If Fairtrade/Max Havelaar certification is your deciding factor, check the label on the specific ice cream you’re buying. You may need to choose a tub or bites rather than an ice lolly. Carrefour’s listing for Ben & Jerry’s Cookie Dough tub says its Fairtrade ingredients are sourced on a mass-balance basis; Magnum France says its Classic x4 contains Rainforest Alliance-certified cocoa, which doesn’t meet a Fairtrade requirement. Before you shop for your move, also make sure you’ll be able to put your ice cream in the freezer as soon as you get home.
If certification matters more to you than the type of ice cream, start with the exact product and check which ingredients it applies to. Carrefour’s listing for Ben & Jerry’s Cookie Dough tub mentions Fairtrade sugar, cocoa and vanilla, sourced alongside non-certified ingredients on a mass-balance basis.
Your pack needs to fit in the space available and contain the number of portions you expect to eat. For an idea of the size, Auchan lists Ben & Jerry’s Peaces Cookie Dough bites in a 150 g bag, to be stored at −18 °C.
If you have your heart set on an individual ice lolly, treat that as a separate preference from your certification requirements. Magnum Classic x4 is a pack of ice lollies whose cocoa Magnum France describes as Rainforest Alliance-certified, not Fairtrade/Max Havelaar-certified.
First decide whether the Fairtrade/Max Havelaar label or an ice lolly is a must-have: the products mentioned here don’t meet both criteria. Then check the format, ingredients and whether you can keep the ice cream frozen as soon as you buy it.
| Criteria | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade label | Look for the Fairtrade/Max Havelaar label on the exact product and check which ingredients it applies to. | I’d rather change the format than mistake one certification for another. Around 38% of consumers would make a verifiable Fairtrade label their priority. |
| Format and space | Compare the number of pieces and net quantity with the space you have in your freezer. | In my new home, the pack needs to fit in a small compartment and contain the portions I’ll need; around 37% of consumers would prioritise this. |
| Ingredients and storage | Read the allergen information and ‘may contain’ statements, then follow the product’s storage instructions. | If an allergy or getting the product into the freezer straight away affects my choice, this comes before the format. Around 25% of consumers would give it priority. |
Magnum France says Classic x4 contains Rainforest Alliance-certified cocoa; this doesn’t mean the ice lolly carries the Fairtrade/Max Havelaar label.
Decide which certification you’re looking for before comparing formats, then check the label on the specific product.
The number of pieces and the total quantity vary from pack to pack. Even a handy format for serving can be difficult to fit in a small freezer compartment.
Check your freezer space and how many portions you’ll need before you buy.
Chocolate ice cream, coated ice cream and varieties with biscuit pieces can have different ingredients and ‘may contain’ statements, depending on the recipe.
Read the ingredients list and allergen information on every pack, even if you already know the brand.
Travelling with frozen food and waiting around during a move make it harder to keep it cold.
Anses recommends picking up frozen food at the end of your shop and putting it away quickly. Follow the storage instructions on the product.
These pointers relate to the specific products and information mentioned, not every ice cream sold by each brand or retailer.
One to consider if the Fairtrade label matters more to you than a classic ice lolly.
One to look at if a chocolate-coated ice lolly is your priority.
A retailer where you can compare ice lolly formats and check the listing for Ben & Jerry’s Cookie Dough tub.
A retailer where you can check the labels displayed on the packaging of relevant products.
Check the packaging or listing for the exact product and see which ingredients the Fairtrade/Max Havelaar label applies to. For the Ben & Jerry’s Cookie Dough tub listed by Carrefour, the Fairtrade ingredients are sourced alongside non-certified ingredients on a mass-balance basis. This doesn’t mean that every ingredient in the tub is certified.
No. Rainforest Alliance and Fairtrade/Max Havelaar are separate certifications. Magnum France says Classic x4 contains Rainforest Alliance-certified cocoa. If you require Fairtrade, look for that label on the ice cream you’re considering.
Buy it once your freezer is ready, ideally at the end of your shop. Anses recommends picking up frozen food at the end of your shopping to minimise breaks in the cold chain. Then follow the storage instructions on the product.
Read the ingredients list on the packaging: DGCCRF says allergenic ingredients must be highlighted. Also check any ‘may contain’ statements for the recipe you’ve chosen, rather than relying on the flavour or brand alone.