Festival-goers avoiding a specific allergen
If you need to avoid milk, soya, peanuts, nuts or gluten, for example, you’ll want to check what the crisps contain and whether there’s a ‘may contain’ warning before eating them.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Festival-goers looking for gluten-free crisps
An explicit gluten-free label helps you narrow down your options. Also check whether the variety you’ve chosen lists any other ingredients or warnings that matter to you.
Anyone bringing crisps for a group
A gluten-free label or another dietary claim doesn’t automatically make a snack suitable for everyone. Keep the packaging so each guest can check the information for themselves.
What should you look for when choosing?
Start with the allergen you want to avoid. Then check that you can read the information on the exact pack you’re buying and that it’s practical to take with you.
| What to look for | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Specific allergen | Read the ingredients, listed allergens and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the pack you’ve chosen. | If I need to avoid a specific allergen other than gluten, I also want to know whether it’s listed as a possible trace. Around 42% of consumers prioritise avoiding a specific allergen. |
| Gluten-free option | Look for an explicit gluten-free label and check separately for any other allergens that matter to you. | For me, the choice starts with crisps clearly labelled gluten-free; other dietary claims aren’t a substitute for that label. Around 33% of consumers make gluten-free options their first priority. |
| Taking them along and sharing | Choose a pack whose information you can read in advance and keep to hand when sharing. | I want to be able to take a snack along and share it without losing the packaging with the product information. Practicality comes first for around 25% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming ‘gluten-free’ means ‘free from all allergens’
According to Albert Heijn’s product information, Schär Curvies Original is gluten-free, but this variety may contain traces of milk. So a gluten-free label doesn’t answer every question about allergens.
Compare the ingredients and ‘may contain’ warnings for the exact variety with the allergens you need to avoid.
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Choosing based on the brand or flavour alone
Albert Heijn lists wheat flour and cereals containing gluten in Pringles Original, while Santa Maria Nacho Chips Original is described as gluten-free but may contain traces of soya.
Check the flavour and packaging you’ve chosen separately, even if another product from the same brand suits your needs.
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Relying only on an online product page
Ingredients and allergen information can change. Albert Heijn therefore recommends reading the packaging before eating a product.
Compare the information when you buy with the physical label, and keep the packaging with the crisps.
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Not asking about allergens at a stall
Unpackaged snacks don’t have a label you can take away with you. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergen information must also be available for unpackaged products.
Before buying, ask about the allergen you need to avoid. If you can’t get clear information, choose a pre-checked, packaged snack instead.
Brands to consider
Schär
Schär offers gluten-free crisp varieties, including Curvies Original.
- Albert Heijn describes Curvies Original as gluten-free, wheat-free and lactose-free.
- According to the same product information, this variety may contain traces of milk. Check each Schär variety separately.
Lay's
Lay's range includes Oven Baked Naturel, among other products.
- This variety is a familiar crisp option if you want to compare different products.
- A claim about fat content doesn’t tell you anything about the allergens in the flavour you’ve chosen, so check the label.
Pringles
Pringles sells crisps in a tube that can be resealed after opening.
- The tube can be handy if you want to keep your crisps with you while you’re out and about.
- According to Albert Heijn, Pringles Original contains wheat and cereals containing gluten, and may contain milk and soya. Check the label again for other flavours.
Albert Heijn
The supermarket provides product information that you can use to compare gluten-free crisp varieties, among other things.
- Product pages for Schär Curvies Original and Santa Maria Nacho Chips Original, among others, include dietary and allergen information.
- Albert Heijn points out that product information can change and recommends checking the packaging.
Jumbo
Jumbo has an online category for gluten-free crisps and savoury snacks.
- The category is a useful starting point for finding different types of packaged snacks.
- Being listed in this category doesn’t tell you whether a product is also free from another allergen you need to avoid.
Crisps and snacks to check on the packaging
These vegetable, cassava and banana crisps are options for a snack to take with you. If you have a dietary requirement, always check the ingredients, allergens and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the packaging of the variety you’ve chosen.
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Broccoli Crisps 20 g
A 20 g pack of broccoli crisps to take with you. If you have a dietary requirement, check the allergen information and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the packaging.
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Okra Crisps 25 g
A 25 g pack of okra crisps to enjoy on the go. Before choosing, read the ingredients, allergens and any warnings on the label.
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Mirasa Chilli Cassava Crisps 250 g
Cassava crisps with chilli for anyone who wants to take that flavour along to the festival. The pack contains 250 g; if you need to avoid a specific allergen, check all the information on the label.
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BE&CHEERY Sweet Potato Crisps Original Flavor 70 g
A 70 g pack of sweet potato crisps to take along as an individual snack. If you’re following a gluten-free or other diet, go by the information on the packaging you’ve chosen, not the type of product.
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MUSHAN BASE Banana Chips 70 g
A 70 g pack of banana crisps to enjoy on the go. Check the label if you need to avoid gluten or another allergen; the name ‘banana crisps’ alone doesn’t tell you whether they’re suitable.
Frequently asked questions
Are gluten-free crisps also free from milk, soya and nuts?
No. A gluten-free label doesn’t automatically cover other allergens. According to Albert Heijn, Schär Curvies Original is gluten-free but may contain traces of milk. Check the packaging of the exact variety for any other allergens you need to avoid.
What should I check on a pack of crisps if I need to avoid an allergen?
Read the ingredients list, the listed allergens and any warnings such as ‘may contain’. Check this information on the pack you’re actually buying, even if you’ve looked at the product online before.
How do I choose crisps or nachos from a festival stall?
Before buying, ask which allergens the unpackaged snack contains. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that allergen information must also be provided to consumers for unpackaged products. If contact with other snacks matters to you, also ask about shared utensils or preparation methods.
Can I rely on the ingredients listed on a product page?
Use a product page to help you prepare, but check the physical packaging before eating the product too. Albert Heijn points out that ingredients and allergen information can change.