If Fairtrade is a must for your village fête, choose an ice cream whose exact packaging carries the Fairtrade/Max Havelaar mark, rather than relying on its chocolate coating or brand name. Individually wrapped ice lollies make distribution easier. A tub can also work if you can organise serving, keep the ice cream cold and make allergen information available.
You want to be able to explain to volunteers and attendees what the certification covers. Fairtrade/Max Havelaar France says that an arrow on the label of a composite product, such as ice cream, directs you to further information on the back of the pack.
You need to serve portions to lots of people with minimal handling. Individually wrapped ice lollies mean you don’t have to portion out a tub, as long as you can keep them at the stated temperature until they’re served.
You’re offering ice cream to a varied crowd, so keep the packaging for each recipe handy. That way, attendees can check the ingredients and allergen information for themselves.
For a village fête, the right format depends both on how important the Fairtrade mark is to you and how you plan to serve the ice cream.
Choose this: if you want to hand out individual portions and Fairtrade is a must.
Bear in mind: check the certification on the exact pack before describing the ice lollies as Fairtrade.
Choose this: if the Fairtrade mark matters more than an ice-lolly format and you have a team who can serve it with a scoop.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to serve portions on site. Monoprix’s listing for the 414 g tub of Ben & Jerry’s Vanille Pecan Blondie describes it as a Fairtrade product, but it isn’t an individually wrapped ice lolly.
Choose this: if individually portioned treats are the priority and Fairtrade/Max Havelaar certification isn’t essential.
Remember: a chocolate coating alone isn’t enough to describe these ice lollies as Fairtrade.
| Criterion | What to check | Who is this for? |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade certification | Look for Fairtrade/Max Havelaar on the exact pack. If the mark includes an arrow, read the information on the back about the ingredients and their traceability, as advised by Fairtrade/Max Havelaar France. | I want to explain to attendees what the label guarantees, rather than relying on the brand name alone; around 39% of consumers would make this their top check. |
| Serving and keeping the ice cream cold | Choose a format that suits your serving arrangements and cold-storage capacity. Follow the storage temperature shown on the packaging. | When several people are waiting, I’d rather hand out portions without having to scoop them, while keeping everything cold; around 38% of consumers would prioritise this approach. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the ingredients list for each recipe and keep its packaging available and easy to read while you’re serving. | If I’m offering several flavours, I need to be able to show the ingredients for the product each attendee is given; around 23% of consumers would put this information first. |
A different cocoa certification doesn’t prove that an ice cream carries the Fairtrade/Max Havelaar mark. The listing for Magnum Bonbon Chocolat Blanc & Cookie mentions Rainforest Alliance cocoa under a mass balance system. This is a separate claim.
Before describing any ice cream as Fairtrade, check the mark on the pack you’ve chosen and read the accompanying information.
The DGCCRF advises that rising temperatures speed up microbial growth and can make food unsafe.
Check your cold-storage and transport capacity, then take the ice lollies out as you serve them, following the instructions on the packaging.
Poor transport or storage may mean products have to be taken out of distribution.
Ingredients and allergen information can vary from one recipe to another. The DGCCRF states that allergens in prepacked foods must be clearly emphasised on the label.
Keep the packaging for every product and let attendees check the information for the ice cream you’re offering them.
The DGCCRF says you need permission from the relevant local council to sell in a public place. Holding a local fête doesn’t exempt you from this requirement.
If your stall will be selling ice cream in a public place, ask the council whether the event’s permission covers your sale and what conditions apply to your stall.
Worth considering if a tub of Fairtrade ice cream could work instead of ice lollies at your event.
A range to explore if ice-lolly or mini formats are important for handing out portions.
A retailer where you can compare ice-lolly formats before planning how to hand them out.
Not necessarily. For ice cream made with several ingredients, Fairtrade/Max Havelaar France says that a mark accompanied by an arrow points to further information on the back of the pack. Read it to find out which ingredients and what type of traceability are covered for the product you’ve chosen.
For sales in a public place in France, the DGCCRF says you need permission from the relevant local council. Check with the council whether the event’s permission covers your stall and what local conditions apply to sales and serving.
Keep them cold during the journey and follow the storage temperature shown on the packaging. The DGCCRF advises that rising temperatures speed up microbial growth, so plan transport and serving to minimise the time the ice lollies spend out of the freezer.
Keep the packaging for every ice cream you hand out, so you can show the ingredients list for the flavour in question. In France, the DGCCRF states that allergens in prepacked foods must be clearly emphasised on the label. Don’t assume that two recipes from the same brand have the same allergen information.