If fair trade is important to you, only choose a chocolate ice cream lolly once you’ve found a corresponding certification mark on its packaging or on the product listing for the exact item. A mention of Rainforest Alliance-certified cocoa alone isn’t enough to confirm this. An individually wrapped lolly is convenient on a busy morning, but check the portion size, sugars and allergens too before deciding whether it belongs in your breakfast.
You want to be able to identify a certification mark on the exact ice cream lolly you’re buying, rather than infer its status from a general commitment made by the brand or retailer. Commerce Équitable France highlights schemes including Fairtrade/Max Havelaar, Fair for Life and SPP.
You’re looking for an individually wrapped lolly that’s easy to grab quickly, while recognising that this convenience is separate from the make-up of your overall breakfast.
You compare nutritional information and portion sizes, or need to check the ingredients and allergen information for each recipe.
If a fair trade certification mark is essential to you, check the exact product before comparing its format and ingredients. A supply-chain certification mark alone doesn’t tell you how much sugar the lolly contains or which allergens it may include.
| Criteria | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fair trade certification | Look for the name and symbol of a fair trade certification scheme on the packaging or product listing for the exact lolly. Don’t confuse this with another cocoa certification. | If I’m primarily looking for fairly traded cocoa, a brand’s general promise doesn’t meet my criteria. This check would come first for around 40% of consumers. |
| Breakfast-friendly format | Check the size of the lolly and plan separately for any other foods you’d like to have for breakfast. | When I’m short on time, I look for an individual format without assuming that a frozen dessert makes up a whole meal. Around 30% of consumers would put this convenience first. |
| Sugars and allergens | Check the sugar content per 100 g and, where shown on the packaging, per portion. Check the ingredients, allergens and any ‘may contain’ information for each flavour. | If I need to avoid an ingredient or compare two portions, the exact recipe matters more than the product range’s name. Ingredients would be the main consideration for around 30% of consumers. |
Carrefour lists Rainforest Alliance-certified cocoa for Magnum Amande, while ALDI mentions Rainforest-certified cocoa for its MUCCI range. These claims don’t confirm that a specific lolly carries a fair trade certification mark such as those highlighted by Commerce Équitable France.
If fair trade is a priority, look for the name of the scheme on the packaging or product listing for the item you’re buying.
An ice cream lolly is quick to grab, but convenience doesn’t tell you what your breakfast contains. Anses notes that an additional eating occasion, especially one high in sugar, can affect the balance of your diet.
Check the portion size and sugar content, then decide how it fits into your meal rather than automatically replacing breakfast with an ice cream lolly.
Ingredients and warnings about traces vary between recipes. The product listings we looked at mention milk, soya, almonds and other tree nuts, depending on the item.
Read the label on the flavour and pack you’re buying, paying particular attention to highlighted allergens and ‘may contain’ warnings.
These examples help distinguish claims made about a product range from those relating to a specific lolly. Their inclusion here doesn’t confirm that their ice cream lollies carry a fair trade certification mark.
Carrefour’s product listing for Magnum Amande shows a box of four chocolate-coated ice cream lollies.
The vanilla and chocolate product we looked at is sold in a box of four 75 g lollies.
E.Leclerc lists a box of 16 vanilla and chocolate lollies weighing 536 g.
The retailer stocks ice cream lollies from different brands and in different flavours.
In 2023, Lidl said it offered Fairtrade/Max Havelaar products in its permanent range.
MUCCI is a range of ice creams and sorbets sold at ALDI, including ice cream lollies.
Look for the scheme’s name and symbol on the packaging or product listing for the exact item. Commerce Équitable France highlights Fairtrade/Max Havelaar, Fair for Life and SPP, among others. A retailer’s general commitment doesn’t replace information specific to the product you’re buying.
No. This claim alone doesn’t confirm that the ice cream lolly carries Fairtrade certification. Carrefour lists Rainforest Alliance-certified cocoa for Magnum Amande, while ALDI mentions Rainforest-certified cocoa for MUCCI. If you’re looking for a fair trade certification mark, check the exact lolly.
Its convenient format alone doesn’t tell you whether it makes up a balanced breakfast. Check the product’s portion size and sugar content, as well as what else you’re having with your meal. Anses highlights the importance of considering additional eating occasions, especially when they’re high in sugar.
Pick up frozen products at the end of your shop and carry them in an insulated bag, as Anses advises. Put them in the freezer as soon as you get home and follow the storage instructions on the packaging.