If you’re buying for someone with coeliac disease
You’ll want to check the gluten-free label on the specific product. If biscuits are sold unpackaged at a Christmas market, you’ll also need allergen information to make an informed choice.
Who is this choice relevant to?
If you want to take biscuits to the market
An individually wrapped portion can be handy to take with you or hand out as you go. Even then, check the gluten-free label and allergen information.
If you need to consider another dietary requirement
If someone also needs to avoid milk, nuts, soya or eggs, for example, or wants a lactose-free option, the ingredients and allergen information for the specific biscuit will determine whether it’s suitable.
What should you look for?
First, check that the specific chocolate biscuit is labelled gluten-free. Then decide which other feature matters most for your visit to the Christmas market.
| What to look for | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free label | Check that the current packaging says ‘gluten-free’. If the biscuits are sold unpackaged, ask for allergen information and confirmation of their gluten-free status. | If I’m buying for someone with coeliac disease, I want to know what the specific biscuit contains and whether it is labelled gluten-free. For around 42% of consumers, this check comes first. |
| Sealed portions | Check whether the biscuits are individually wrapped and how many are in a pack. | If you’re carrying or handing out biscuits at a busy market, you may want to open each portion only when needed. For around 25% of consumers, this convenience is the top priority. |
| Other allergens and lactose | Read the ingredients, highlighted allergens and any ‘may contain’ statements. Check separately for a lactose-free label if needed. | If I also need to consider milk, nuts, soya or eggs, ‘gluten-free’ on its own isn’t enough. For around 17% of consumers, these additional checks come first. |
| Chocolate flavour and size | Compare chocolate chips with a chocolate coating, the pack size and the allergens in the variant you’ve chosen. | Once I’ve made the necessary checks, I want to choose a biscuit that suits the flavour I’m after and is easy to hand out. Roughly 16% of consumers then make this their top priority. |
Common mistakes
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Relying on a biscuit’s name or a stallholder’s reassurance
A product name doesn’t confirm that a specific biscuit is gluten-free. According to the European Commission, allergen information must be available for non-prepacked foods.
For a packaged biscuit, check the current ‘gluten-free’ label. At a market stall, ask for written allergen information. If the biscuit’s gluten-free status can’t be confirmed, don’t buy it for someone with coeliac disease.
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Assuming gluten-free also means free from other allergens
Product information from Albert Heijn and Jumbo lists milk, eggs, hazelnuts or soya among the ingredients in various gluten-free chocolate biscuits. The allergens that matter vary from product to product.
Before choosing based on flavour or size, read the ingredients, highlighted allergens and any ‘may contain’ statements.
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Treating an online product description as the definitive label
Ingredients and allergen information can change, so a description you viewed earlier may not match the packaging of the product you buy.
Check the current packaging when you buy or receive the product, especially if someone needs to avoid an ingredient as well as gluten.
Brands to consider
Verkade
Worth considering if you’re looking for an oat biscuit with a milk chocolate coating.
- Verkade says its Oaties Milk Chocolate biscuits are gluten-free and made with gluten-free oat flakes and gluten-free oat flour.
- The milk chocolate variant contains milk and soya. Check the current packaging for oats and other allergens too.
AH Glutenvrij
An option to look at if you’re after a chocolate chip cookie with hazelnuts.
- Albert Heijn describes its Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies as gluten-free, with 25% milk chocolate, and says they are made in a completely gluten-free environment.
- This product contains eggs, milk and hazelnuts. Check the packaging if you need to consider additional allergies.
Schär
A brand to compare if you’re looking for chocolate chip cookies and want to check the lactose information too.
- Albert Heijn’s product information describes Schär Choco Chip Cookies as gluten-free, wheat-free and lactose-free.
- Soya is listed as an allergen. Check the current packaging before choosing the product.
Céréal
Worth considering if you’re looking for a product labelled both gluten-free and lactose-free.
- Jumbo describes Céréal Chocolate Biscuits as free from gluten and lactose.
- According to Jumbo, the product contains soya; it may also contain eggs, milk, nuts, sesame and lupin. Check whether that suits your needs.
Jumbo Lekker Vrij
A product range to look at if you’re after a digestive biscuit with milk chocolate.
- Jumbo lists Lekker Vrij Gluten-Free Digestives Milk Chocolate 165 g in its product range.
- Check the specific product’s gluten-free label and full ingredients and allergen information.
Products on Joybuy
Related products will be available soon.
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy an unwrapped chocolate biscuit at a Christmas market for someone with coeliac disease?
Only if you can confirm that the specific biscuit is gluten-free and check its allergen information. According to the European Commission, allergen information must be available for non-prepacked foods. Ask the stallholder for written information rather than relying on verbal reassurance alone.
Is a chocolate biscuit without wheat automatically gluten-free?
No. ‘Wheat-free’ isn’t the same as the specific product being labelled ‘gluten-free’. The European Union sets conditions for information about the absence or reduced presence of gluten, so always check the current packaging.
Is an oat biscuit with chocolate automatically a suitable choice?
No. The word ‘oat’ doesn’t confirm that a biscuit is gluten-free. Check the label on the current packaging and read the other ingredients and allergen information for the variant you’ve chosen.
How should I store chocolate biscuits bought in advance for the Christmas market?
Keep them sealed and follow the date and storage instructions on the packaging. Albert Heijn says to store its gluten-free chocolate chip cookies in a cool, dark, dry place; instructions may vary between products.