Choose an ordinary mint if you want a small sweet during play and Fairtrade certification is not essential to the purchase. If certified sourcing matters, check the FAIRTRADE Mark and its explanation on the exact pack—even if that means choosing confectionery other than mints. For longer sessions, compare the labelled serving with the amount you expect to eat, particularly when choosing sugary mints.
If you want a mint during play but care about Fairtrade sourcing, use the mark on the specific pack to make the decision. A familiar brand or mint listing is not proof of certification; Fairtrade International explains what its product marks cover.
Several servings can be easy to overlook. Sainsbury’s lists 4.3g sugars per three Polo Original mints, so check the serving on the pack and consider how many you are likely to eat.
If certified cocoa is the priority, a clearly marked chocolate product is a different choice from a mint. Fairtrade International’s cocoa standard covers cocoa beans and processed cocoa; cocoa is not listed among the ingredients of Polo Original in the Sainsbury’s listing.
Decide whether you need a mint specifically or would switch snacks for certified sourcing. Then check the exact pack for its mark, serving information and format.
Choose when: You want a small mint during play and Fairtrade certification is not a requirement.
Trade-off: The mint category or brand name alone tells you nothing definite about certification.
Choose when: Certified sourcing takes priority over staying with mints.
Trade-off: Switching to chocolate changes the type of snack; check the mark and ingredient information on that product’s pack.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade sourcing | Look for the FAIRTRADE Mark on the exact pack. For a multi-ingredient snack, read which ingredients the mark covers; Fairtrade International says an arrow directs shoppers to further traceability information on the packaging. | Certification matters to me more than choosing a mint. I would check the marked product itself rather than rely on a retailer category or brand name. |
| Sugars and servings | Compare sugars per labelled serving and per 100g, then consider the number of servings you might eat. Sainsbury’s lists 4.3g sugars per three Polo Original mints; figures for another variant need its own label. | During a long game, I might return to the pack several times, so the amount in one serving is only part of my decision. |
| Pack format | Check whether the product is an individual tube, roll, multipack or larger confectionery pack, and read its stated weight. Tesco Groceries and Waitrose & Partners list both individual mint formats and multipacks. | A small pack may suit my desk, while a multipack makes more sense if I want to store unopened packs for later sessions. |
A retailer’s mint category shows products, not what has been certified. Fairtrade International describes certification through product marks and, where relevant, ingredient information.
Check the FAIRTRADE Mark and explanation on the exact pack before choosing it for its sourcing claim.
Fairtrade International permits mass balance for cocoa and sugar, among other ingredients. Certified and non-certified physical supplies can be mixed while equivalent Fairtrade volumes are tracked.
If physical traceability matters to you, read the pack’s sourcing explanation rather than inferring segregation from a general Fairtrade claim.
Sainsbury’s lists 4.3g sugars per three Polo Original mints. Returning to the tube during a session changes the amount consumed.
Use the serving and sugars panel on the pack to judge the portion you intend to have; check a sugar-free variant’s own label rather than assuming it matches another product.
Polo Original’s listed ingredients contain no cocoa. Fairtrade International’s cocoa standard concerns cocoa beans and processed cocoa, so a mint does not answer a requirement for certified cocoa.
If certified cocoa is your aim, choose a chocolate product with an appropriate mark on its exact pack.
These are references for checking formats and labels, not assurances that a particular mint is Fairtrade-certified.
Sainsbury’s lists Polo Original as a 34g tube of pressed mints.
Waitrose & Partners lists Trebor Extra Strong Peppermint and Peppermint Softmints.
Tesco Groceries lists own-label Mint Imperials alongside branded mints.
Waitrose & Partners lists own-label Mint Humbugs and Mint Imperials alongside branded mints.
These options represent two different choices: a portable mint and a chocolate bar for shoppers willing to switch snack categories. Check the exact pack before relying on a Fairtrade claim.
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A 22g sugar-free grape mint option if you want mints during play. If certified sourcing matters, check the exact pack for a FAIRTRADE Mark; use its own nutrition panel when comparing servings.
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A 180g milk chocolate, caramel and sea salt bar to consider if you would rather have chocolate than a mint. Fairtrade appears in the product name; check the exact pack’s mark and ingredient explanation before relying on that claim, and read its serving and allergen information.
Look for the FAIRTRADE Mark on the exact pack and read its ingredient and sourcing information. Fairtrade International explains that, for multi-ingredient products, ingredients available under Fairtrade conditions are certified; a mark for a sourced ingredient identifies the named ingredient rather than necessarily every ingredient.
Not always. Fairtrade International permits mass balance for cocoa and sugar, under which physical supplies may be mixed while equivalent Fairtrade volumes are tracked. An arrow by the mark points to further traceability information on the packaging.
No, if certified cocoa is what you are looking for. Sainsbury’s lists Polo Original as a mint with no cocoa in its ingredients; choose a chocolate product with an appropriate mark on its own pack for a certified-cocoa requirement.
The Sainsbury’s listing gives 4.3g sugars per three Polo Original mints. Check the pack you buy for its current serving information, especially if you are comparing another variant or expect to eat several servings.
Keep small sweets away from children under four. The Sainsbury’s Polo Original product information warns that children in this age group have limited chewing ability and could choke on small sweets; follow the warning on the exact pack.