Rating our Easter chocolate

Making ethical chocolate choices this Easter will make a difference to vulnerable children and families around the world.

BY FAY FOSTER

On average, Australians have been found to consume around 32 kilograms of chocolate each year. And at Easter, they spend around $62 on chocolate products.

But how do we know whether the chocolate we are buying is ‘good’ or ‘bad’? Which chocolates are made with the most ethical processes?

Seventy-five per cent of the world’s chocolate is made with cocoa produced in West Africa – especially Cote D’Ivoire and Ghana – where wages are low and children are often used as free labour. Chocolate-producing companies have been strongly encouraged to ensure that their production processes protect women and children, do not disadvantage workers and do not damage the environment.

The scorecard

In April 2025, the organisation Be Slavery Free published its sixth annual Chocolate Scorecard. Put together by researchers at Macquarie University, University of Wollongong and Open University UK, the scorecard ranks chocolate manufacturers according to a range of criteria.

The questions asked of chocolate companies attempted to measure the traceability and transparency of acquisition processes (where the chocolate was made), levels of deforestation and climate impact, agroforestry (re-greening), use of harmful pesticides, disempowerment of women, the use of child labour, and ensuring a living income to those who work in the cocoa industry.

A living income has been defined as “the net annual income required for a household in a particular place to afford a decent standard of living for all members of that household. Elements of a decent standard of living include food, water, housing, education, healthcare, transport, clothing, and other essential needs including provision for unexpected events.”

Macquarie University’s Professor John Dumay has stated that “the fact that all the major cocoa companies are [now] working with advocacy groups like the Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade and Be Slavery Free shows that progress is being made.” He cites the example of Nestlé, which has increased its percentage of cocoa ethically sourced through its Nestlé Cocoa Plan from 30 per cent when Professor Dumay started researching the company, to 85 per cent in 2025 (Quoted by Andy Kollmorgen in Choice).

The ‘good eggs’

So – who are the winners in this current scorecard? The top 10 companies (worldwide) for ethical chocolate production are:

1. Tony’s Chocolonely

2. HALBA

3. Cemoi

4. Ritter Sport

5. Nestlé (includes KitKat, Milky Bar, Aero, Smarties, Milo, Crunch, Rolo, Peppermint Crisp and Chokito)

6. Whittakers

7. Mars Wrigley (includes Mars Bar, Bounty, Maltesers, Snickers and Twix)

8. Hersheys

9. Lindt & Sprüngli

10. Ferrero (includes Nutella, Kinder and Ferrero Rocher)

The first five of these companies are based in Europe (The Netherlands, Switzerland, France, Germany and Switzerland, respectively); Whittakers is based in New Zealand, Mars Wrigley and Hersheys in the USA, Lindt in Switzerland and Ferrero in Italy.

Several of these companies also have factories in Australia. Some of the products might be hard to find, or available only online; but most can be easily found in our major and local supermarkets.

When you’re looking for Easter surprises this year, you can buy from these companies knowing that they are leading the way in ethical production, helping to keep workers safe and able to meet their needs, and safeguarding our Earth as well.

For more information on the Chocolate Scorecard, click here.