Don’t choose crisps based only on a flavour name or an online free-from filter. Check the current packaging of the exact variety you’re buying. If you follow a strict gluten-free diet, look for an explicit gluten-free claim. If you need to avoid a specific allergen, also read the ingredients and any cross-contamination warnings. Vegan and lactose-free claims answer different questions and don’t replace checking for allergens.
If that’s you, seeing potato or maize as the base ingredient isn’t enough to judge a bag of crisps. Look for an explicit gluten-free claim on the product, and also read the ingredients and any allergen warnings.
If you need to avoid milk, peanuts, nuts, soya or celery, for example, check the information on the bag you’re planning to buy. Read both the ingredients and any warnings relevant to your allergen.
Vegan and lactose-free are different criteria. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, lactose intolerance concerns milk sugar; if you have a cow’s milk allergy, you should also check the information about milk as an allergen and any relevant warnings.
Start with what you need to avoid, then check the relevant claim, ingredients and warnings on the packaging. Only then compare the flavours and nutritional information of products that meet your needs.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Specific allergens | Read the highlighted allergens in the ingredients list and any warnings such as ‘may contain’. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority describes the labelling requirements for the 14 regulated allergens. | If I need to avoid a particular allergen, I want to know whether this specific bag contains an ingredient or warning that matters to me. For around 36% of consumers, checking for a specific allergen comes first. |
| Gluten-free claim | Look for ‘gluten-free’ on the specific packaging, and also check the other ingredients and allergen information. | If I follow a strict gluten-free diet, I don’t want to judge crisps by their base ingredient alone. Choosing gluten-free is the top priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Vegan or lactose-free | Check which claim appears on the bag. If milk as an allergen is relevant to you, check separately for milk in the ingredients and any warnings. | I want to avoid animal-derived ingredients or lactose, so I need to know which of those two needs the label addresses. Around 21% of consumers put this dietary requirement first. |
| Ingredients and nutritional information | For suitable products, compare the ingredients and the stated fat and salt values per 100 g. Also check the pack size. | Once crisps meet my dietary requirements, I want to choose between different ingredients, flavours and pack sizes. For around 14% of consumers, this further product comparison matters most. |
A gluten-free or vegan claim doesn’t mean that a product is also free from every other allergen or any cross-contamination warnings.
First, work out which allergen matters to you. Then read the highlighted ingredients and warnings on the bag.
Vegan food excludes animal-derived ingredients; lactose-free products exclude milk sugar. Neither claim replaces checking for milk as an allergen if you need to avoid milk.
If you have a milk allergy, read the ingredients and any milk warnings, even if another claim on the packaging seems suitable.
Recipes and product information can change. Albert Heijn points this out in its product information, and Pringles also says that recipes may change from time to time.
Use a filter to find products, but check the physical packaging of your chosen flavour and size before buying.
A claim about fat or fibre doesn’t tell you which allergen warnings appear on the product, nor does it give you the full nutritional picture.
First, check that the product meets your dietary requirements. Then compare the ingredients and stated nutritional values per 100 g of the products that remain.
A brand or product range can help you search, but you should assess whether a product meets your dietary requirements for each individual variety and pack.
On its product page, Albert Heijn describes AH Chips naturel as gluten-free, lactose-free and vegan.
Lay's has several crisp and snack ranges. The name of a range doesn’t, by itself, tell you which allergens a particular flavour contains.
Pringles offers stackable crisps in several flavours, including Original, Paprika and Sour Cream & Onion.
This selection includes okra, plantain, taro and cassava crisps. If you’re looking for a product to meet a specific dietary requirement, check the current claims, ingredients and allergen warnings on each bag. The type of snack alone doesn’t tell you whether it’s suitable.
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A 25 G okra snack to consider if you’re looking for gluten-free crisps. The product description says ‘gluten-free’; check this claim and any warnings relevant to your allergen on the current packaging.
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Salted plantain crisps to compare if you’re looking for something other than potato. Check the ingredients and allergen information on the bag; the product name doesn’t confirm whether it’s suitable for a gluten-free, vegan or lactose-free diet.
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Sea salt-flavoured taro crisps to compare if you’re looking for a savoury option. If you have a specific dietary requirement, check the full ingredients list, including the seasoning, and the current allergen warnings on the packaging.
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Cassava crisps to consider if you’re comparing snacks made with a base other than potato. The product description warns that it may contain traces of peanuts. Don’t choose this variety if that warning is relevant to your allergy, and read the other information on the bag too.
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A sweeter plantain crisp option if flavour is also important to you. The product description warns that it may contain traces of peanuts, nuts and soya. Don’t choose this variety if any of those warnings are relevant to your allergy, and check the current packaging.
Read the ingredients list: according to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, the 14 regulated allergens must be clearly identifiable in it. Also check for any cross-contamination warnings relevant to your allergen.
No. ‘Gluten-free’ doesn’t tell you whether a product contains milk, peanuts, nuts or other allergens. If you need to avoid anything else, read the current ingredients and warnings for the specific bag.
Treat ‘may contain’ as a warning about possible cross-contamination with the named allergen. If that allergen matters to you, factor the warning into your choice rather than relying only on a claim such as vegan or gluten-free.
If you have a cow’s milk allergy, a vegan claim doesn’t replace checking the allergen information. Also read any milk warnings; for example, the product information for BioToday Sea Salt Lentil Chips says that the product may contain milk.
Use online information to find products, but read the packaging on the bag you choose before buying. Albert Heijn warns that product information may change; Lidl Netherlands directs customers to the packaging for ingredients and allergen information on food products.
