Don’t choose a dark chocolate spritz biscuit based on the words ‘dark’ or ‘plain’ alone. First, check the current packaging to see whether your allergen is listed as an ingredient or in a warning about possible cross-contamination. The spritz biscuits described by Jumbo, PLUS and Albert Heijn list ingredients including wheat, milk and soya, so dark chocolate does not automatically make these biscuits suitable for someone with a food allergy. The stated proportion of dark chocolate also doesn’t tell you how much cocoa it contains.
You’re looking for a dark chocolate spritz biscuit, but you can only choose one if the ingredients and warnings on the current packaging are suitable for the allergen you need to avoid. Product information from Jumbo, PLUS and Albert Heijn shows that ‘dark’ doesn’t mean a spritz biscuit is free from milk, wheat or soya.
You want to be sure that a spritz biscuit really contains dark chocolate. Jumbo and PLUS each state that their spritz biscuits contain 18% dark chocolate; Albert Heijn describes its Choco spritz biscuits as butter biscuits containing 15% dark chocolate. These figures are not cocoa percentages.
You’re comparing spritz biscuits from different brands and want to check the product description, ingredients and allergen information side by side before buying. Then check the packaging of the product you actually buy.
If you have a food allergy, the current packaging is the first thing to check when deciding whether a spritz biscuit is suitable. Only then do the type of chocolate and availability become useful factors to consider.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Your allergen and cross-contamination | Compare the ingredients and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the current packaging with the allergens you need to avoid. | If I need to avoid an allergen, I want to know whether it’s listed as an ingredient or in a warning about possible cross-contamination. Around 50% of consumers put avoiding their own allergen first. |
| Dark chocolate | Look for an explicit mention of dark chocolate. The 18% stated by Jumbo and PLUS is the proportion of dark chocolate in the spritz biscuit, not the cocoa percentage of the chocolate itself. | I want a spritz biscuit that explicitly contains dark chocolate, not just a biscuit called ‘choco’. For around 30% of consumers, the type of chocolate is their top purchasing priority. |
| Current availability | Once you’ve checked the allergens, see whether your chosen product is available and check the packaging again when you buy it. | Once I know the ingredients are suitable for me, I want to know whether I can buy the spritz biscuit. For around 20% of consumers, current availability is then the deciding factor. |
Jumbo and PLUS list milk in their dark chocolate spritz biscuits. Albert Heijn lists milk and lactose in its AH Choco spritz biscuits.
When assessing a food allergy, check the current ingredients and allergen information rather than relying on the name of the chocolate alone.
The 18% shown in Jumbo and PLUS product information describes how much dark chocolate the spritz biscuit contains. It is not the cocoa percentage of the chocolate itself.
If you want to compare cocoa percentages, only use a figure that is explicitly given for the chocolate used.
Albert Heijn says that Verkade Nobo Sprits Dubbel Chocolade has been discontinued; the Jumbo page consulted says the same. This means older product information isn’t a reliable guide to what you can buy now.
Check the product’s current status and read the packaging of the product you eventually buy.
A warning about possible cross-contamination is different from an ingredient that has been deliberately added. For its AH Choco spritz biscuits, Albert Heijn mentions possible traces of ingredients including egg and almond.
Read both the ingredients list and any warnings, and assess them in relation to the allergen you need to avoid.
Jumbo describes its Dark Chocolate Spritz Biscuits as a 200 g pack containing 18% dark chocolate.
PLUS describes its 200 g Fairtrade Chocolate Spritz Biscuits as containing 18% dark chocolate.
Albert Heijn describes its AH Choco spritz biscuits as butter biscuits containing 15% dark chocolate.
Verkade describes NoboSprits Original and a milk chocolate variety. They aren’t necessarily alternatives if you’re looking for a spritz biscuit that explicitly contains dark chocolate.
No. Jumbo and PLUS list milk in their dark chocolate spritz biscuits, while Albert Heijn lists milk and lactose in its AH Choco spritz biscuits. Check the current packaging if you need to avoid milk.
Yes. The dark chocolate spritz biscuits described by Jumbo, PLUS and Albert Heijn list wheat and gluten or cereals containing gluten. Don’t rely on the name of the chocolate if you need to avoid these ingredients.
It indicates possible cross-contamination and is not the same as an ingredient that has been deliberately added. Read the warning alongside the ingredients list and assess it in relation to the allergen you need to avoid.
Yes, to help you make an initial selection, but also check the packaging of the spritz biscuits you’ve bought before eating them. Albert Heijn warns that product, dietary and allergy information can change; the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains how allergens are listed on food labels.
