If Fairtrade is your deciding factor, choose only a box bearing the Fairtrade/Max Havelaar mark. For a multi-ingredient ice cream, read the details on the back of the packaging too. A Rainforest Alliance statement about the cocoa does not prove that the ice cream carries this label. Then check the allergens, number of ice lollies, and the transport and storage requirements before serving.
You want to serve ice lollies from a box bearing the Fairtrade/Max Havelaar mark, without confusing another cocoa certification with this label. For multi-ingredient ice creams, Max Havelaar France also recommends checking the details on the back of the packaging.
You need to choose a recipe with your guests’ allergens in mind. A « vegan » or « gluten-free » claim on a product does not replace checking its ingredients list and any warnings about traces.
You need enough portions for your guests, as well as a way to keep the ice lollies frozen during the journey and until the party. The number of ice lollies in a box and the space in your freezer matter just as much as the flavour.
For Fairtrade ice lollies at Christmas, first check the certification on the box you’re considering. Then look at the recipe to make sure it’s suitable for your guests, followed by the pack size and storage requirements for serving.
| Criterion | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade certification | Look for the Fairtrade/Max Havelaar mark on the box. For a multi-ingredient ice cream, read any information on the back about the ingredients and their traceability. | I want the ice cream being served to carry the Fairtrade mark specifically, rather than another cocoa certification. Around 42% of consumers could make this proof their main criterion. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the highlighted allergens in the ingredients list and check the product for any warnings about possible traces. | If guests need to avoid certain ingredients, I need to be able to choose each box with the right information to hand. Recipe suitability could come first for around 33% of consumers. |
| Portions and the cold chain | Count the ice lollies in each box and plan to carry them in an insulated bag, with enough room for them in the freezer. | To serve the whole group, I need enough portions and ice lollies that stay frozen until the meal. This would be the priority for around 25% of consumers. |
According to Max Havelaar France, products made with several ingredients, including ice creams, carry a label that requires you to check the information about Fairtrade ingredients. It does not mean that every ingredient in the recipe is certified. For transport, Anses recommends using an insulated bag, among other measures.
The French product page for Magnum Vegan Almond x3 mentions cocoa certified by Rainforest Alliance. This does not prove that the box carries the Fairtrade/Max Havelaar mark you’re looking for.
Check the mark on the box you plan to buy and, if it refers you elsewhere, read the details on the back.
Magnum describes its Vegan Almond x3 as vegan and gluten-free, but its product page lists almonds and soya, as well as possible traces of milk and several types of nuts.
For every flavour you’re considering, check the ingredients list and any warnings about traces on the packaging.
Without thermal protection, it’s harder to keep ice creams at the temperature stated on the box. Anses advises buying frozen products at the end of your shopping trip, using an insulated bag and keeping transport time to a minimum.
Make room in your freezer before you buy and put the boxes away as soon as you get home. Follow the storage instructions for your chosen product; the product page for Auchan’s box of 12 ice lollies says not to refreeze a product once it has thawed.
These examples help you tell the difference between cocoa certification, recipe details and box size. You’ll still need to check that the product you choose actually carries the Fairtrade mark.
Magnum offers products including its Vegan Almond x3 ice lollies.
Carrefour’s ice cream range includes ice lollies from its Classic’, Sensation and Extra ranges.
Auchan offers, among other products, a box of 12 vanilla ice lollies coated in a cocoa-flavoured coating.
Look for the Fairtrade/Max Havelaar mark on the box of the product you’ve chosen. For a multi-ingredient ice cream, also read the information referred to by the mark. Max Havelaar France explains that the rules apply to ingredients available as Fairtrade and specify a minimum total content of 20% Fairtrade products for this type of product. So the mark does not mean that every ingredient is Fairtrade.
No. A Rainforest Alliance statement does not prove that the ice cream carries the Fairtrade/Max Havelaar mark. The French product page for Magnum Vegan Almond x3 mentions cocoa certified by Rainforest Alliance under a mass balance system. If you’re specifically looking for Fairtrade, check the packaging of the product you buy separately.
Read the ingredients list, highlighted allergens and any warnings about possible traces for every product you’re considering. The DGCCRF reminds shoppers that allergens must be highlighted on the labels of prepacked foods. A « vegan » or « gluten-free » claim does not remove the need to check this information.
Buy them at the end of your shopping trip, carry them in an insulated bag and get them into the freezer as soon as possible, following Anses’ advice. Then follow the instructions printed on the box. The product page for Auchan’s box of 12 ice lollies specifies storage at –18 °C and says not to refreeze the product after it has thawed.