If you need strictly sugar-free chocolate sprinkles for a street festival, don’t choose a product labelled ‘less sugar’. Under Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, the ‘sugar-free’ claim can only be used for a solid food if it contains no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g; Céréal Dark and Milk contain 7.7 g and 14.5 g per 100 g respectively. If your main aim is to reduce sugar, compare the nutritional values per 100 g and check the ingredients, allergens and polyol warnings when serving.
‘Less sugar’ isn’t enough for you. Under Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, chocolate sprinkles labelled ‘sugar-free’ must contain no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. So check the nutrition table on the exact pack you’re buying.
You want to choose chocolate sprinkles for multiple servings without overlooking flavour, ingredients or the warning about polyols. Compare products per 100 g and decide how you’ll make the product information available when serving.
If you’re serving rolls or other snacks with chocolate sprinkles, you need to make it clear which allergens the product contains. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that businesses must inform consumers about allergens present in their food.
First decide whether sugar-free is essential or whether a lower-sugar option will do. Then compare the nutritional values per 100 g and check what information you’ll need when serving.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar-free or less sugar | Check the ‘of which sugars’ value per 100 g. Under Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, chocolate sprinkles labelled ‘sugar-free’ must contain no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. | If I want to offer chocolate sprinkles as sugar-free, the label must support that claim. This would be the main requirement for around 45% of consumers. |
| Practical festival shopping | Compare the sugar content of the flavour and pack size you want; check that your chosen variety is available shortly before buying. | I want enough chocolate sprinkles for the planned servings and am happy with a lower-sugar product that isn’t sugar-free. Around 33% of consumers would prioritise this trade-off. |
| Allergens and polyols | Check the ingredients and allergens on the pack you buy, and look for any warnings on products containing polyols. | If I’m serving chocolate sprinkles unpackaged, I want to be able to tell visitors what they contain and take the polyol warning into account. This would be the main concern for around 22% of consumers. |
The terms don’t mean the same thing. Albert Heijn lists AH Hagelslag melk minder suiker as containing 43 g of sugars per 100 g, while Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 sets a limit of 0.5 g per 100 g for chocolate sprinkles to be labelled ‘sugar-free’.
Check the ‘of which sugars’ value per 100 g before describing a product as sugar-free.
Céréal Dark contains 40 g of polyols per 100 g, while Céréal Milk contains 44 g per 100 g. The product information warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
As well as the sugar content, check the ingredients, polyol content and warning on the pack.
This can make it harder to answer questions about the chocolate sprinkles you’re using. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that businesses must inform consumers about allergens present in their food.
Keep the packaging by the serving area and make sure the allergen information for that exact product is available.
The product page for Jumbo Hagelslag Melk Minder Suiker 200 g says that the product is no longer part of its online range. An old listing therefore doesn’t guarantee that you’ll be able to buy it for your festival.
Check that the exact variety is available again before basing your menu or shopping list on it.
Céréal makes Dark and Milk chocolate sprinkles labelled as having less sugar. According to the product pages, they contain 88% and 79% less sugar respectively than the comparison products listed there.
According to Albert Heijn, AH Hagelslag melk minder suiker is labelled ‘30% less sugar’ than AH Melk hagelslag.
Jumbo has a product page for Hagelslag Melk Minder Suiker 200 g and also shows several types of chocolate sprinkles in its range overview.
Jumbo’s chocolate sprinkles overview includes De Ruijter varieties in dark and milk chocolate.
Jumbo’s chocolate sprinkles overview lists Venz varieties in milk chocolate and other flavours.
No, the terms don’t mean the same thing. Under Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, chocolate sprinkles can only be labelled ‘sugar-free’ if they contain no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. Check the nutrition table for the variety you’ve chosen.
No, Céréal Dark contains 7.7 g of sugars per 100 g, which is above the 0.5 g per 100 g threshold for the ‘sugar-free’ claim under Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. The ‘88% less sugar’ claim on the product page compares it with standard dark chocolate sprinkles.
Check both the ‘of which sugars’ and ‘of which polyols’ values, and read the warning on the pack. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that large amounts of polyols can cause digestive problems; the Céréal varieties mentioned carry a warning that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
Yes. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that businesses must inform consumers about allergens present in the food they offer. So keep the information for the chocolate sprinkles you’re actually using available when serving.
