If Fairtrade certification is essential to you, choose an ice cream whose product details or packaging specify which ingredients are covered: the presence of chocolate alone isn’t enough. If you’re flying, plan to eat it before security or check what’s available after security. Don’t assume that an ice cream bought before security will be allowed in the cabin. Ice cream is a snack or dessert, so plan separately for the meal you’ll need during your journey.
You want to check the claim for the exact product, which ingredients are covered and, where relevant, whether mass balance is involved, rather than relying on the brand’s reputation. Information from Max Havelaar France and Ben & Jerry’s France can help you know what to look for.
You need to decide when to buy or eat your ice cream without assuming that a product bought before security will be allowed in the cabin. The rules on liquids and gels set out by the European Commission and France’s Ministry for Ecological Transition make the timing of your purchase important.
You compare recipes before choosing a convenient format. Ben & Jerry’s France lists milk, wheat, egg and soya among the ingredients in Cookie Dough Peaces. Always check the label on the pack you buy.
Start by checking the Fairtrade claim for the exact product and when you plan to eat it. Then use the format and allergen information to choose between the recipes that suit your needs.
| Criteria | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade proof | Look for a Fairtrade/Max Havelaar claim, check which ingredients are covered and look for any details about mass balance. For Cookie Dough Peaces, Ben & Jerry’s France states that these ingredients make up 43% of the total weight, excluding water and dairy products. | I want to be able to link the Fairtrade claim to the ice cream I’m buying, not just the brand. Around 34% of consumers put this proof first. |
| When to buy | Before security, ask your departure airport whether your product can be taken into the cabin. Otherwise, consider eating it before security or checking what’s available in the shops beyond the checkpoint. | If I’m travelling with cabin baggage, I don’t want to buy an ice cream only to have to leave it at security. This is the top priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| Format | Choose between bites, an ice lolly and a tub, depending on how you plan to eat your ice cream. Ben & Jerry’s France describes bites that can be eaten straight from the bag. | I’m looking for a portion I can eat without a spoon while I wait. Format is the main consideration for around 20% of consumers. |
| Allergens | Read the “contains” and “may contain” information on the exact pack you’re buying: details vary by recipe. | Before choosing a flavour, I need to check that its ingredients and warnings are suitable for me. Around 13% of consumers prioritise this. |
Chocolate ice cream isn’t necessarily labelled Fairtrade. Max Havelaar France explains that, in a composite product, the claim may apply to certain ingredients and involve mass balance.
If Fairtrade is essential to you, look for a claim that applies to the exact product on its packaging or product details page.
The European Commission sets rules for carrying liquids and gels in the cabin. These rules don’t mean that every ice cream bought before security will be allowed through.
Plan to eat it before security, check with your departure airport or see what you can buy after the checkpoint.
According to Ben & Jerry’s France, Cookie Dough Peaces contain milk, wheat, egg and soya, and may contain traces of almonds, hazelnuts and pistachios.
Check the ingredients and any trace warnings on the pack of the flavour you’re actually buying.
The products described by Ben & Jerry’s France are ice creams or frozen bites; their product details don’t present them as meals.
Save the ice cream for a snack or dessert, and plan your meal separately to suit your journey.
A brand to consider if you’re looking for a Fairtrade claim on a specific ice cream recipe, particularly in the Peaces range.
A chocolate-coated ice lolly to compare formats, without assuming that chocolate means Fairtrade certification.
A retailer where you can check the details of the Ben & Jerry’s mini tubs it stocks before you set off.
A retailer whose ice cream range lets you look for ice lollies and frozen bars before your journey.
A retailer named by Max Havelaar France as stocking Fairtrade products all year round.
Mass balance means that the Fairtrade ingredients in question may be mixed with non-certified ingredients during production. Ben & Jerry’s France states that, in Cookie Dough Peaces, Fairtrade sugar, cocoa and vanilla account for 43% of the total weight, excluding water and dairy products.
Ben & Jerry’s France lists milk, wheat, egg and soya, as well as possible traces of almonds, hazelnuts and pistachios. Check the pack you buy: information for another flavour shouldn’t be assumed to apply to this recipe.
Follow the storage temperature shown for the product you buy. Auchan’s listing for Ben & Jerry’s mini tubs specifies −18 °C, so bear this in mind if you’re thinking of buying them before your journey.
Ben & Jerry’s product details describe ice creams and frozen bites, not meals. If you plan to eat during your journey, arrange your meal separately and consider having the ice cream as a snack or dessert.