If you’re buying for someone with coeliac disease, start with a biscuit whose current packaging says it’s gluten-free. Under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, this claim can only be used if the finished product contains no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten. Then choose between a savoury biscuit for a sharing platter and a sweet one to enjoy with coffee, for example. Check each variety for other allergens too: gluten-free doesn’t automatically mean free from milk, soya, nuts or lupin.
A flavour name or a ‘wheat-free’ label isn’t enough to help you choose a biscuit. Look for the ‘gluten-free’ claim on the current packaging and read the ingredients list. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that cereals containing gluten must be clearly identified in the ingredients list by the name of the cereal.
A cheese biscuit can go well with cheese and other savoury nibbles, while biscuits make a different option for coffee or a sweet treat. Albert Heijn lists gluten-free Gouda cheese biscuits, while Jumbo and Schär offer sweet varieties. Choose based on flavour only after checking the packaging.
A guest may need to avoid milk, soya, nuts or other ingredients as well as gluten. For example, the Céréal chocolate biscuits described here are lactose-free, but contain soya and carry warnings about the possible presence of other allergens. Compare the packaging with what your guest can eat.
Start by checking for the ‘gluten-free’ claim on the packaging. Then decide whether you want something savoury or sweet, and check which other allergens matter to your guests.
| What to look for | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| ‘Gluten-free’ claim | Look for the claim on the current packaging and read the ingredients list. | If I’m buying for someone with coeliac disease, I don’t want to rely on the flavour name or on a ‘wheat-free’ label alone. For around 50% of consumers, certainty about the ‘gluten-free’ claim comes first. |
| Savoury or sweet | Choose a style of biscuit to suit the sharing platter or coffee break. | I want to serve something different with savoury nibbles from what I’d serve with coffee. Around 30% of consumers give priority to choosing the right style of biscuit. |
| Other allergens | Compare the allergens present and any warnings about possible traces with your guests’ needs. | If a guest also needs to avoid certain other ingredients, I want to know what’s in this particular biscuit. For around 20% of consumers, these additional checks come first. |
A ‘wheat-free’ label or a familiar flavour name doesn’t confirm that a biscuit meets the EU requirements for a ‘gluten-free’ claim. Under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, this claim requires the finished product to contain no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten.
If you’re buying for someone with coeliac disease, choose a biscuit labelled ‘gluten-free’ and check the current ingredients list too.
The gluten-free biscuits described here contain different ingredients in addition to gluten: according to Albert Heijn, the AH cheese biscuits contain milk and lupin, while the Schär Choco Chip Cookies listed by Jumbo contain soya.
Check the packaging of the variety you’ve chosen for each guest, including any warnings about the possible presence of allergens, before serving the biscuits together on a platter.
Lidl says on its range page that its extra gluten-free products are currently unavailable. So don’t base your plans for a get-together solely on that range.
Check which suitable biscuits are available before you go shopping, and have another shop or style of biscuit in mind if needed.
On 9 September 2026, the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority issued a warning about AH Glutenvrij Speculaasbrok with a best-before date of 26-3-2027: almond may not be listed on the label. The warning applies to this specific product with this best-before date.
Before serving a pack from your cupboard, check the product name, best-before date and current safety warning.
Albert Heijn lists both sweet almond biscuits and savoury Gouda cheese biscuits in this range.
Jumbo lists several sweet biscuit styles in this range, including speculaas, stroopwafels and milk chocolate digestives.
Schär offers a range of gluten-free biscuits, including Choco Chip Cookies and digestives.
The chocolate biscuits described here are worth considering if you’re looking for something that’s both gluten-free and lactose-free.
ALDI lists gluten-free coconut macaroons from this brand as a sweet biscuit option.
Lidl has a page for an extra gluten-free range, but it isn’t a reliable basis for planning a biscuit shop in advance.
This sweet oat biscuit variety is worth considering for a get-together or with a cup of coffee. As well as checking for the ‘gluten-free’ claim, make sure oats and the other ingredients are suitable for your guests.
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A sweet biscuit option to enjoy with drinks or coffee. Joybuy describes these Oaties as made with gluten-free oats and notes that some people with coeliac disease may be sensitive to oat protein. Check whether oats are suitable for your guest and check the current packaging for allergens.
Under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, the ‘gluten-free’ claim can only be used if the food sold to the final consumer contains no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten. When buying, check that the current packaging of your chosen biscuit carries this claim.
No. If you’re buying for someone with coeliac disease, don’t rely on a ‘wheat-free’ label alone. Look for the ‘gluten-free’ claim on the packaging. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that cereals containing gluten must be clearly identified in the ingredients list by the name of the cereal.
Choose an oat biscuit only if the product itself is labelled gluten-free and oats are suitable for your guest. Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014 sets specific requirements for oats in foods presented as gluten-free. Joybuy also notes that some people with coeliac disease may be sensitive to oat protein in its information about Verkade GV Oaties.
Yes. A gluten-free claim doesn’t tell you whether the biscuit contains other allergens. According to Albert Heijn, the AH Gouda cheese biscuits described here contain milk and lupin, while the Schär Choco Chip Cookies listed by Jumbo contain soya. Check the current packaging for each variety.
On 9 September 2026, the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority issued a warning about AH Glutenvrij Speculaasbrok with a best-before date of 26-3-2027, as almond may not be listed on the label. If you have a pack of this specific product, check its best-before date and the current warning. The notice does not automatically apply to other AH Glutenvrij products.
