Shoppers who need to avoid gluten
A gluten-free claim can help you choose, but it tells you nothing about other allergens. Also check the ingredients and any warnings that are relevant to you.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Budget shoppers avoiding one allergen
You’re looking for a suitable bag of crisps for your shopping and checking each variety for the allergen you need to avoid. If you choose a different flavour, check the label again.
Vegan snack shoppers with an allergy
You’re looking for crisps without animal-derived ingredients, but you also check separately for allergens such as soya. A vegan claim is no substitute for that check.
What should you look for?
Start with the ingredient you need to avoid, then consider dietary labels, pack size and quantity. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority points out that information about the 14 designated allergens must be available. A separate gluten-free claim does not automatically cover other allergens.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is it important to? |
|---|---|---|
| Your allergen or gluten | Read the ingredients, highlighted allergens and any ‘may contain’ warning on the current packaging. | If I need to avoid gluten or a particular allergen, I want to know whether this specific variety is suitable. Around 36% of consumers put this personal check first. |
| Pack size | Compare the weight in grams of packs that meet your dietary requirements first. | When shopping on a budget, I want to be able to choose between different pack sizes once I’ve checked they meet my dietary needs. Around 29% of consumers give this consideration top priority. |
| Combined dietary requirements | Check vegan, lactose-free and gluten-free claims separately, then check for the specific allergen you need to avoid. | If I have more than one dietary requirement, each claim needs to apply to the same variety. Around 21% of consumers prioritise this combination. |
| Sharing and variety | For a multipack, check the ingredients and allergens for each flavour or individual bag. | When I want to share crisps, I look for suitable portions or a selection of flavours without skipping the dietary check. This is the most important packaging consideration for around 14% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming ‘gluten-free’ means ‘free from all allergens’
Jumbo lists Schär Salinis as gluten-free, but also says the snack contains soya and may contain sesame. So a gluten-free claim does not answer every question about allergens.
Identify the allergen you need to avoid, then check the ingredients and any warnings on the packaging.
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Assuming every flavour in a multipack is the same
For Croky Partymix, Jumbo lists soya for the bolognese flavour. This means the general product name doesn’t tell you enough about each individual flavour bag.
Check the allergen information for each flavour before choosing or sharing a multipack.
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Treating a product page as the definitive label
Albert Heijn warns that product information can change. The ingredients list you looked at previously may therefore not match the bag you buy.
Use product pages to compare options, then check the packaging of your chosen bag before eating it.
Brands compared for dietary requirements
Albert Heijn
AH Chips naturel is a good own-brand example for anyone who wants to check several dietary attributes on one pack.
- Albert Heijn describes AH Chips naturel as gluten-free, vegan and lactose-free, and lists potato, sunflower oil and salt as ingredients.
- These claims apply to this product. Check the pack you buy and don’t assume they apply to other flavours.
Jumbo
Jumbo sells both regular crisps and a separate category of gluten-free crisps and savoury snacks.
- These categories make it possible to browse products with different claims separately.
- A product category doesn’t confirm that every Jumbo crisp is suitable for your specific allergy.
Lay's
Lay's Naturel is a branded variety whose ingredients you can compare with those of an own-brand product.
- Albert Heijn lists potatoes, vegetable oils, salt and antioxidants among the ingredients in Lay's Naturel.
- The ingredients in this plain variety don’t support a dietary claim for other Lay's flavours or packs.
Pringles
Pringles Original shows why the name of a plain-looking variety is no substitute for checking the ingredients list.
- Pringles provides product-specific ingredient and allergen information for Original.
- According to Pringles, Original contains wheat flour and may contain milk and soya; this variety isn’t suitable if you’re avoiding gluten.
Schär
Schär Salinis is a separately labelled gluten-free snack, but that doesn’t mean every dietary attribute of crisps applies to this snack too.
- Jumbo lists Salinis as gluten-free and displays the crossed-grain symbol.
- Jumbo also lists soya as an allergen and says the product may contain sesame.
Lidl Snack Day
Snack Day is a Lidl brand of crisps and other savoury snacks.
- You can assess a specific Snack Day variety using the information on its packaging.
- The brand name alone doesn’t tell you the ingredients or allergens in a particular bag.
Crisps and snacks at Joybuy
This selection includes a plain Lay's variety and crisps made from okra, broccoli, plantain and taro. Check each pack separately for the ingredients and allergens that matter to you.
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Okra crisps 25 g
For anyone considering okra crisps in a small pack, this bag contains 25 g. Check the latest allergen information before deciding whether these crisps suit your dietary requirements.
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Lay's Oven Baked Natural 150 g
For anyone looking for a plain variety in a 150 g bag. Check the ingredients and allergens for this Oven Baked variety separately from other Lay's products.
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Broccoli crisps 20 g
For anyone wanting to compare broccoli crisps in a 20 g pack with other types of snack. Check the packaging for the ingredients and any allergen warnings.
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TG Salted Plantain Chips 85 g
For anyone considering salted plantain crisps instead of potato crisps; this pack contains 85 g. Check the ingredients and allergens on the bag to see whether they suit your dietary requirements.
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7FRESH Original Cut Taro Chips 50 g (Sea Salt Flavor)
For anyone looking for taro crisps with a sea salt flavour; this variety comes in a 50 g pack. Check the ingredients and allergen information for this specific flavour.
Frequently asked questions
Are gluten-free crisps free from other allergens too?
No. A gluten-free claim doesn’t mean that other allergens are absent: Jumbo lists soya and possible traces of sesame for the gluten-free Schär Salinis. So always check for the allergen you need to avoid.
Where can I find allergen information on a bag of crisps?
Check the ingredients list for highlighted allergens and read any additional warnings too. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that information about the 14 designated allergens must be available. The European Commission explains that these allergens must be clearly highlighted in the ingredients list.
Can I ignore ‘may contain’ if an allergen isn’t an ingredient?
No, not if that allergen is relevant to you. A ‘may contain’ statement warns that the allergen could be present unintentionally. Take this information into account when checking the packaging too.
Is a vegan claim enough if I have an allergy?
No. Being vegan and being free from a specific allergen are two different things. If you’re choosing a vegan snack, still check the ingredients and warnings for the allergen you need to avoid.