If you’re choosing for someone with coeliac disease, pick a biscuit whose current packaging explicitly states that it is gluten-free, and check separately for other allergens. Giving them an unopened, pre-packed biscuit makes it easier to keep the product information available and avoid contact with ordinary oliebollen. If you’re serving biscuits unpackaged, storage, serving procedures and allergen information all need to be carefully managed.
They’re looking for a biscuit clearly labelled gluten-free, which won’t come into contact with crumbs from ordinary products during storage or serving. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, even a small amount of gluten can cause symptoms.
They want to provide clear allergen information for every product and follow procedures that prevent cross-contamination during storage and serving. The Dutch Coeliac Society highlights the importance of checking labels and preventing cross-contamination in food service.
They may need to avoid eggs, soya or nuts as well as gluten. A gluten-free label alone doesn’t answer that question; the ingredients and allergens in the specific biscuit are what matter.
Giving out pre-packed biscuits and serving them unpackaged require different checks. The label matters in both cases, but when serving unpackaged biscuits, the stall’s handling procedures are crucial too.
When: when the guest needs to be able to check the current packaging for themselves and the biscuit can be given to them unopened.
Bear in mind: gluten-free doesn’t mean free from other allergens. The right product must also be stored and handed out separately from ordinary oliebollen.
When: only if the stall can manage the ingredients, storage and serving, and provide allergen information before purchase.
Bear in mind: opening and serving the biscuits can expose them to crumbs or utensils that have already been used. The original packaging alone doesn’t account for these handling steps.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free status and separate serving | Check the gluten-free statement on the current packaging and ask how the biscuit will be stored and handed out. | If I have coeliac disease, I don’t want crumbs from ordinary oliebollen getting onto my biscuit. This is the main concern for around 50% of consumers. |
| Allergen information | Check the allergens listed on the packaging. If the product is sold unpackaged, ask for information about the product on offer before buying. | If a biscuit is served loose, I want to know in advance which allergens it contains. For around 30% of consumers, this is their top priority. |
| Biscuit type and availability | Once you’ve checked the allergens, compare the type of biscuit you want and confirm exactly which product is available. | If there’s a suitable biscuit, I’d like to choose between options such as speculaas and a chocolate biscuit. This choice matters most to around 20% of consumers. |
A gluten-free biscuit may contain other allergens. Albert Heijn, for example, lists eggs, soya and almonds in its gluten-free almond biscuits.
Check the current packaging for every allergen that’s relevant to each guest.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, even a stray breadcrumb can cause symptoms for someone with coeliac disease. A packaged gluten-free product can also come into contact with crumbs after it’s opened.
Keep storage and serving separate, and make sure staff know which equipment to use for the gluten-free product.
Ingredients and allergen information can change, so Albert Heijn advises checking the packaging of the product you buy.
When purchasing and serving the product, check the label on the exact variant you’re offering.
Albert Heijn offers a range of gluten-free biscuits and cookies in this line, including almond biscuits and chocolate chip cookies.
The Jumbo range includes gluten-free speculaas and digestives.
Albert Heijn and Jumbo offer Schär gluten-free biscuits, including Butterkeks petit beurre and Choco Chip Cookies.
No. As well as checking the current gluten-free statement, find out how the biscuit is stored and served at the stall. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, even a small amount of gluten can cause symptoms for someone with coeliac disease. That’s why the Dutch Coeliac Society highlights the importance of preventing cross-contamination.
No. For example, Albert Heijn lists eggs, soya and almonds in its gluten-free almond biscuits. Check the current packaging of the biscuit you’ve chosen for all allergens that are relevant to the guest.
For unpackaged biscuits, the stall must be able to tell customers about any allergens present before they buy. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that in the Netherlands, if a product contains gluten-containing cereals, it must be clear which cereal is involved. Make sure the information relates to the product being sold and is accessible to customers.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging and keep the biscuits separate from crumbs containing gluten and from used utensils during storage and serving. The Dutch Coeliac Society stresses the importance of preventing cross-contamination when handling food for guests with coeliac disease.
