If you want to take one bar with you
You’re looking for a chocolatey snack for one occasion and prefer an individual bar to a larger pack of biscuits.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Biscuit lover with coeliac disease
You want the texture of a biscuit or wafer with chocolate, but need to distinguish gluten-free options from regular products containing wheat or gluten.
If you also check for other allergens
As well as a gluten-free claim, you may need to look out for milk, soya, egg, peanuts or nuts. A gluten-free claim alone doesn’t tell you whether these are present.
What should you look for when choosing?
When choosing a chocolatey biscuit, cookie or wafer snack for coeliac disease, check the current gluten-free claim before considering the shape and texture. Then compare the number of portions and check for any other allergens.
| What to look for | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free claim | Look for “gluten-free” on the current packaging, and check for ingredients containing gluten and the warning “not suitable for people with coeliac disease”. | If I’m buying for someone with coeliac disease, I don’t want to rely on a chocolate coating or the word biscuit in the product name. Around 40% of consumers put checking suitability first. |
| One portion | Compare the net weight with the number of bars or portions; Schär Maxi Break is listed by Albert Heijn as a 38 g bar, while the AH Glutenvrij Mueslireep chocolade states that a 125 g pack contains five portions. | For one break, I want to be able to choose an individual snack without opening a pack containing multiple portions. For around 30% of consumers, a single-serving format is the main priority. |
| Biscuit or wafer texture | Distinguish between a wafer bar, chocolate biscuits, a muesli bar and chocolate with crispy cereals. | If I’m specifically looking for a biscuit-like bite, a crispy chocolate bar isn’t automatically the same thing. Texture comes first for around 20% of consumers. |
| Other allergens | Read the ingredients and any “may contain” statements on the current packaging. | I also need to avoid an allergen other than gluten, which could rule out a snack that would otherwise be suitable. Around 10% of consumers give this extra check top priority. |
Common mistakes
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Choosing a regular biscuit because it’s chocolate-coated or individually wrapped
Lotus Biscoff says its individually wrapped Sandwich Cookies contain gluten; Verkade lists wheat flour in its Maria biscuits. The shape or packaging therefore tells you nothing about whether a product is gluten-free.
First look for a current gluten-free claim, then read the ingredients and warnings.
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Assuming “bar” means “one portion”
According to Albert Heijn, AH Glutenvrij Mueslireep chocolade comes in a 125 g pack containing five portions. That’s different from an individual bar for one snack break.
Check the number of items and portions if you specifically want one bar.
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Skipping checks for other allergens after checking for gluten
Schär lists milk and soya in Maxi Break, and says it may contain egg and nuts. Gluten-free doesn’t mean a product is free from other allergens too.
Check the ingredients and warnings on the version you’re actually buying.
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Relying on packaging you’ve seen before
Albert Heijn points out that ingredient and allergen information can change. A previous purchase is no substitute for checking the current label.
Read the packaging in front of you before eating the product, even if you already know it.
Brands to consider
Schär
Schär offers a range of gluten-free biscuits, cakes and wafers; Maxi Break is relevant here as a 38 g chocolate wafer bar.
- Schär describes Maxi Break as gluten-free and wheat-free.
- The bar contains milk and soya, and may contain egg and nuts. A wafer bar isn’t a classic biscuit.
AH Glutenvrij
The own-brand range includes chocolate muesli bars and biscuits.
- Albert Heijn describes its chocolate muesli bar as gluten-free and made in a completely gluten-free environment.
- The pack contains five portions, rather than one individual bar. The muesli bar contains soya and may contain milk, peanuts and nuts.
Verkade
Ingredients vary across the different product ranges.
- Verkade describes Oaties Melkchocolade as gluten-free and lists gluten-free oats and gluten-free oat flour.
- This claim doesn’t apply to all Verkade biscuits: according to Verkade, Maria biscuits contain wheat flour. Oaties is also a biscuit product, not an individual bar.
CRUNCH (Nestlé)
Jumbo describes CRUNCH Melkchocolade reep as milk chocolate with crispy gluten-free cereals.
- An option if crispy cereals are an acceptable alternative to a biscuit or wafer.
- Check the current packaging for a gluten-free claim, ingredients and portion size; the description doesn’t confirm a biscuit texture or an individual portion.
Lotus Biscoff
A familiar biscuit brand that shows why individual packaging alone isn’t enough if you have coeliac disease.
- Lotus Biscoff describes its Sandwich Cookies as individually wrapped.
- According to Lotus Biscoff, these Sandwich Cookies contain gluten, milk and soya; don’t choose them as a gluten-free option.
Joybuy products
Related products will be available soon.
Frequently asked questions
When can a food be labelled “gluten-free”?
According to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, the claim “gluten-free” may only be used if the food, as sold to the final consumer, contains no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten. Check the current packaging when buying, and take a “not suitable for people with coeliac disease” warning seriously.
Is an individually wrapped or vegan biscuit suitable if you have coeliac disease?
Not on the basis of those qualities alone. For example, Lotus Biscoff says that its individually wrapped Sandwich Cookies contain gluten. If you have coeliac disease, check the gluten-free claim and the warnings on the current packaging separately.
Should I check for other allergens in a gluten-free chocolate snack?
Yes, if other allergens are relevant to you. For example, Schär lists milk and soya in Maxi Break and says it may contain egg and nuts. So check the ingredients and “may contain” information for the version you’ve chosen.
Can I rely on ingredient information from a previous purchase?
It’s best to check the packaging of the product you’re about to eat each time. Albert Heijn warns that ingredient and allergen information can change, even if you’ve bought the product before.