For a plain elevenses bar where the scope of the Fairtrade claim matters most, Divine’s 70% Dark Chocolate is a useful starting point: Divine says every ingredient that can be bought on Fairtrade terms has been. M&S also lists 75% and 85% bars made with Fairtrade cocoa; choose between cocoa levels according to your preference, and check the current pack’s allergen information before buying.
If Fairtrade coverage is your deciding factor, look beyond a general ethical-sourcing statement. Divine describes the ingredient coverage of its plain 70% bar; the Fairtrade Foundation also distinguishes the classic Fairtrade Mark from a mark for a particular sourced ingredient.
If you want a piece of dark chocolate alongside a drink, compare the cocoa percentage and the nutrition label rather than assuming every dark bar will have the same flavour or sugar content. The Divine and M&S examples here include 70%, 75% and 85% cocoa bars.
If milk, nuts or peanuts are a concern, read the current pack’s ingredients and precautionary allergen statement. The Divine and M&S listings carry relevant warnings or suitability statements; a vegan description is not a substitute for those checks.
Start with the meaning of the Fairtrade claim, then compare cocoa level and the exact pack’s allergen information.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade coverage | Check the mark and product-specific wording. The Fairtrade Foundation says its classic mark covers all ingredients that can be Fairtrade-certified; a Fairtrade Sourced Ingredient mark identifies a particular Fairtrade-sourced ingredient. | I want to know whether the claim applies to eligible ingredients generally or specifically to cocoa. A broad sustainability statement does not answer that question. |
| Cocoa level | Compare the stated cocoa percentage—such as 70%, 75% or 85%—and read the sugars figure per 100g on the current pack if that distinction matters to you. | For a short break, I might choose a lower-cocoa bar or prefer an 85% bar. The percentage helps narrow the choice, but it does not tell me exactly how a bar will taste. |
| Allergen information | Read the ingredient list, suitability statements and any ‘may contain’ warning on the exact pack. Do not use a vegan label as an allergy-suitability statement. | If I need to avoid milk, nuts or peanuts, the current pack’s wording matters more than the bar’s cocoa percentage or dietary marketing. |
| Bar format | Check the bar weight and whether you want plain chocolate or an added flavour. Decide how much you intend to have at elevenses rather than treating the whole bar as one serving. | I may want a plain square with tea, or a flavoured bar to keep for several breaks. |
Brands can describe different sourcing arrangements with similar-sounding language. The Fairtrade Foundation distinguishes its classic Fairtrade Mark from the Fairtrade Sourced Ingredient Mark.
If Fairtrade coverage determines your choice, check the mark and the wording for that specific bar, including which ingredients the claim covers.
A percentage identifies cocoa content, not your experience of sweetness or the bar’s complete nutrition profile.
Compare the available cocoa levels and check the current per 100g nutrition panel if sugars matter to your decision.
A vegan recipe can still carry a milk-related facility statement or a precautionary allergen warning. Lindt’s UK Excellence 70% listing, for example, says its vegan-recipe bar is made in a facility that uses milk and is not suitable for people with a milk allergy.
For an allergy, use the current pack’s ingredient and precautionary allergen information rather than its vegan wording.
Ingredients and allergen information can change. M&S advises shoppers to check current product details and local availability.
Read the pack you are buying, especially when an allergen statement or Fairtrade mark is central to your choice.
These examples show why the claim on a particular bar matters more than a brand-wide description.
Divine’s plain 70% Dark Chocolate bar has a product-level statement about the Fairtrade coverage of its ingredients.
M&S describes Fairtrade cocoa in its 75% single-origin and 85% dark chocolate listings.
Lindt Excellence 70% is a cocoa-level reference, not an equivalent product-level Fairtrade example here. Lindt describes a separate responsible-sourcing programme.
Montezuma’s FitzRoy is a 74% dark chocolate alternative for shoppers comparing cocoa levels and organic ingredients, rather than a product-level Fairtrade example here.
These bars offer 70% and 85% cocoa choices for elevenses, including plain and raspberry-flavoured chocolate. Compare each product’s Fairtrade wording and current pack information before deciding.
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A larger bar to consider if you plan to keep chocolate for more than one elevenses break. Its listing describes 70% cocoa and Fairtrade Standards wording for cocoa mass, sugar and cocoa butter. It contains soya and carries precautionary warnings for cereals containing gluten, eggs, milk, nuts and peanuts; check the current pack.
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A 70% plain dark bar for a lower-cocoa option than the 85% bars below. Its Fairtrade wording covers cocoa, sugar and vanilla and qualifies that they may be mixed with non-certified ingredients on a mass-balance basis. It may contain almonds, hazelnuts, milk and nuts; check the current pack.
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An 85% cocoa option if you prefer a higher-cocoa bar for elevenses. The product description refers to Fairtrade sourcing; check the current pack for the scope of that claim. It may contain cereals containing gluten, milk, nuts and peanuts.
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The 85% counterpart to the Green & Black’s 70% bar if you want to compare cocoa levels within that range. Its Fairtrade wording for cocoa, sugar and vanilla includes a mass-balance qualification about mixing with non-certified ingredients. It may contain almonds, hazelnuts, milk and nuts; check the current pack.
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A raspberry-flavoured 70% option rather than the plain Divine bar discussed above. Its product description makes a Fairtrade claim without detailing the ingredient coverage, so check the current pack if that distinction matters. The ingredient and allergen information identifies milk despite vegan-friendly marketing wording; do not rely on the latter for allergy decisions.
Check the mark and the wording for the particular bar. The Fairtrade Foundation says its classic black-background mark indicates that all ingredients that can be Fairtrade-certified are certified; its Fairtrade Sourced Ingredient mark identifies a particular Fairtrade-sourced ingredient. A brand sustainability programme is a different claim.
Choose a cocoa level that fits your flavour preference rather than assuming the highest percentage will suit you. Divine lists a plain 70% bar, while M&S lists 75% and 85% Fairtrade-cocoa bars; compare the current packs’ per 100g nutrition information if sugars are part of your decision.
Not necessarily. Lindt says its Excellence 70% bar is made to a vegan recipe but manufactured in a facility using milk and is not suitable for people with a milk allergy. Read the ingredients, suitability statements and precautionary warnings on the exact pack.
Treat it as relevant information if you have the named allergy. The Food Standards Agency explains that precautionary allergen labelling communicates the possibility of an allergen being unintentionally present; it is separate from the ingredient list or a vegan claim.
Use the listing to narrow your choice, then read the current pack before buying or eating it. M&S advises that ingredients, dietary information and allergen details can change, which matters especially when you are choosing around an allergy.