Who is this choice relevant to?

If you’re looking for a strictly sugar-free option

You want chocolate sprinkles for your rusks that genuinely meet the ‘sugar-free’ limit. ‘Less sugar’ and ‘no added sugar’ aren’t suitable alternatives for you.

If you want to cut down on sugar

You want to keep using chocolate sprinkles, but you’re happy with a version that contains some sugar. That’s why you check the amount per 100 g, rather than relying only on the wording on the front of the pack.

If you’re buying for several colleagues

You want to be able to check the ingredients and allergens in your chosen sprinkles, as well as how to store an opened pack. That means checking the exact version that will be kept at the office.

What should you look for when buying?

First decide whether ‘sugar-free’ is a strict requirement or whether less sugar will do. For a pack that will be shared, also check the ingredients, allergens and storage instructions.

What to look for What to check when buying Who it matters most to
Genuinely sugar-free Check ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g. Under EU Regulation 1924/2006, ‘sugar-free’ may be used when a product contains no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. If sugar-free rusks are a must for me, I want to be able to check this on the label; around 40% of consumers put this requirement first.
Less sugar Compare the amount of sugars per 100 g, and if there’s a comparative claim, check which product it’s compared with. Also check the ingredients, including any polyols. I want to keep using chocolate sprinkles and am happy for them to contain some sugar if the amount suits me; reducing sugar matters most to around 30% of consumers.
Shared use Check the ingredients and highlighted allergens for the exact version, as well as the best-before date and storage advice. When several colleagues use the same pack, I want everyone to be able to check the relevant label information; shared use is the top priority for around 30% of consumers.

Common mistakes

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

    A relative reduction doesn’t mean a product meets the sugar-free limit. For example, Céréal lists 7.7 g of sugars per 100 g for its dark chocolate sprinkles.

    Use the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g to check whether a version meets the limit of no more than 0.5 g per 100 g under EU Regulation 1924/2006.

  • Reading ‘no added sugar’ as ‘no sugar’

    Sugars from ingredients still count. According to Puur Mieke, the No Sugar Daddies chunks sold as ‘no added sugar’ contain 34 g of sugars per 100 g and include dates, among other ingredients.

    As well as checking the claim on the front, look at the ingredients list and nutritional information per 100 g.

  • Overlooking the other ingredients when choosing less sugar

    Céréal lists 40 g of polyols per 100 g for its dark chocolate sprinkles. So the sugar content alone doesn’t give you the full picture.

    Check the ingredients and any usage warnings on the exact pack before buying these sprinkles for several colleagues.

  • Assuming the sprinkles contain baker’s salt

    Whether baker’s salt is used depends on the rusks or bread you choose, not on any general assumption about chocolate sprinkles. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt.

    Check the ingredients on the specific pack of rusks if you want to know whether baker’s salt is listed.

Brands to consider

Céréal

Céréal sells dark and milk chocolate sprinkles that it presents as lower-sugar options.

  • Céréal lists 7.7 g of sugars and 40 g of polyols per 100 g for its dark chocolate version, and claims 88% less sugar.
  • At 7.7 g of sugars per 100 g, this dark chocolate version doesn’t meet the ‘sugar-free’ limit. Check the nutritional information on the pack you choose before buying.

Albert Heijn

Albert Heijn’s range for people watching their sugar intake includes both AH Hagelslag melk minder suiker and AH Hagelslag puur minder suiker.

  • Having separate milk and dark chocolate versions lets you choose the flavour before comparing the nutritional information.
  • The ‘less sugar’ claim doesn’t confirm that a version is sugar-free. Check the sugars per 100 g, ingredients and allergens on the exact pack.

Jumbo

Jumbo sells milk chocolate sprinkles labelled ‘less sugar’.

  • According to Jumbo, Hagelslag Melk Minder Suiker contains at least 30% less sugar than Jumbo’s regular milk chocolate sprinkles.
  • This comparison applies to those two Jumbo versions and doesn’t mean ‘sugar-free’. Jumbo recommends storing this version in a cool, dry, dark place.

De Ruijter

De Ruijter Specials Intens Puur is a specific dark chocolate version to assess for its flavour and ingredients, rather than as a sugar-free option.

  • Albert Heijn lists at least 52% cocoa solids for this version.
  • The listed nutritional information shows 43 g of sugars per 100 g; the label names milk and soya as allergens.

Related products on Joybuy

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Is Céréal Hagelslag Puur sugar-free?

No. Céréal lists 7.7 g of sugars per 100 g for its dark chocolate sprinkles; EU Regulation 1924/2006 allows a maximum of 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g for a ‘sugar-free’ claim. So consider this a lower-sugar option, not a sugar-free one.

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

No. A product can still contain sugars even if no sugar has been added. Puur Mieke lists 34 g of sugars per 100 g for its No Sugar Daddies chunks carrying this claim, so always check ‘of which sugars’ in the nutritional information.

Do rusks for my lunchbox always contain baker’s salt?

Don’t assume they do: check the ingredients on the rusks you buy. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt in bread and bread substitutes; you can’t tell whether it’s used from your choice of chocolate sprinkles.

How should I store chocolate sprinkles used at the office?

Follow the storage advice on the pack you choose. Jumbo recommends keeping Hagelslag Melk Minder Suiker in a cool, dry, dark place. For other versions, also check the instructions for storing the product after opening.

What should I check if colleagues are sharing a pack of chocolate sprinkles?

Read the current ingredients list and highlighted allergens for that exact version. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre explains how allergens are shown on labels; for example, the product information displayed by Albert Heijn for De Ruijter Specials Intens Puur lists milk and soya.