Who is this choice relevant to?

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

You want your chocolate sprinkles to meet the requirements for a sugar-free claim. A pack labelled ‘less sugar’ isn’t enough: check the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g.

If you want to keep eating chocolate sprinkles but cut down on sugar

You want to keep adding chocolate sprinkles to your rusks, so you compare the sugar content of specific varieties. Ingredients such as sweeteners and polyols may also affect your choice.

If you want to weigh up your whole lunch

You look beyond sugars to the portion size, saturated fat and the rest of your lunch. Less sugar in one type of topping doesn’t determine the nutritional value of the whole meal.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide whether sugar-free is a must or whether you simply want to cut down on sugar. Then check the label on your chosen chocolate sprinkles, as well as how much you put on your rusk.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
Sugar-free or less sugar Check the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g. Under EU Regulation 1924/2006, a sugar-free claim requires no more than 0,5 g of sugars per 100 g; Céréal Hagelslag Puur lists 7,7 g per 100 g. If I only want sugar-free chocolate sprinkles, ‘less sugar’ doesn’t meet my requirements. For around 42% of consumers, this strict requirement comes first.
Cutting down on sugar Compare the sugar content per 100 g of the exact varieties. Céréal lists 7,7 g for Hagelslag Puur; Jumbo lists 42,6 g for Hagelslag Melk Minder Suiker. I want to keep eating chocolate sprinkles on my rusks, but I’m mainly keeping an eye on the sugar content. Around 33% of consumers prioritise this combination.
What’s in your lunch As well as sugars, check saturated fat, energy and the portion you use. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre does not include chocolate sprinkles in its Wheel of Five. The overall balance of my lunch matters more than keeping chocolate sprinkles as a topping. Around 25% of consumers prioritise this broader consideration.

Common mistakes

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

    A significant reduction compared with another product doesn’t mean the chocolate sprinkles meet the requirements for a sugar-free claim. Céréal Hagelslag Puur, for example, still lists 7,7 g of sugars per 100 g.

    If you want a strictly sugar-free option, check the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g, not just the wording on the front of the pack.

  • Looking only at sugars

    A lower sugar content doesn’t in itself tell you how much saturated fat or energy there is per portion. According to Céréal, Hagelslag Puur also contains 12 g of saturated fat per 100 g.

    Compare products on the same weight basis and check how much chocolate sprinkles you put on your rusk.

  • Assuming ‘no added sugars’ means low in sugars

    Sugars that occur naturally in ingredients are still included in the ‘of which sugars’ figure. Ekoplaza lists 34 g of sugars per 100 g for Choco Chunks Extra Puur op basis van dadels.

    Use the total sugar content in the nutritional information to compare products, even if the pack says no sugars have been added.

Brands to consider

Céréal

Céréal Hagelslag Puur is one option to look at if you want to cut down on sugars, but not if you’re looking exclusively for sugar-free chocolate sprinkles.

  • Céréal says this variety contains 7,7 g of sugars and 10 g of fibre per 100 g.
  • Céréal also lists 12 g of saturated fat and 40 g of polyols per 100 g; maltitol is included in the ingredients.

Albert Heijn

Albert Heijn offers AH Hagelslag Melk Minder Suiker and AH Hagelslag Puur Minder Suiker for anyone looking to compare sugar content.

  • The product names distinguish between a milk and a dark variety labelled ‘less sugar’.
  • Check the current sugar content per 100 g on the pack for each variety; ‘less sugar’ does not mean sugar-free.

Jumbo

Jumbo Hagelslag Melk Minder Suiker is a milk chocolate variety with a listed sugar content per 100 g.

  • Jumbo lists 42,6 g of sugars per 100 g and says this variety contains at least 30% less sugar than its regular milk chocolate sprinkles.
  • At 42,6 g of sugars per 100 g, this variety is not sugar-free. Check current availability before relying on it.

De Ruijter

De Ruijter Hagelslag Puur can serve as a regular dark variety for comparing labels, but it isn’t a sugar-free option.

  • Jumbo’s product information lists 64 g of sugars per 100 g for this specific variety.
  • Milk and soya are listed as allergens for this variety; check the current label.

Venz

Venz XXL Hagelslag Melk is a regular milk chocolate variety, not a proven lower-sugar option.

  • Jumbo’s product information lists 72 g of sugars per 100 g for this specific XXL variety.
  • Milk, soya and lactose are listed for this variety. Don’t assume the same information applies to other Venz varieties.

Related products

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Are chocolate sprinkles labelled ‘less sugar’ also sugar-free?

No, the terms don’t mean the same thing. Under EU Regulation 1924/2006, a sugar-free claim requires no more than 0,5 g of sugars per 100 g; Céréal Hagelslag Puur lists 7,7 g per 100 g.

Does having rusks with lower-sugar chocolate sprinkles automatically make lunch suitable for the Wheel of Five?

No. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre does not include chocolate sprinkles in its Wheel of Five. If you’re comparing different toppings, also consider the portion size, saturated fat and the rest of your lunch.

What should I look out for in Céréal Hagelslag Puur?

As well as the 7,7 g of sugars per 100 g, check for maltitol and the listed 40 g of polyols and 12 g of saturated fat per 100 g. Dieetwebshop warns that excessive consumption of this product may have a laxative effect; check the current pack for ingredients and usage information.

What does iodine-enriched baker’s salt mean for rusks with chocolate sprinkles?

Information from the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority about baker’s salt relates to bread, bread substitutes and other bakery products to which the salt is added; it doesn’t cover the composition of all chocolate sprinkles. Check the ingredients in your rusks and chocolate sprinkles separately if iodine is important to your choice.

Which allergens should I check in chocolate sprinkles?

It varies by product: soya is listed for Céréal Hagelslag Puur, which may also contain milk; milk and soya are listed for De Ruijter Hagelslag Puur; and milk, soya and lactose are listed for Venz XXL Hagelslag Melk. Always check the current allergen information on your own pack.