Choose individually wrapped portions if you want to hand out biscuits at a festival without repeatedly opening a large pack. If the chocolate layer is your priority, compare the proportion of dark chocolate in the biscuit. This figure is not the same as the percentage of cocoa solids in the chocolate. Check that percentage separately if a high cocoa content is one of your criteria, and read the allergy and storage information on the packaging too.
You’re looking for a biscuit with a noticeable amount of dark chocolate. Don’t rely on the word ‘dark’ alone: the proportion of chocolate in the biscuit and the cocoa percentage of that chocolate are two different things.
You want to take small portions with you and hand them out without having to remove all the biscuits from their packaging at once. Check how many biscuits are in each inner pack.
You’re buying for yourself or others and need to check the ingredients and allergens on the exact pack. The varieties discussed list ingredients including wheat, milk and soya; some labels also mention possible traces of nuts.
First, decide what matters most at the festival: the chocolate layer, ease of sharing or the information on the label. Then compare the packaging and ingredients of the variety you’re planning to buy.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Chocolate flavour and cocoa | Compare the proportion of dark chocolate in the biscuit. If a high cocoa content is essential, look separately for a stated percentage of cocoa solids. | I mainly want to know how much chocolate I’m choosing, without mistaking the proportion of the chocolate layer for its cocoa content. For around 40% of consumers, flavour and cocoa are the top priorities. |
| Portions on the go | Check the number of biscuits in each inner pack and the storage instructions once opened. | When I’m handing out biscuits, I don’t want to keep leaving a large pack open. For around 30% of consumers, ease of carrying and sharing is the top priority. |
| Allergens | Read the ingredients, highlighted allergens and any warnings about traces on the exact pack. | Before taking biscuits for myself or others, I need to be able to check which allergens are listed on the label. For around 30% of consumers, this is the main concern when making a choice. |
For the biscuits discussed, Albert Heijn and Jumbo state that the product contains 63% chocolate. This doesn’t tell you what percentage of cocoa solids the chocolate itself contains.
If you’re choosing based on cocoa content, look for a separate statement about cocoa solids on the packaging.
The labels discussed list ingredients including milk, wheat and soya; some varieties also mention possible traces of nuts. The words ‘dark chocolate’ don’t replace the allergen information.
Before buying and eating the biscuits, check the ingredients and warnings on the pack you’ll actually be using.
The storage instructions discussed recommend keeping the biscuits somewhere cool and dry. McVitie’s also mentions sunlight, heat and moisture. This is worth bearing in mind if you open the pack while you’re out.
Choose individually wrapped portions if you want to hand them out, or seal an opened pack securely and follow the instructions on the label.
Its own-brand range includes biscuits with varying proportions of dark chocolate.
Its own-brand range includes both a chocolate biscuit and a digestive with dark chocolate.
The speculoos biscuits with dark chocolate discussed here come in seven packs of three.
The digestive discussed here is a wheat biscuit with a layer of dark chocolate.
The chocolate biscuits from this ALDI brand come in packs of two.
These two products offer different options for a festival: a digestive with a stated proportion of dark chocolate, and a pack of small biscuits with dark chocolate and matcha. If cocoa content, allergens or storage are key to your choice, check the label.
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A digestive to take with you if you’re looking for a biscuit with a layer of dark chocolate. The product information states that it contains 30% dark chocolate and 4.3 g of fibre per 100 g; the 30% figure is not the cocoa percentage of the chocolate. The information lists wheat, milk and soya. Store in a cool, dry place and seal the pack securely after opening.
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Small biscuits with dark chocolate and matcha for anyone looking to take a 12-piece pack with them. The pack contains 60 g. Before buying, check the label for allergens, storage instructions and any information about cocoa solids.
No. The dark chocolate biscuits from Albert Heijn and Jumbo discussed here, along with the Lotus Biscoff and McVitie’s varieties, list milk. Check the ingredients and allergens on the current packaging.
No. For the Albert Heijn and Jumbo biscuits discussed here, 63% refers to the chocolate in the biscuit, not a confirmed percentage of cocoa solids in that chocolate. Look for a separate cocoa statement if that’s one of your selection criteria.
At the very least, check the ingredients, clearly highlighted allergens, nutrition information, net quantity, best-before date and any relevant storage instructions. According to the European information service Your Europe, this information is required on pre-packed foods in the EU, where applicable.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging. The biscuits discussed here are best kept somewhere cool and dry. Keep an opened pack securely sealed, and also protect it from sunlight, heat and moisture where the label advises this.
