Who is this choice relevant to?

Shoppers with a strict sugar-free requirement

For you, ‘sugar-free’ is a specific buying requirement, not another way of saying ‘less sugar’. When choosing flakes, check both the claim and the sugars per 100 g on the pack of the exact variety.

Shoppers who want less sugar

You want to compare chocolate spreads, but don’t require them to be sugar-free. Check the nutrition information per 100 g and how much you use; ‘less sugar’ and ‘sugar-free’ don’t mean the same thing.

Shoppers looking for a different snack

You’re looking for more than a bread topping to enjoy mid-morning. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists fruit and a sandwich as possible snacks. Decide what you’d like to eat first, then work out whether you need a topping.

What should you look for when choosing?

First, decide whether your flakes really need to be sugar-free. If you’re also considering a different type of spread or snack, you can then compare taste, nutrition information and ease of use.

What to consider What should you check? Who is this important for?
Truly sugar-free Look for the ‘sugar-free’ claim and, for solid food, check that it contains no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g – the limit set by EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. If sugar-free is a must for me, I don’t want to choose flakes based on a word like ‘wholesome’ alone. Around 40% of consumers put this strict requirement first.
Less sugar Compare sugars per 100 g and per portion used; also check the rest of the nutrition information. I want to use less sugar, but don’t necessarily need a sugar-free product. For around 30% of consumers, reducing sugar is the top priority.
Type of snack Decide whether you’re looking for a topping or something to eat on its own, such as fruit or a sandwich. If I’m hungry mid-morning, I’m more likely to want a snack than just something sweet for my bread. This is the main consideration for around 20% of consumers.
Easy to choose Check the current packaging of the variety you’re picking, even if you’ve bought it before. I want to be able to choose quickly without picking up a variety with a different sugar content. For around 10% of consumers, convenience matters most.

Common mistakes

  • Reading ‘less sugar’ as ‘sugar-free’

    A product with less sugar doesn’t automatically meet the sugar-free limit of no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g for solid food, as set out in EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.

    Check the claim and the nutrition table on the exact variety you want to buy.

  • Thinking of flakes as a snack in their own right

    Flakes are primarily a spread or topping. If you’re looking for something to eat in its own right, that choice matters more than just the type of flakes.

    The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists fruit and a sandwich among the possible snack options. Before choosing a topping, consider whether one of these would be a better fit.

  • Reading only the front of the pack

    The front of the pack won’t tell you at a glance which ingredients, sugars or allergens are listed for that specific variety.

    Also read the ingredients list, allergen information and nutrition information per 100 g. If you use a small amount, check the information per portion too, where available.

Brands to consider

De Ruijter

Albert Heijn and Jumbo list De Ruijter milk, dark, white and Royaal chocolate flakes, among other varieties.

  • A range of flavours and varieties of chocolate flakes.
  • A variety name doesn’t confirm that the product is sugar-free; check the label on the pack you choose.

Venz

Venz offers crispy flakes and tiger flakes, including milk and vanilla varieties.

  • An option for comparing the flavour and texture of regular sweet spreads.
  • If you have a strict sugar-free requirement, don’t rely on the variety name: check the claim and sugar content.

Choca

Jumbo and PLUS list Choca flakes and mixed flakes in 200 g packs.

  • A regular flakes option to compare with other flavours.
  • You’ll need to check the pack and nutrition information for the specific variety to assess whether it meets a sugar-free requirement.

Albert Heijn

Albert Heijn lists its own milk, dark and mixed flakes, as well as chocolate sprinkles with less sugar in a separate lower-sugar selection.

  • You can compare regular flakes with another type of chocolate spread.
  • Chocolate sprinkles with less sugar aren’t the same product as flakes, and the wording doesn’t mean sugar-free.

Jumbo

Jumbo’s flakes range includes its own-brand varieties alongside De Ruijter, Venz and Choca.

  • You can compare several types of regular flakes within one range.
  • Being listed in the flakes range says nothing about whether an individual product carries a sugar-free claim.

Peanut butter as an alternative for bread

If you’re looking for something other than flakes for your bread, peanut butter is another type of spread to consider. This product isn’t an answer to the question of sugar-free flakes; if you have a strict sugar-free requirement, always check the sugar content of the product itself.

Calve Peanut Butter 100%, 350 g pack

Calve Peanut Butter 100% – 350 g

An alternative to flakes if you’d like peanut butter on bread or toast. This isn’t a flakes product and isn’t suitable if you have a strict sugar-free requirement. If you have allergies, check the packaging before use.

View at Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

When can flakes be called sugar-free?

Under EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, the ‘sugar-free’ claim can be used for solid food if it contains no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. Check this figure in the nutrition table for the variety you’re buying.

Are chocolate sprinkles with less sugar a substitute for sugar-free flakes?

Not if sugar-free is a must: ‘less sugar’ doesn’t confirm that a product meets the sugar-free limit. Chocolate sprinkles are also a different type of spread from flakes, so compare the labels on each product.

What can I have mid-morning instead of flakes?

If you’re not looking for a sweet topping, fruit or a sandwich are possible snacks listed by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. If you want something to spread on bread, choose that separately based on your preferences and the information on the pack.

Should I check the ingredients and allergens as well as the sugar content?

Yes. The sugar content per 100 g doesn’t tell you which ingredients or allergens a product contains. So read the ingredients list and allergen information on the specific pack; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre also says that any sweeteners used will be listed on the label.