Families buying in bulk
You’re looking for an everyday biscuit that you can stock up on in a suitable quantity. Net weight and how to store an opened pack are practical considerations.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Families comparing nutritional information
You want to compare the ingredients and the fibre, sugar, fat and energy values of plain, wholemeal and other variants, rather than relying solely on the front of the pack.
Households with dietary restrictions
If gluten or an allergen needs to be avoided, the information on the current packaging will determine whether a particular variant is suitable. A standard digestive is not automatically an alternative to a product labelled gluten-free.
What should you look for when choosing?
Start by checking that the biscuits are suitable for everyone who will eat them. Then compare the pack size, nutritional information and the flavour variant you actually want to buy.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Pack size and keeping a stock | Compare the net weight and storage instructions after opening. | When I’m stocking up for a large family, I want a pack that suits how many biscuits we get through and that I can seal properly once opened. An estimated 40% of these consumers prioritise keeping a stock and pack size. |
| Nutritional information | Compare fibre and sugar, among other things, per 100 g; if a variant is labelled ‘0% sugar’, check the ingredients list too. | I want to compare wholemeal or differently formulated digestives without treating a claim on the front of the pack as the whole story. An estimated 30% of these consumers prioritise nutritional information. |
| Gluten and allergens | If needed, look for an explicit gluten-free claim and check the allergen information on the pack. | If someone at home needs to avoid gluten or another allergen, I first need to make sure this particular pack is suitable. This is the main requirement for an estimated 20% of these consumers. |
| Flavour and sharing | Choose between plain, chocolate and speculoos, and consider the pack format if you’ll be sharing them. | For coffee or guests, I sometimes want a particular flavour and a pack that’s easy to share. An estimated 10% of these consumers choose mainly on flavour and how easy the biscuits are to share. |
Common mistakes
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Treating a claim on the front of the pack as complete nutritional advice
Wholemeal does not, by itself, tell you how much sugar a biscuit contains. A variant labelled ‘0% sugar’ may also contain sweeteners and will have its own nutritional information table.
Compare the ingredients and nutritional values per 100 g for the specific variants you’re considering, including fibre, sugars, saturated fat and salt.
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Buying standard digestives when gluten-free is essential
The standard digestives from Albert Heijn and Jumbo included in this comparison contain wheat. A product name alone also doesn’t tell you which other allergens may be present in a gluten-free variant.
Check the current packaging for the gluten-free claim, ingredients, allergens and any warnings about the possible presence of other allergens.
A pack that doesn’t meet the necessary dietary requirement isn’t suitable for the person you bought it for.
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Assuming speculoos or chocolate digestives are the same as plain digestives
Speculoos is a different type of biscuit. A chocolate coating also changes the ingredients and nutritional values of a digestive, so you can’t use the information for a plain variant as a guide.
Choose a flavour to suit the occasion, then read the label for that exact product.
Brands and variants compared
These brands offer different types of biscuits and digestives. The features listed apply to the variants described, not every product from each brand.
McVitie's
A traditional digestive; Albert Heijn also lists an 800 g Original multipack.
- The multipack size may suit households looking to stock up on biscuits.
- The Original variant included in this comparison contains wheat and may contain milk; check the label if this is relevant to your household.
Albert Heijn
Own-brand options include a standard digestive and a variant labelled ‘0% sugar’.
- The variants make it easy to compare ingredients and nutritional information within the same product range.
- The ‘0% sugar’ variant contains sweeteners. Albert Heijn warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
Jumbo
Own-brand options include a standard and a wholemeal digestive, both in 400 g packs.
- For the wholemeal variant included in this comparison, Jumbo lists 5,8 g of fibre per 100 g, compared with 3,1 g per 100 g for the standard variant.
- The wholemeal variant included in this comparison also contains wheat and lists 19,3 g of sugars per 100 g.
Schär
Digestive Landtaler is a specific option if you need a digestive labelled gluten-free.
- Jumbo labels this variant gluten-free and lists a pack size of 3 x 50 g.
- The variant included in this comparison lists soya and may contain lupin and eggs; check the current label.
Lotus Biscoff
A speculoos alternative for anyone looking for a different biscuit flavour, rather than a digestive variant.
- Lotus Bakeries lists several pack formats, including 3 x 125 g and 20 x 2 pieces.
- For Original Speculoos included in this comparison, Lotus Bakeries lists 38,1 g of sugars and 1,3 g of fibre per 100 g, as well as wheat and soya.
Digestives for plain and chocolate moments
These Joybuy products include plain digestives in a 400 g pack and two chocolate variants in 266 g packs. Choose between them based on flavour, the pack size you want and the label for the specific variant.
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McVitie's Digestive Original 400 g
Plain digestives for anyone looking for a larger pack to stock up the biscuit tin. If you have dietary restrictions, check the current label for wheat, gluten and possible traces of milk; seal the pack well after opening.
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McVitie's Digestives Milk Chocolate 266 g
Milk chocolate digestives for coffee breaks or a treat. The pack contains 266 g; for nutritional information and dietary suitability, check the label for this chocolate variant, paying particular attention to milk, soya, wheat and gluten.
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McVitie's Digestives with Dark Chocolate 266 g
Dark chocolate digestives as an alternative to plain or milk chocolate. Joybuy lists 26,6 g of sugars and 12,9 g of saturated fat per 100 g for this variant; if you have dietary restrictions, also check the current label for wheat, gluten, milk and soya.
Frequently asked questions
Are standard digestive biscuits gluten-free?
No, don’t assume they are: the standard digestives from Albert Heijn and Jumbo included in this comparison contain wheat. Schär Digestive Landtaler is labelled gluten-free, but also lists soya and may contain lupin and eggs. Always check the packaging of the variant you’re buying.
Is a digestive labelled ‘0% sugar’ automatically a lighter choice?
No, that claim doesn’t give you the full nutritional picture. Albert Heijn lists 465 kcal per 100 g for the ‘0% sugar’ variant included in this comparison and 485 kcal per 100 g for its standard digestive. The variant with sweeteners also carries a warning that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect. Compare the full nutritional information and ingredients.
Where can I check the allergens in packaged digestives?
Check the allergen information on the current packaging for the variant you’ve chosen. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority states that 14 allergens must be declared on the label. As well as wheat or gluten, look out for any other allergens that matter to your household.
How should I store an opened pack of digestives?
Seal the pack well after opening and follow the storage instructions on that particular pack. Jumbo advises sealing its digestives well after opening and storing them in a dark place; Albert Heijn recommends keeping its standard digestives in a closed tin.