For a hiking snack where Fairtrade matters, check the claim on the exact bar, then choose a cocoa level and size that fit what you plan to carry. Divine describes Fairtrade cocoa and sugar in its 35g 70% bars, sold as a multipack; the M&S 75% and 85% examples are 100g bars you can portion before leaving. Check the current pack for sourcing and allergens, particularly if a dietary requirement affects your choice.
If Fairtrade is a requirement rather than a general preference for ethical sourcing, check the mark and ingredient information on the exact pack. Fairtrade International explains that sourcing information matters for multi-ingredient products such as chocolate.
A smaller bar gives you a defined amount to pack; a larger one can be divided before the walk. The British Mountaineering Council notes that outing duration, weather, pack size and weight limit affect snack planning.
Compare the current ingredient and allergen declarations, not just the cocoa percentage or a vegan label. The Divine and M&S examples carry different milk, gluten or nut warnings.
Start with the sourcing claim if Fairtrade is essential, then decide how much chocolate to carry and check whether the ingredients meet your requirements.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade claim | Look for the FAIRTRADE Mark or an explicit ingredient-sourcing statement on the exact pack. For a multi-ingredient bar, read which ingredients the claim covers; Fairtrade International advises checking the pack information. | I want a Fairtrade claim I can identify, rather than treating a general responsible-sourcing statement as the same thing. |
| Bar size | Compare the stated weight with the amount you plan to take. Decide whether to carry a 35g bar or divide a 90g, 100g or 180g bar, and protect it in your pack. | For a short walk, I may want one defined portion. On a longer outing, the chocolate needs to fit alongside the rest of my food and water. |
| Cocoa and nutrition | Check the cocoa percentage and compare nutrition declarations on the same per-100g basis. The M&S 85% example lists 15.9g sugars per 100g; cocoa percentage alone does not state the sugar content of another bar. | I want a cocoa level I enjoy and a stated amount that fits my snack plan, rather than choosing by percentage alone. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredients, “may contain” statements and any “not suitable for” wording. A vegan label does not cancel a milk or nut cross-contact warning. | If an ingredient or allergen matters to me, I need the declaration for the particular bar I am packing. |
A brand sourcing programme or unnamed cocoa certification does not establish a Fairtrade claim for a particular bar. Lindt, Montezuma's and Hotel Chocolat describe different sourcing approaches.
If Fairtrade is essential, check the exact pack for its mark or a specific Fairtrade ingredient statement. Fairtrade International advises reading sourcing information for multi-ingredient products.
Breaking up a bar during a walk may be inconvenient. The British Mountaineering Council says duration, weather and pack constraints affect which snacks to take and how much.
Decide how much to carry before leaving. Divide a larger bar into a clean container if needed, and pack it where heat and pressure are less likely to affect it.
Divine lists possible milk, gluten and nut cross-contact for its 35g 70% bars. M&S describes its 75% and 85% examples as unsuitable for people with milk, nut or peanut allergies.
Read the current declaration for the exact bar, including both ingredients and cross-contact wording.
The Requirements for School Food Regulations 2014 concern food provided to pupils in maintained schools and pupil referral units in England; that scope is different from an individual's privately packed snack.
If a school is supplying snacks for a trip, check its current arrangements and the rules applicable in the relevant UK nation before choosing chocolate.
These references describe particular products or stated sourcing approaches; a brand name alone does not establish the claim on every bar.
Divine describes its 35g 70% dark chocolate bars, sold in a 30-bar pack, as made with Fairtrade cocoa and sugar.
M&S describes a 75% bar as sourced from Fairtrade cocoa farms and an 85% bar as using Fairtrade cocoa beans from Peru.
Montezuma's describes certified cocoa and its ethical-sourcing aims, without identifying a Fairtrade claim for a particular dark bar in its cited company statement.
Lindt says its cocoa products were sourced through its Farming Program or other responsible-sourcing standards in 2025.
Hotel Chocolat describes an estate and direct-partnership approach to cocoa sourcing.
These bars offer stated 70% or 85% cocoa levels in 90g and 180g formats. If Fairtrade is your deciding condition, compare each listing's specific sourcing wording with the current pack before choosing; these are options for carrying on a hike, not ready-portioned hiking bars.
No image available
The 180g bar is an option if you plan to divide your chocolate before a hike. Its listing states at least 70% cocoa solids and says cocoa mass, sugar and cocoa butter are traded in compliance with Fairtrade Standards; check the current pack for the mark and sourcing details. The listing names soya and says the bar may contain gluten, eggs, milk, peanuts and nuts.
No image available
This 90g bar gives you a stated size for deciding how much to carry. The listing states at least 70% cocoa solids and describes Fairtrade cocoa, sugar and vanilla with a mass-balance qualification; check the current pack for its mark and the scope of that claim. It also lists possible almond, hazelnut, milk and nut cross-contact.
No image available
Choose between this 85% bar and the 70% variant according to the cocoa level you prefer, while planning separately how much of the 90g bar to take. The listing describes Fairtrade cocoa, sugar and vanilla with mass-balance wording; check the exact pack for its mark and sourcing details. It lists possible almond, hazelnut, milk and nut cross-contact.
No image available
This 90g bar combines 70% dark chocolate with 3% freeze-dried raspberry pieces, according to its listing. The listing makes a Fairtrade sourcing claim; check the current pack for the mark and ingredient details. Its ingredient information lists milk despite vegan-friendly wording elsewhere, so do not treat it as vegan without checking the pack; it also lists possible gluten and nut cross-contact.
Check the FAIRTRADE Mark and sourcing information on the exact pack, rather than relying on general ethical-sourcing wording. Fairtrade International explains that, for multi-ingredient products such as chocolate, the label concerns ingredients available under Fairtrade conditions.
A 35g bar gives you a defined amount to pack; divide a larger bar beforehand if that better fits your plan. The British Mountaineering Council notes that outing duration, weather, pack size and weight limit all affect snack choice and quantity.
No. Divine describes its 35g 70% bars as vegan but lists possible milk, gluten and nut cross-contact. M&S describes its cited 75% and 85% bars as unsuitable for people with milk, nut or peanut allergies. Check the current pack for the particular product.
Check the applicable school-food rules and the school's arrangements before providing it; a privately packed snack is a different situation. The Requirements for School Food Regulations 2014 apply to food provided to pupils in maintained schools and pupil referral units in England and define confectionery to include chocolate. That England-specific scope does not establish the rules in the other UK nations.