you prepare a bake, but a baking label or a general responsible-sourcing claim does not establish Fairtrade certification for that product.
You want to know what the claim covers, not just whether a brand discusses sustainability. The Fairtrade Foundation distinguishes between the classic Fairtrade Mark, which covers all ingredients that can be Fairtrade-certified, and the Fairtrade Sourced Ingredient Mark, which covers a named ingredient.
You are choosing chocolate for brownies, cookies, cakes or desserts and need to match the recipe’s cocoa percentage and preferred format. Check whether it calls for a bar, pieces or cooking chocolate before making a substitution.
You need the current pack’s ingredient and allergen statements before baking for yourself or someone else. A chocolate described as vegan can still carry a milk cross-contact warning or be labelled unsuitable for someone with a milk allergy.
Start with the ethical claim if it determines your choice, then compare the recipe requirements and the current pack label.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade claim | Check the exact product’s mark and wording. According to the Fairtrade Foundation, the classic mark covers all ingredients that can be Fairtrade-certified; the Fairtrade Sourced Ingredient Mark identifies a named Fairtrade-sourced ingredient. | I want to know whether the claim covers every certifiable ingredient or cocoa alone. |
| Cocoa percentage | Compare the stated cocoa percentage with the recipe. Divine lists a 70% dark bar, while M&S lists a separate 75% single-origin bar; the percentage does not, by itself, describe the finished bake’s flavour. | For this bake, I want to stay close to the chocolate specified in the recipe rather than change its flavour without planning to. |
| Chocolate format | Check the form and stated uses. Lindt describes its 70% cooking bar for cakes, tarts, brownies and cookies; Montezuma's describes buttons and couverture for baking or melting. Check Fairtrade claims separately. | Chopping a bar is fine for an occasional cake, but for this recipe I may prefer pieces that are ready to portion. |
| Allergen information | Read the current pack’s ingredients, may-contain statements and suitability wording. Lindt states that its 70% cooking bar is not suitable for people with a milk allergy. | If I am baking for someone with an allergy, I need to assess the chocolate’s own label before using it. |
A company sourcing programme does not establish the Fairtrade status of every chocolate it sells. The Fairtrade Foundation also distinguishes between its classic mark and a claim covering one named ingredient.
Read the mark and ingredient wording on the exact product. If it bears a Fairtrade Sourced Ingredient Mark, identify the ingredient it names.
Divine’s 70% bar and M&S’s 75% bar have different stated cocoa percentages; they should not be treated as identical recipe ingredients.
Follow the recipe’s specified percentage where possible, and consider the change before substituting a different bar.
A vegan description does not settle cross-contact questions. Lindt states that its 70% cooking bar is not suitable for people with a milk allergy.
For an allergy-sensitive bake, check the current pack’s ingredients, warnings and suitability statement.
A bar needs chopping if the recipe calls for pieces. Buttons or couverture may be more convenient to portion for repeated baking or melting.
Choose the format for the task, then check any Fairtrade claim on that particular product rather than assuming a baking format carries one.
These examples illustrate different product claims and baking formats; a brand’s approach does not establish the claims on every bar it makes.
Divine’s plain 70% dark bar has a product-specific Fairtrade ingredient claim. It is distinct from flavoured Divine variants.
M&S describes its 75% single-origin dark bar as sourced from Fairtrade cocoa farms. It also sells a separate 70% dark chocolate intended for baking.
Lindt describes its 70% cooking bar for cakes, tarts, brownies and cookies. Its company sourcing programme is a separate claim from Fairtrade certification.
Montezuma's describes organic buttons as suitable for baking and its couverture range as chocolate for baking and melting.
Hotel Chocolat describes a cacao-farming initiative connected to its Better Way Bar range.
Morrisons lists Green & Black's Organic dark bars at 70% and 85% cocoa.
These options include a 70% cooking bar and two 70% dark bars, one with raspberries. If Fairtrade certification determines your choice, check the claim and its scope on the exact pack.
No image available
A cooking-chocolate format to consider when the recipe calls for 70% dark chocolate. The listing identifies milk as an ingredient and warns of possible gluten, egg and tree-nut presence; check the current pack for an allergy-sensitive bake. A separate sourcing claim should not be read as Fairtrade certification.
No image available
A 70% dark bar to consider when a recipe does not require a dedicated cooking format. Check whether the bar form suits the preparation, and read the exact pack for the scope of any Fairtrade claim. Its listing warns that it may contain almonds, hazelnuts and milk.
No image available
A raspberry-containing 70% bar for a recipe where fruit pieces are wanted, rather than a substitute for plain chocolate. The Fairtrade information for Divine’s plain 70% bar should not be assumed to describe this variant. Milk appears in this variant’s ingredient and allergen information despite vegan-friendly wording; check the current pack before an allergy-sensitive bake.
According to the Fairtrade Foundation, the classic Fairtrade Mark means all ingredients that can be Fairtrade-certified are certified. The Fairtrade Sourced Ingredient Mark means the named ingredient, such as cocoa, is Fairtrade-sourced. Read the wording beside the mark to see which claim the chocolate makes.
Use 70% when it matches the recipe or the result you intend. Lindt specifies cakes, tarts, brownies and cookies as uses for its 70% cooking bar, but that does not mean every recipe calls for the same percentage. Check the recipe before replacing its stated chocolate with a 75% bar.
No: a general responsible-sourcing or sustainability statement does not establish a product-specific Fairtrade claim. Lindt describes its cocoa sourcing programme, while Hotel Chocolat describes an initiative connected to its Better Way Bar range. Check the Fairtrade mark or wording on the chocolate you intend to use.
Not automatically. Divine’s plain 70% bar carries a may-contain milk warning, and Lindt says its 70% cooking bar is unsuitable for people with a milk allergy. Read the current pack’s ingredients, cross-contact warnings and suitability wording before using either in an allergy-sensitive bake.
Follow the directions on the pack you buy. For its dark baking chocolate, M&S specifies a cool, dry place away from sunlight; check the chosen product’s own storage instructions rather than applying those directions to every bar.