At-home snackers looking for a larger pack
If you’re serving biscuits with coffee or tea, or to guests at home, check the pack size and number of biscuits. This will help you decide whether the pack suits the way you plan to serve them.
Who are these biscuits for?
Shoppers who want biscuits to take with them
For journeys, work or a lunchbox, it’s worth checking for individually wrapped portions. Check the pack to see how many biscuits are in each portion; a mention of several biscuits doesn’t necessarily mean they’re individually wrapped.
Shoppers who read labels carefully
If ingredients, allergens or nutritional values are key to your choice, compare the exact varieties. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends comparing nutritional values per 100 g; also read the ingredients and allergen information on the pack.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether you’re looking for a plain biscuit with a chocolate coating, a portion to take with you or a filled biscuit. Then compare the labels of products that suit the same occasion.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Ingredients and allergens | For the exact variety, read the ingredients list, allergen information and, if provided, any warning about possible cross-contamination. | If I need to avoid an ingredient, I want to know first whether I can eat this biscuit. This is the top priority for around 25% of consumers. |
| Nutritional values | Compare sugars, saturated fat and fibre per 100 g; use the portion information too to see how it fits your own snacking occasion. | If you’re choosing between biscuits with different labels, you’ll want to compare their nutritional values on the same basis. Around 25% of consumers give this comparison top priority. |
| Packaging and occasion | Check how many biscuits are packed together and what the storage instructions say once the pack is open. | When I’m out and about, I want to take a portion with me without opening the whole pack; convenience matters most to around 25% of consumers. |
| Chocolate coating or filling | Check whether it’s a biscuit with a chocolate coating or one with an extra filling, and compare the net weight and number of biscuits. | If I fancy a filled biscuit, a thin chocolate coating won’t satisfy the same craving. This product format is the most important distinction for around 25% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming ‘dark chocolate’ tells you about allergens
The Lotus Biscoff variety with dark chocolate and the Jumbo Digestive Biscuit Pure Chocolade described by Jumbo also list milk, wheat or gluten, and soya. The type of chocolate therefore doesn’t tell you which allergens are in the whole biscuit.
When buying, check the allergen information for the exact variety, including any warning about possible cross-contamination.
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Comparing nutritional values per portion only
A portion in one pack may contain a different number of biscuits from a portion in another. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, comparing values per 100 g makes differences in portion size less significant.
Use the values per 100 g to compare products, then check the stated portion size to see what suits your own snacking occasion.
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Assuming an online listing means it’s available in store
A product may be sold through a different shopping channel from the one you expect. For example, Lidl Netherlands lists Sondey Chocobiscuits as available in store only.
Before you shop, check that the product listing, your store and the variety you want all match.
Brands to consider
Lotus Biscoff
Speculoos biscuits with a chocolate coating, for anyone looking for a different biscuit base from a standard tea biscuit. Jumbo described varieties with milk and dark chocolate in packs containing portions of several biscuits.
- Check the number of biscuits per portion if you want to take them with you.
- The chocolate varieties described list milk, wheat or gluten, and soya; check the label of the variety you choose.
AH
Albert Heijn’s own-brand range includes sugar-topped biscuits with a milk or dark chocolate coating. Albert Heijn describes both varieties as having a 27% chocolate coating.
- Choosing between milk and dark chocolate keeps the biscuit format the same.
- As well as the type of chocolate, check the ingredients, allergens and nutritional values per 100 g.
Jumbo
Jumbo’s own-brand range includes Digestive Biscuit Pure Chocolade. Jumbo states that this variety has a coating of 30% dark chocolate.
- A digestive with a dark chocolate coating is a familiar product format to compare with other biscuits.
- ‘Dark chocolate’ is no substitute for checking the sugars, saturated fat and allergens on the label.
Biscotto
ALDI describes Biscotto butter biscuits with dark, white and milk chocolate in one pack of 20.
- According to ALDI, the biscuits are packed in pairs, which may be useful if you want to take them with you or share them out.
- For ingredients, allergens and nutritional values, read the pack of the product you buy.
Sondey
Lidl Netherlands lists Sondey Chocobiscuits as a 250 g product available in store only.
- The stated weight helps when comparing pack sizes.
- Check the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information on the pack in store.
Chocolate biscuits at Joybuy
These products show a range of formats: biscuit sticks, plain biscuits with milk chocolate, digestives with milk or dark chocolate, and a filled option. First choose the format that suits your occasion, then compare the exact packs.
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LU Mikado biscuit sticks with milk chocolate, 75 g
A biscuit stick for anyone looking for something different from a round biscuit to enjoy with coffee or tea.
75 g pack. If you want to take individual portions with you, check the allergens on the pack and how many sticks are wrapped together.
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LU Scholiertje biscuits with milk chocolate, 150 g
A milk chocolate biscuit to consider if you want to share or take biscuits with you.
150 g pack. Check the pack to see how many biscuits are in each portion and read the latest allergen information.
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McVitie's Digestives with milk chocolate, 266 g
A milk chocolate digestive for anyone who wants to serve or share this type of biscuit at home.
266 g pack. When choosing between digestives, compare the nutritional values per 100 g and check the allergens for this variety.
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McVitie's Digestives with dark chocolate, 266 g
A digestive for anyone specifically looking for a variety with dark chocolate.
266 g pack. Check the nutritional values and allergens for this variety separately; the word ‘dark’ doesn’t give you the full picture.
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Kahve Dunyasi Gofrik Pistachio Paste Milk Chocolate, 10 x 12,5 g
A filled chocolate biscuit for anyone looking for pistachio filling as well as biscuit and milk chocolate.
10 x 12,5 g pack. Before buying, check the full ingredients list, allergens and nutritional values on the current packaging.
Frequently asked questions
How do I compare biscuits when the packs are different sizes?
Compare the nutritional values per 100 g, then check the net weight and number of biscuits separately. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends comparing values per 100 g because portion sizes can vary between products; also make sure you’re comparing similar types of biscuits.
Do biscuits with dark chocolate automatically have different nutritional values from those with milk chocolate?
The type of chocolate alone isn’t enough to assess the nutritional values. Jumbo states that its Digestive Biscuit Pure Chocolade contains 27,4 g of sugars and 12,9 g of saturated fat per 100 g; Albert Heijn states that its sugar-topped biscuit with milk chocolate contains 35 g of sugars and 9,2 g of saturated fat per 100 g. They’re also different types of biscuit, so compare the full labels.
Can I rely on the name of a dark chocolate biscuit to tell me about allergens?
No, check the allergen information for the exact biscuit. The dark chocolate digestive and Lotus Biscoff variety described by Jumbo also list milk, wheat or gluten, and soya; if necessary, read the warning about possible cross-contamination too.
How should I store chocolate biscuits after opening?
Follow the storage instructions on the pack and seal it again as directed once opened. The product examples described include storing biscuits in a cool, dark, dry place or keeping them in a sealed tin; check which advice applies to your variety.