When it comes to buying your Easter chocolate, it’s important to look past the cute shapes and shiny packaging, as your brand choice can have more of an impact than you realize.
Although chocolate can never be described as completely ‘guilt-free’, it is within your power to choose chocolate brands that support sustainable production and ethical labour standards. Here are 6 top tips to inform your Easter treat hunting. Even if you can’t find a brand that meets all of these criteria, having some is better than none!
1. Fairtrade
Always check for the Fairtrade certification logo on the packaging. This certification ensures that the Fairtrade organization has audited the cocoa farms and traders to ensure that they are maintaining ethical procedures within the entire supply chain. The association guarantees that farmers are getting a secure, stable minimum price and that workers through every stage of the supply chain have been paid fair wages.
Top tip: The Cadbury Dairy Milk range carries Fairtrade certification.
2. Certified organic
Organic cocoa beans haven’t been sprayed with harmful pesticides and are generally non-GMO (genetically modified organisms); better for your body and for the environment.
3. UTZ Certified
UTZ certification shows consumers that products have been sourced in a sustainable manner. To become certified, all UTZ suppliers have to follow a Code of Conduct, which offers expert guidance on better farming methods, working conditions and care for nature:
- Climate-smart cocoa farming
- Reducing deforestation
- Improving biodiversity and land conservation
- Supporting the wellbeing of small communities
UTZ Certified brands include: De Villiers Artisan Chocolate (available at Woolworths), NOMU.
4. Palm oil-free
Palm oil (which is often listed as vegetable oil and other names) is found in many chocolates. Palm-oil production is associated with habitat devastation, deforestation, increased greenhouse gas emissions and displacement of communities. Where possible, look for chocolates that don’t contain any palm oil.
5. Go local
Even if the cocoa itself hasn’t come from local sources, choosing ethical chocolate that has been made locally means supporting your local economy and reducing your carbon footprint. And during the lockdown period, we need to support our smaller suppliers!
6. Choose waste-free
Along with considering what your Easter chocs are made of, it’s also important to consider how much waste is produced by the packaging. Try to choose treats with less packaging or opt for recyclable packaging to reduce the amount of waste being sent to landfill.
You may find yourself thinking: “How can one small consumer make a difference?”. The answer: You can. Consumer behaviour drives demand, and by increasing the demand for ethical options, we all have the power to promote more sustainable solutions. And all the better if you can feel you are doing the world a favour while eating chocolate, right?!
For more information and guidance on ethical consumption, visit the Ethical Consumer website.