To choose a Fairtrade chocolate ice lolly, check that the Fairtrade/Max Havelaar label applies to the specific product: a chocolate coating alone is not enough. If you can’t find a lolly with clearly identifiable certification, you could look at another retailer or consider certified ice cream in a different format, then check its ingredients, allergens and storage instructions.
You want the ice cream you buy for the week to carry an identifiable Fairtrade/Max Havelaar certification. As Fairtrade/Max Havelaar France points out, it’s the label you should look for, not simply the presence of cocoa.
You’re looking for individual portions to share or keep in the freezer. The number of lollies matters, but each box you consider should also meet your certification requirements.
You need to check for allergens or want to compare sugar and fat content. Fairtrade certification is no substitute for the ingredients list or nutritional information for the specific product you choose.
If an ice lolly is a must, make it a condition of your choice without compromising on proof of the label. If certification matters more than the format, a mini-tub of ice cream could also be worth considering.
Choose this if: you want an individual lolly and can identify Fairtrade/Max Havelaar certification on the specific product you’re buying.
Bear in mind: seeing chocolate on the packaging, even among the many lollies on the shelf, does not prove that the product is certified.
Consider this if: certification of the ingredients matters more to you than having an ice lolly.
Bear in mind: the Ben & Jerry's mini-tub collection described by Auchan isn’t an ice lolly. Its product information explains that the relevant Fairtrade ingredients are mixed with non-certified ingredients under the mass balance principle.
| Criteria | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade proof | The Fairtrade/Max Havelaar label on the specific product and, if the product information provides details, which ingredients it applies to. | If supporting fair trade is why I’m buying, I want to recognise the certification on the product I choose rather than rely on the word chocolate; around 50% of shoppers would put this proof first. |
| A format for the week | The number of lollies, net weight and freezer space needed for the box. | To share individual portions throughout the week, I need a pack size that suits my household; around 30% of shoppers would prioritise this format. |
| Ingredients and storage | The ingredients and allergens, nutritional values per 100 g or 100 ml, and storage instructions. | Before choosing ice cream for my household, I need to be able to check its ingredients and storage requirements; around 20% of shoppers would prioritise this check. |
A chocolate-coated lolly isn’t Fairtrade simply because it’s covered in chocolate. Fairtrade/Max Havelaar France recommends looking for the label on products containing cocoa, including ice cream.
Before choosing a box, look for the label or clear certification information linked to that exact product.
Auchan’s product information for the Ben & Jerry's mini-tub collection states that the sugar, cocoa and vanilla are Fairtrade Max Havelaar certified, with ingredients mixed under the mass balance principle. This doesn’t make the product an ice lolly or certify ice cream from other brands.
Check the certification details for the flavour and pack you plan to buy, particularly if the range or recipe changes.
Two packs of ice lollies may contain different numbers of lollies and have different net weights. These details alone tell you nothing about certification.
Compare the quantity in boxes that suit your household, then check the label on each one separately.
Fair trade certification doesn’t tell you about allergens, nutritional values or storage requirements. The DGCCRF states that allergens must be emphasised in the ingredients list and that nutritional information is given per 100 g or 100 ml.
Check the full label on the ice cream you choose and follow its storage instructions.
A brand stocked in the ice cream aisle doesn’t guarantee that all its lollies are Fairtrade. Compare specific products and don’t assume that certification shown for one product applies to another.
Worth considering if you’re happy with a mini tub rather than an ice lolly.
Chocolate-coated lollies feature in the ranges stocked by Carrefour and Auchan.
The retailer stocks a range of boxes of ice lollies under its own brands.
The retailer stocks both ice lollies and the Ben & Jerry's mini-tub collection described above.
The Eco+ lollies stocked by the retailer come in a range of pack sizes to compare.
No. The word chocolate doesn’t prove that a product is fair trade certified. Look for an identifiable Fairtrade/Max Havelaar label on the specific product, as Fairtrade/Max Havelaar France recommends for ice cream containing cocoa.
Don’t assume it applies to every format. Auchan’s product information for the Ben & Jerry's mini-tub collection specifies which ingredients are certified and explains that they’re mixed under the mass balance principle. Check the details for the flavour and pack you’re buying.
Check the ingredients list and any allergens highlighted on the packaging for the exact product. The DGCCRF explains this labelling requirement. Don’t assume you know what an ice cream contains based only on its flavour or fair trade certification.
First, compare nutritional values on the same basis, per 100 g or per 100 ml, then check the amount in one lolly. The DGCCRF says that information per 100 g or 100 ml makes it easier to compare products.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging of the ice cream you buy. For example, Auchan’s product information for a chocolate ice cream says to store it in the freezer at −18 °C and never to refreeze it once thawed.