Who are these biscuits for?

Anyone sharing biscuits during the match

You’re looking for a crisp biscuit you can put out on the table in one pack. Albert Heijn, Jumbo and Lidl list digestives in 400 g packs; ALDI says its 400 g pack contains around 27 biscuits.

Anyone comparing labels

You’re checking fibre, sugars, fat and ingredients, rather than relying on words such as wholemeal or 0% sugar on the front of the pack. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends checking the ingredients list and nutritional information too.

Anyone who needs to check allergens

You need to know whether the exact pack is suitable for the allergens you avoid. The standard digestives reviewed from Albert Heijn and Jumbo contain wheat; Schär Digestive Landtaler is labelled gluten-free, but contains soya. Check the rest of the allergen information on the pack too.

What should you look for in digestive biscuits?

First decide whether you want digestives or would prefer to serve speculoos. Then compare the packaging, nutritional information and allergens of the options that suit your choice.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
Sharing pack Check the pack weight and, where stated, the number of biscuits. If you’re watching the Netherlands together, you’ll want a pack to put on the table for everyone to share. For around 40% of consumers, sharing is the top priority.
Nutritional information Compare fibre and sugars per 100 g; for sweeteners, check the ingredients and any usage warning too. When choosing between classic, wholemeal and 0% sugar, I want to know what’s actually in the biscuits. Around 30% of consumers give this comparison top priority.
Gluten and other allergens Check the ingredients, allergens and any cross-contamination warnings on the exact pack. If someone at the table needs to avoid gluten or another allergen, the label determines which biscuits are suitable. This is the first concern for around 20% of consumers.
Speculoos instead of digestives Check whether you’re buying a digestive or a speculoos biscuit, then compare the nutritional information per 100 g. If you specifically want the caramelised flavour of Lotus Biscoff, a plain digestive isn’t the same alternative. Around 10% of consumers put this flavour preference first.

Common mistakes when choosing

  • Assuming wholemeal means low in sugar

    The wholemeal options listed by Albert Heijn and Jumbo contain 20 g and 19.3 g of sugars per 100 g respectively. So, ‘wholemeal’ alone doesn’t tell you how much sugar a biscuit contains.

    If both figures matter to you, compare fibre and sugars per 100 g with the classic option.

  • Assuming a standard digestive is gluten-free

    The standard digestives reviewed from Albert Heijn and Jumbo contain wheat. The category name ‘digestive’ doesn’t mean a biscuit is gluten-free.

    If you need a gluten-free option, look for an explicit label on the exact pack and check for other allergens too. Schär Digestive Landtaler, for example, contains soya.

  • Looking only at 0% sugar on the front of the pack

    AH Digestive 0% sugar contains polyols. Albert Heijn warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.

    Check the ingredients, the warning and the full nutritional information before comparing this option with a classic digestive.

  • Treating Biscoff as the same type of biscuit

    Lotus Biscoff is speculoos, not a digestive. The 250 g option listed by Lotus contains 38.1 g of sugars and 1.3 g of fibre per 100 g; the standard AH Digestive lists 16 g of sugars and 3.2 g of fibre per 100 g.

    Choose Biscoff for its speculoos flavour if that’s what you’re after, not as a like-for-like wholemeal or gluten-free digestive.

Brands and product ranges compared

Albert Heijn

Albert Heijn offers a 400 g pack of classic digestives, a wholemeal option and AH Digestive 0% sugar. Each option answers different questions about ingredients and nutritional value.

  • The standard AH Digestive lists 3.2 g of fibre and 16 g of sugars per 100 g; the wholemeal option lists 6 g of fibre and 20 g of sugars per 100 g.
  • The options reviewed contain wheat. AH Digestive 0% sugar contains polyols and carries a warning about excessive consumption; always check the current pack.

Jumbo

Jumbo has its own 400 g Digestive Wholemeal and also sells Schär Digestive Landtaler as a separate product.

  • Jumbo says its wholemeal option contains 37.3% wholemeal wheat flour, 11.9% wheat flakes and 5.8 g of fibre per 100 g.
  • This Jumbo digestive contains wheat and 19.3 g of sugars per 100 g; Schär’s gluten-free label does not apply to Jumbo Digestive Wholemeal.

Sondey (Lidl)

Lidl lists Sondey as a brand of biscuits and snacks, and also sells plain Digestives in a 400 g pack.

  • A 400 g pack is a useful option if you’re looking for biscuits to share with a group of people watching the match.
  • Check the brand, ingredients and allergens on the pack you choose; don’t assume these details based on the Sondey brand name alone.

Biscotto (ALDI)

ALDI describes Biscotto Digestive Biscuits as crisp wheat biscuits, with around 27 biscuits in a 400 g pack.

  • The stated number of biscuits helps you work out whether one pack will suit the group around the table.
  • Check the packaging of the product you buy for nutritional values and full allergen information.

McVitie's

McVitie's is an option if you’re specifically looking for Original digestives. Albert Heijn also lists these in a 2 × 400 g multipack.

  • For the multipack reviewed, Albert Heijn lists 3.7 g of fibre and 15 g of sugars per 100 g.
  • This product contains wheat and may contain milk. Compare the nutritional information on the exact pack you choose.

Schär

Schär Digestive Landtaler is a digestive-style biscuit that Jumbo labels gluten-free. The pack reviewed contains 3 × 50 g.

  • The explicit gluten-free label makes this product worth considering if gluten needs to be avoided.
  • Gluten-free doesn’t mean free from other allergens: this product contains soya and may contain lupin and egg. Check the exact pack.

Lotus Biscoff

Lotus describes Biscoff as speculoos with a caramelised flavour. It’s a different flavour option for watching the match, not a type of digestive.

  • The 250 g pack reviewed offers a different type of biscuit for anyone who deliberately wants to serve speculoos.
  • For this option, Lotus lists 38.1 g of sugars and 1.3 g of fibre per 100 g, as well as wheat and soya. Check the pack for any listed traces of other allergens too.

Digestives and a speculoos alternative on Joybuy

These two products suit different choices for watching the match: 400 g of Original digestives to share, or 250 g of Lotus Biscoff if you’d rather serve speculoos.

Pack of McVities Digestive Original 400 g

McVities Digestive Original 400 g

A classic digestive for anyone who wants to put a pack of biscuits on the table during the match. This pack contains 400 g.

If anyone needs to avoid gluten or milk, check the ingredients and allergen information on the exact pack before serving.

View on Joybuy
Pack of Lotus Biscoff Speculoos Cookie 250 g

Lotus Biscoff Speculoos Cookie 250 g

A 250 g speculoos alternative for anyone who’s deliberately choosing a caramelised flavour for the match; this isn’t a digestive.

The option listed by Lotus contains 38.1 g of sugars and 1.3 g of fibre per 100 g. Check the packaging for allergen information: Biscoff contains wheat and soya.

View on Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Are standard digestive biscuits gluten-free?

Not necessarily: the AH Digestive and Jumbo Digestive Wholemeal options reviewed contain wheat. If you need to avoid gluten, look for a product with an explicit gluten-free label and check the other allergens on the exact pack too.

What does 0% sugar mean for my choice of AH Digestive?

The front of the pack doesn’t tell the whole story. AH Digestive 0% sugar contains the polyols maltitol and isomalt; Albert Heijn warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect. Check the ingredients and full nutritional information too.

How can I keep digestives crisp once the pack is open?

Seal an opened pack well and store the biscuits somewhere dry. Albert Heijn recommends putting its digestives in a sealed tin after opening; Jumbo recommends storing its option in a tightly sealed container in a dark place. Follow the instructions on your pack.

Which allergens should I check on a pack of digestives?

Check the ingredients for allergens that are relevant to the people eating them, including the specific gluten-containing cereal, such as wheat. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says allergens must be clearly shown on the label. Also check the chosen pack for any cross-contamination warnings.

Is the nutritional information on the supermarket website enough?

Use it to compare products, but check the packaging when you buy them too. Albert Heijn says that ingredients, nutritional values and allergen information can change, so the label on the pack you serve is important.