Australians love chocolate – in fact, according to Statistica we are set to munch our way through an average of 7.7kg of chocolate each in 2024, which amounts to an estimated spend of around $240 per person. The ABS also recently reported that we get more energy from chocolate than any other discretionary food.
Easter is an especially busy time of year for chocolate retailers, as a tempting range of bunnies, eggs and chocolate-filled hampers come on the market, bringing with it a spike in chocolate sales.
The good news is that in recent years there’s been an increase in consumer demand for ethical and sustainable production methods
But behind the Easter packaging and colourful foil wrapping there’s a dark side. Around 70% of the world’s cocoa comes from West Africa. It’s estimated that more than 1.56 million children and young people under the age of 18 work as labourers in cacao farming in Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana alone. This number is estimated to have increased 15–20% during the pandemic.
Some of these children are trafficked; many are working under harmful labour conditions. And it’s the cocoa they produce that ends up in the chocolate we eat.
The good news is that in recent years there’s been an increase in consumer demand for ethical and sustainable production methods, which has resulted in growth of certified chocolate products – including ethical Easter eggs.
Due to the uptick in consumer concern around climate change, sustainable agriculture and working conditions for small-scale farmers, more brands have been entering the ethical market, putting independent programs in place or independently certifying their chocolate products.
As consumer awareness increases, some retailers such as Aldi, Coles and Woolworths have also introduced their own certified chocolate and cocoa offerings.
What’s considered ethical might be different for different people. For the purposes of this article, we’re applying the term to those chocolate products that have been certified by one of the primary certification bodies available in Australia: Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade, or Cocoa Horizons.
While certification may not be perfect, it is often a positive step towards sustainability, especially when included as a part of other initiatives.
Certified chocolate and Easter eggs
So as Easter rolls around again, which brands have certified chocolate options available?
Aldi’s Dairy Fine, Choceur and Moser Roth chocolate ranges are Rainforest Alliance- or Fairtrade-certified.
Bennetto Natural Foods Co is B Corp-Certified, works with charitable partners and offsets their carbon emissions. Their chocolate is Fairtrade-certified, organic, vegan and gluten free.
Chocolatier Australia‘s chocolate eggs are Rainforest Alliance-certified.
Coles own brand cocoa products are Fairtrade- and Rainforest Alliance/UTZ-certified. They also use certification schemes such as Cocoa Horizons to reduce their impact on the environment.
Darrell Lea sources 100% of its cocoa from sustainable sources through a partnership with Cocoa Horizons.
Ferrero has 100% independently certified fairtrade cocoa in their chocolate products, with certifications from Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance and Cocoa Horizons.
Haigh’s sources 80% of its cocoa from Rainforest Alliance-certified farms.
Koko Black sustainably sources its cocoa through Cocoa Horizons.
Lindt sources all of its cocoa through the Rainforest Alliance certification program as of 2026. They also have their own farming programs in place to help reduce harm in their supply chains.
Nestle has their own Cocoa Plan and in Australia all the cocoa they use in local production is Rainforest Alliance-certified. This can be found in KitKat, MilkyBar and Aero bars.
Pico chocolate blocks are Fairtrade-certified, vegan and organic.
Whittakers’ Ghanaian cacao beans are 100% Rainforest Alliance-certified – you’ll find this logo on chocolate that contains these beans.
Woolworths’Homebrand chocolate blocks are certified by Rainforest Alliance/UTZ.
Mondelez (Cadbury), Mars and Hershey have their own programs in place to reduce harm in their cocoa supply chains, although this ethically and sustainably sourced cocoa may not be in all products.
Advocacy coalition Be Slavery Free works with a number of universities and NGOs to produce an annual Chocolate Scorecard, which is released prior to Easter and can help inform your buying decisions.
This list rates the most sustainable chocolate brands and Easter eggs against a number of categories, including deforestation, environmental impacts and climate action, child labour, traceability and transparency in supply chains, and living income for workers.
“The Chocolate Scorecard is immensely helpful in showing where a huge number of companies are in their journey to sustainability,” says Antonie Fountain of the VOICE Network, a watchdog and catalyst for a reformed cocoa sector.
The scorecard captures 90% of the global chocolate industry, and from 2023 the scorecard has also ranked retailers such as Kmart, Aldi, Costco and David Jones.
The Scorecard and awards have helped encourage progress in the chocolate industry, with some brands vying to do better
Each year Be Slavery Free also announces winners of a Good Egg Award and Rotten Egg Award. These awards reflect innovation in sustainability practices, or lack thereof. The 2026 Good Egg Awards were topped by Tony’s Chocolonely, with Mars winning the Gender Award recognising its work for supporting gender equality and reductions in child labour.
Mondelēz (Cadbury), was given the Bad Egg award due to a lack of transparency after failing to share any information for the awards.
Fuzz Kitto, Co Director at Be Slavery Free says the Chocolate Scorecard is a helpful tool for shoppers.
“Consumers are being asked to swallow record chocolate prices, and shrinking products. The least they expect is chocolate free from slavery. The Chocolate Scorecard will help shoppers make smart purchases this Easter.”
The Scorecard and awards have helped encourage progress in the chocolate industry, with some brands vying to do better.
For example In 2020, Godiva received a Rotten Egg Award for “failing to take responsibility for the conditions with which its chocolates are made despite making huge profits”. But the brand now states they are dedicated to “a sustainable and thriving cocoa industry where farmers prosper, communities are empowered, human rights are respected, and the environment is conserved” – although there are still improvements to be made.
Overall, 2026’s findings have shown improvements in transparency across the industry, with 82% of companies sharing data on child labour
Nestle has also made progress in its practices, rising into the top 5 on the Scorecard in 2026. Lindt has risen from 20th in 2025 to 13th this year, while Mars and Ferrero have both dropped in the rankings.
Overall, 2026’s findings have shown improvements in transparency across the industry, with 82% of companies sharing data on child labour, compared to 45% in 2023. However there are still improvements to be made on deforestation, use of harmful pesticides and lifting farmers out of poverty.
“We can see that consumers are looking to make informed decisions and expect companies to act in an ethical way to eliminate child labour and to produce chocolate in a way that is sustainable for the planet,” says Andrew Wallis, CEO of Unseen, a UK charity working to eradicate human trafficking and modern slavery.
“Companies are responding to that. Normal people like you and me are making a difference and causing companies to change.”
Wendy Evans is a Verifier with the Editing and verification team. Wendy is driven by the hunt for truth and creating positive change. She has worked on investigations such as the Takata airbag scandal and exploding Thermomixes.
Prior to CHOICE, Wendy worked as a writer and researcher, developing skills in scientific methods, statistics and data analysis.
Wendy has a Masters in Research and a Degree in Media and Science. LinkedIn
Wendy Evans is a Verifier with the Editing and verification team. Wendy is driven by the hunt for truth and creating positive change. She has worked on investigations such as the Takata airbag scandal and exploding Thermomixes.
Prior to CHOICE, Wendy worked as a writer and researcher, developing skills in scientific methods, statistics and data analysis.
Wendy has a Masters in Research and a Degree in Media and Science. LinkedIn
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