Who is this choice relevant to?

People with a known food allergy

You need to avoid a specific allergen. Compare the ingredients and any cross-contamination warnings on the current packaging with the advice that applies to you.

People who need to avoid gluten or wheat

If you have coeliac disease, choosing a biscuit explicitly labelled gluten-free is an important starting point, according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. If you have a wheat allergy, check the wheat information separately. In both cases, look out for any other allergens that are relevant to you.

People buying for someone else

A familiar-looking pack or a layer of dark chocolate doesn’t tell you enough about the ingredients in the whole biscuit. Check the pack you’ve bought before giving the product to that person.

What should you look for when choosing?

Start with the allergen that needs to be avoided, then read the warnings and, if necessary, check separately whether the biscuit is labelled gluten-free.

What to look for What to check when buying Who it matters most to
Avoiding a known allergen Compare the ingredients list and highlighted allergens on the current packaging with the allergen you need to avoid. Look out for ingredients such as milk powder and soya lecithin too. If I need to avoid milk or soya, I want to know what’s in both the biscuit and the chocolate coating. Around 42% of consumers put avoiding a known allergen first.
Assessing cross-contamination Read warnings such as ‘may contain’ alongside the ingredients list. If you’re unsure what a warning means for your allergy, follow your healthcare professional’s advice. Even if my allergen isn’t an ingredient, a warning may affect my choice. For around 33% of consumers, assessing cross-contamination is the deciding factor.
Avoiding gluten or wheat If you need to avoid gluten, look for a ‘gluten-free’ label or the Crossed Grain symbol, as recommended by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. If you have a wheat allergy, also check the wheat information and read about the other allergens. When I need to avoid gluten, I first look for a biscuit with a clear gluten-free label. For around 25% of consumers, this is their first priority.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming dark chocolate means dairy-free

    The type of chocolate doesn’t tell you what’s in the whole biscuit. For AH Zaans huisje dark chocolate, Albert Heijn lists, among other things, milk ingredients and milk as an allergen.

    Read the full ingredients and allergen information, even if the front of the pack says ‘dark’.

  • Stopping your checks at ‘gluten-free’

    A gluten-free label tells you nothing about other allergens. Jumbo’s product information for Schär Digestive Landtaler Glutenvrij lists soya and a warning that lupin and egg may be present; this product is not a chocolate-coated biscuit.

    Use ‘gluten-free’ as a filter when avoiding gluten, then check for other allergens and warnings.

  • Ignoring a cross-contamination warning

    According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, this type of warning indicates that an allergen may be present unintentionally. The warning still matters even if the allergen isn’t listed as an ingredient.

    Follow the advice that applies to your allergy when deciding how to respond to a warning. If you’re unsure, don’t set your own safety threshold.

  • Relying on a previous purchase

    Albert Heijn says that product and allergy information can change. The same product name or packaging is no substitute for checking the current label.

    Read the packaging again every time you buy, even if you’ve bought the biscuit before.

Brands to consider

Lotus Biscoff

Lotus Bakeries provides ingredient information for Lotus Speculoos with chocolate.

  • The information for this specific product lists wheat, milk and soya, so you can check for these ingredients specifically.
  • This product isn’t suitable if you need to avoid any of these allergens. Its ingredients don’t tell you about all other Lotus products.

Albert Heijn

The own-brand range includes chocolate-coated biscuits, with product information available for each item.

  • For AH Zaans huisje dark chocolate, Albert Heijn lists milk, cereals containing gluten, soya and wheat, among other ingredients.
  • For the same product, barley, oats and hazelnuts are listed as possibly present. Albert Heijn advises checking the packaging, as information can change.

Jumbo

Jumbo lists several types of chocolate biscuits in its range.

  • You can check the product information for each item rather than relying on the type of chocolate.
  • Jumbo says it cannot rule out cross-contamination with other allergens for certain products packaged in store.

Sondey

Lidl Netherlands presents Sondey as a brand of biscuits and snacks, and describes chocolate biscuits with milk or dark chocolate.

  • The chocolate options listed can help you identify the right product on the packaging.
  • The fact that Lidl also lists vegan products under this brand doesn’t automatically make a particular chocolate biscuit suitable for someone with a food allergy.

Biscotto

ALDI Netherlands describes Biscotto chocolate biscuits as butter biscuits coated in dark, white or milk chocolate.

  • You can tell the different varieties apart by their type of chocolate and biscuit.
  • Don’t assume a variety is suitable for an allergy based on its name. Check the ingredients, allergens and warnings on the packaging.

Related products on Joybuy

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Is a biscuit with dark chocolate automatically dairy-free?

No. For AH Zaans huisje dark chocolate, Albert Heijn lists milk ingredients and milk as an allergen. Check the current packaging of the product you want to buy.

What does ‘may contain’ mean on packaging?

According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, it’s a warning that the named allergen may be present unintentionally due to cross-contamination. Whether you can use a product with this warning depends on the advice for your allergy.

Is a gluten-free biscuit also free from other allergens?

No. ‘Gluten-free’ doesn’t tell you whether a product contains other allergens, such as soya or egg. For Schär Digestive Landtaler Glutenvrij, Jumbo lists soya and the possible presence of egg and lupin. If you have a wheat allergy, also check separately that the product is suitable for your needs.

Should I check the label again when buying the same product?

Yes, check the packaging of the product you’re actually buying. Albert Heijn says that ingredients and allergy information can change, even if the product looks familiar.