Looking for a classic digestive to serve with coffee or tea? First choose between plain and chocolate. If you’d prefer a caramelised biscuit, Lotus Biscoff is a different kind of biscuit altogether. If wholegrain ingredients or particular nutritional values matter to you, compare the labels per 100 g. If you’re serving unpackaged biscuits at a Christmas market in the Netherlands, make sure visitors can find out which allergens are present before they choose.
Want to serve a biscuit with a hot drink? Decide whether you’re looking for a digestive or a caramelised alternative. Lotus describes Biscoff as a biscuit to enjoy with coffee, while Jumbo suggests serving its digestive with coffee or tea.
If you want to consider wholegrain ingredients, fibre, sugars, fat or salt, you can compare similar biscuits per 100 g. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends using the nutrition table and ingredients list.
When biscuits are sold loose, visitors need to know which allergens are present before they choose. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority points out that sellers of unpackaged food must make this information available.
First decide whether you want to serve plain digestives, chocolate digestives or caramelised speculoos. Then check the ingredients, pack size and the information visitors need when biscuits are sold loose.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Type of biscuit | Check whether you’re choosing a digestive or speculoos. If you want a digestive, compare plain and chocolate varieties. | I want to serve a biscuit with coffee or tea that suits the flavour I’m looking for, without mistaking speculoos for a digestive. Around 33% of consumers put flavour and serving occasion first. |
| Ingredients | Compare similar biscuits per 100 g and check the ingredients list on the current packaging. | If wholegrain ingredients, fibre or sugars matter to me, I want to look beyond the name on the pack. For around 25% of consumers, ingredients are the first consideration. |
| Pack size | Check the quantity in each pack and buy enough for the amount you expect to use. Follow the storage instructions once opened. | I want to take enough biscuits for the visitors I’m expecting, without opening more packs than necessary. Pack size is the main priority for around 25% of consumers. |
| Allergen information | Check the label for the exact variety and, if serving the biscuits unpackaged, make the allergens present known. | When I serve biscuits loose, visitors need to be able to check which allergens they contain before choosing. This information comes first for around 17% of consumers. |
Lotus describes Biscoff as a crisp, caramelised biscuit. It has a different flavour from a digestive, even if you serve both with coffee.
Decide which type of biscuit you want before buying, and check the product name on the packaging.
Serving sizes can vary between products. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that comparing products per 100 g gives you a clearer basis for comparing the nutritional value of similar biscuits.
Compare the nutrition tables per 100 g and check the ingredients lists too.
The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that information about allergens present in unpackaged food must be available before consumers choose. For cereals containing gluten, you must also make clear which cereal is present.
Keep the information for every variety you offer available, and make sure visitors can consult it where the biscuits are displayed.
A larger pack is only practical if you can use its contents and store any opened biscuits according to the instructions.
Choose a quantity that suits how much you expect to use, and follow the storage instructions for your chosen product once opened.
Jumbo lists McVitie's Digestives Original in a 400 g pack and a 2 × 400 g multipack. Chocolate varieties are also available.
Jumbo lists a 400 g wholemeal digestive under its own brand, as well as a digestive with dark chocolate.
Albert Heijn lists several types of digestive, including regular, wholemeal, mini and a variety with a sugar-related claim.
ALDI describes Biscotto Digestive Biscuits as crisp wheat biscuits and lists 400 g and 300 g packs.
Lidl lists plain Digestives and presents Sondey as a brand of biscuits and snacks.
Lotus describes Biscoff as a crisp biscuit with a caramelised flavour to enjoy with coffee, rather than as a digestive.
These products let you choose between Original digestives, two chocolate varieties and Lotus Biscoff as a speculoos alternative to serve with coffee. If serving the biscuits loose, always check the information on the packaging you’re actually using.
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For anyone who wants to serve Original digestives with coffee or tea. This pack contains 400 g. If allergens are a concern, check the current label and keep the information available when serving the biscuits loose.
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For anyone looking for a milk chocolate digestive rather than a plain variety. The pack contains 266 g. If ingredients are a factor, compare the nutritional information per 100 g and check the allergens on the packaging.
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For anyone who wants to serve digestives with dark chocolate. The pack contains 266 g. Don’t treat these as a plain variety when comparing labels, and check the packaging for allergen information.
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For anyone who specifically wants to serve a caramelised speculoos biscuit with coffee instead of a digestive. The pack contains 250 g. If serving unpackaged, check the full allergen information on the current packaging.
Compare similar digestive biscuits by their nutritional values per 100 g, and check the ingredients list too. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends comparing products per 100 g. Focus on the details that matter to you, such as fibre, sugars, saturated fat and salt.
No, these terms don’t mean a product is gluten-free. Jumbo lists wheat ingredients for its wholemeal digestive, and ALDI describes its Biscotto Digestive Biscuits as wheat biscuits. If gluten-free is essential for your choice, check the allergen information for the exact variety.
Make information about the allergens present in each unpackaged biscuit available before visitors choose. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that for cereals containing gluten, you must also make clear which cereal is present. Use the current information on the relevant packaging.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging and seal any opened pack securely. Jumbo also advises storing its wholemeal digestive in a dark place; don’t assume this is the complete storage guidance for other products.
