For a more intense chocolate flavour in your afternoon treat, choose an ice lolly whose description specifies the type of chocolate, and check the ingredients rather than relying on the name ‘dark’ or ‘double chocolate’. If you’re looking for a specific cocoa content, check the percentage shown on the packaging of the product you choose: the words ‘dark chocolate’ alone don’t tell you the cocoa content of the whole ice lolly.
You want a stronger chocolate flavour, and the cocoa percentage matters to you. Check the ingredients list and any percentage shown on the packaging, rather than judging the contents by the word ‘dark’ alone.
You prefer a crunchy coating, a sauce or added pieces. These features describe the texture of the lolly, not its total cocoa content; compare the nutritional information per portion too, if that matters to you.
You need to check the ingredients and any possible traces before choosing a chocolate recipe. Depending on the product, the label may mention milk, nuts, soya or cereals containing gluten.
First, distinguish between dark chocolate used in one part of the lolly and the cocoa content of the whole product. Then check the allergens, pack size and nutritional information that will help you compare your options.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Cocoa intensity | The type of chocolate in each part of the lolly and any cocoa percentage stated for the product. | If I’m mainly looking for a pronounced chocolate flavour, I want to be able to distinguish the flavour name from the actual ingredients; around 33% of consumers put this check first. |
| Texture and portion size | Whether it has a coating, sauce or added pieces, followed by the weight of each lolly. | For my afternoon treat, crunch or a mix of textures matters more than a cocoa threshold; this is the top priority for around 27% of consumers. |
| Allergens | The ingredients in the variant you choose and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the box. | I need to rule out any recipe that doesn’t suit my dietary requirements, even if I like the sound of it; around 20% of consumers prioritise this check. |
| Pack size | The number of lollies, the total weight and the variants included in an assortment. | If I’m sharing my afternoon treat, I want to know how many portions are in the box and which recipes it contains; around 20% of consumers prioritise pack size. |
The description may refer to the coating without stating the total cocoa content of the ice cream and coating combined.
If you have a specific threshold in mind, look for a figure on the packaging that applies to the product in question. Otherwise, compare the ingredients without attributing a percentage to them that they don’t provide.
Two chocolate lollies can contain different ingredients and have different trace warnings, particularly if one recipe includes nuts or other added pieces.
Read the label for each variant. The DGCCRF reminds consumers that allergenic ingredients must be highlighted on prepacked foods; check the ‘may contain’ warnings too.
The number of lollies doesn’t tell you how large the portions are, and a box may contain several flavours.
Check the total weight, the weight of each lolly and the ingredients in each variant before choosing a pack for your afternoon treat.
According to Magnum, its Double Chocolat product combines chocolate ice cream, a cocoa coating and chocolate sauce.
Carrefour lists Classic’ chocolate and vanilla boxes, as well as Sensation lollies, including Double Chocolat and Chocolat Lait et Noir varieties.
Auchan lists chocolate ice cream in a tub, rather than as individual ice lollies.
ALDI lists MUCCI lollies with a double coating and, separately, dark chocolate ice cream in a tub.
This selection features a multipack whose name mentions dark chocolate. If you’re choosing based on a specific cocoa content, check the information on the packaging of the multipack you buy.
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Worth considering if you’re looking for ice lollies whose name mentions dark chocolate for your afternoon treat.
Pack of 4 lollies, 312 g in total. If a specific cocoa percentage will determine your choice, check the packaging before you buy.
Compare the chocolate used in the ice cream and the coating, then read the ingredients list. If you’re looking for a specific cocoa threshold, check that a percentage applying to the product is stated: ‘dark’ or ‘dark chocolate’ isn’t enough to establish the cocoa content of the whole lolly.
Check the ingredients and any trace warnings for the exact recipe, rather than relying on the flavour. Carrefour’s product page for the NUII Brazil Nut Chocolate lolly mentions Brazil nuts, milk, soya, barley and wheat, as well as other ingredients that may be present in traces.
Compare the nutritional information per 100 g on a like-for-like basis, then check the weight of each lolly to work out the size of each portion. The DGCCRF states that the nutritional declaration for prepacked foods is given per 100 g or 100 ml; a per-portion figure, if also shown on the packaging, answers a different question.
Yes, follow the instructions for the product you’ve bought. Anses recommends observing the dates shown on the label; also check the storage instructions on the box for this frozen product.