Choosing most eco-friendly Christmas chocolate
What would Christmas be without chocolate treats? If you want to make them eco-friendly, there are a few things to consider – not least how the cocoa beans were farmed.
An astounding 70 per cent of the world’s cocoa is produced in West Africa, where it’s the main source of income for around 1.5 million small farms.
That’s why it’s a good idea to check if chocolate is Fairtrade, which ensures farmers are properly paid and able to farm sustainably, protecting forests.
This is crucial to the unique animals that live there, like chimpanzees, and combatting global climate change.
Also, look out for Rainforest Alliance certification. It means the cocoa beans were grown using methods that prevent deforestation.
If you can, organic chocolate is worth paying for, as it’s been made without the chemicals that harm the soil and vital wildlife, like bees.
There are also alternatives to milk chocolate, which contains dairy.
Plant-based alternatives to milk – made from things like oats and nuts – have a lower carbon footprint and are produced using less water.
Even big brands, like Cadbury and Galaxy, now offer creamy and tasty plant-based chocolate.
Not all brands are going to tick every box, but here are some sustainable ones to look out for:
Tony’s Chocolonely makes yummy chocolate bars – while also paying cocoa farmers fairly and training them to use environmental techniques.
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Aldi has partnered with Tony Chocolonely to launch its new Fairtrade chocolate bar Choco Changer.
Divine is free from palm oil, 100 per cent Fairtrade and co-owned by Ghanaian cocoa farmers.
One of the first certified organic chocolate brands in the UK, Green & Blacks’ range is also Fair Trade. Like Divine, some of its mouth-watering range is dairy-free.
NOMO stands for ‘No Missing Out’. Perfect for those with allergies, this tasty chocolate is dairy, gluten, egg and nut free. It’s also Rainforest Alliance certified.
Finally, watch out for singleuse plastic in Christmas chocolates. Some brands’ festive treats have more weight in packaging than actual yummy contents. Make sure it’s the other way round.
Also, look at what the packaging’s made from. Any plasticbased or coated packaging ends up in landfill, where it can take hundreds of years to break down. Things to avoid include plastic trays and cases. Overpackaged chocolate tends to cost extra too. Why would you want to pay more for less chocolate?