Who are these options for?

Coffee drinkers who compare sugar content carefully

You’re looking for a chocolate biscuit with a low ‘of which sugars’ value and don’t want to rely on words such as ‘zero’ alone.

Fans of a soft mini cake with their coffee

You’d like something with chocolate to enjoy with your coffee, but would rather have a soft mini cake than a crunchy biscuit.

Shoppers looking for crunchy biscuits without chocolate

You’re mainly looking for a biscuit with no added sugars and don’t mind whether it contains chocolate.

What should you look for when choosing?

When comparing a biscuit or mini cake to enjoy with your coffee, first check the sugar claim against the ‘of which sugars’ value per 100 g and per serving. Then decide which type of product you want and check the ingredients that matter to you.

What to consider What to check Who it matters to
Sugar claim and sugar content Read the exact claim and compare the ‘of which sugars’ value per 100 g and per serving. According to the Voedingscentrum, ‘no added sugars’ doesn’t mean a product contains no sugars. I want to know how much sugar my biscuit contains, even if the packaging says ‘no added sugars’. For around 42% of consumers, sugar content is the deciding factor.
Chocolate and product type Check whether you’re buying a biscuit coated in chocolate, a soft cake with chocolate pieces or a biscuit with no chocolate. I want chocolate with my coffee, but prefer to choose between a crunchy biscuit and a soft mini cake. For around 33% of consumers, chocolate and texture come first.
Ingredients and serving size Check the sweeteners, allergens, serving size and any warnings on the current packaging. If I’m watching the ingredients or my portion size, I want to be able to assess them before choosing a biscuit or mini cake. For around 25% of consumers, this is the most important consideration.

Common mistakes

  • Taking ‘no added sugars’ to mean ‘sugar-free’

    A product may still contain sugars. Albert Heijn lists Verkade San Francisco Zero, a biscuit with no added sugars, as containing 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g.

    Always check the ‘of which sugars’ value in the nutritional information alongside the claim, both per 100 g and per serving.

  • Looking only at sugar content

    A low sugar value doesn’t automatically mean a low energy value. Jumbo lists Céréal Choco Delight Puur as containing 0.5 g of sugars and 427 kcal per 100 g, and Céréal Mini Cakes as containing 0 g of sugars and 367 kcal per 100 g.

    Compare the energy value per serving too, and check the rest of the nutritional information.

  • Overlooking sweeteners and warnings

    The Céréal products mentioned contain polyols. For Verkade San Francisco Zero, Albert Heijn notes that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.

    Read the ingredients list and any warnings on the packaging, even if the sugar value is low.

Brands to consider

Céréal

Choco Delight Puur is a biscuit coated in chocolate, while Mini Cakes Stukjes Chocolade is a soft mini cake. The type of product you prefer is an important difference between the two.

  • Jumbo lists Choco Delight Puur as containing 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g and Mini Cakes Stukjes Chocolade as containing 0 g per 100 g.
  • Both products contain polyols; check the allergens and nutritional information per serving too.

Verkade

San Francisco Zero is a crunchy biscuit for anyone who doesn’t need chocolate in their biscuit.

  • Verkade describes San Francisco Zero as a biscuit with no added sugars.
  • It isn’t a chocolate biscuit. Albert Heijn lists it as containing 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g and includes a warning that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.

Lotus Biscoff

Original Speculoos is a standard speculoos biscuit to enjoy with coffee, not a chocolate biscuit with a low sugar value.

  • An option if you’re specifically looking for speculoos to enjoy with your coffee.
  • Lotus Bakeries Nederland lists Original Speculoos as containing 38.1 g of sugars per 100 g.

Products on Joybuy

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Does ‘no added sugars’ mean the same as ‘sugar-free’?

No. According to the Voedingscentrum, a product with no added sugars may still contain sugars that occur naturally. So check the ‘of which sugars’ value in the nutritional information; Albert Heijn lists Verkade San Francisco Zero as containing 1.7 g per 100 g.

Is a chocolate biscuit with little sugar also low in energy?

Not necessarily. Jumbo lists Céréal Choco Delight Puur as containing 0.5 g of sugars and 427 kcal per 100 g. Compare the energy value per serving separately from the sugar value.

Why is there sometimes a warning about a laxative effect?

This warning may relate to polyols used as sweeteners. For Verkade San Francisco Zero, Albert Heijn notes that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect; check the warning and ingredients list on the packaging.

Which allergens should I check in these Céréal products?

It varies by product. The product information for Choco Delight Puur lists egg, milk, oats, soya and wheat; the information for Mini Cakes lists egg and wheat, and notes that it may also contain, among other things, nuts, hazelnuts and soya. Always check the current packaging of the variant you choose before buying.