If you’re buying chocolate biscuits for someone with coeliac disease, start by checking the current gluten-free statement on the packaging, then read the ingredients list. Only then choose a biscuit to go with your coffee: milk, soya, egg, nuts or oats may further limit the options for each product, and product information can change.
They want a chocolate biscuit with their coffee, but can’t rely on a familiar brand name or a ‘wheat-free’ label alone. The current gluten-free statement and ingredients on the packaging are what matter when choosing.
As well as choosing gluten-free, they need to look out for ingredients such as milk, lactose, egg, nuts or soya. Biscuits with the same gluten-free statement can differ significantly in these respects.
They want to offer a suitable biscuit to a guest with coeliac disease. As well as checking the packaging, it’s important to arrange and serve the biscuits in a way that prevents them coming into contact with regular biscuits or crumbs.
When serving coffee to someone with coeliac disease, checking the current gluten-free statement comes before choosing a flavour or type of biscuit. Then check for any other relevant allergens, and only compare the remaining biscuits once you’ve done that.
| What to look for | What to check when buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free statement | Look for ‘gluten-free’ or a gluten-free symbol on the current packaging, and read the ingredients list. | When I’m buying biscuits for someone with coeliac disease, I don’t want to assume they’re gluten-free just because they contain no wheat. For around 50% of consumers, checking the gluten-free statement comes first. |
| Other allergens and lactose | Compare the ‘contains’ and ‘may contain’ statements with the dietary requirements of the person you’re buying for. | If someone has an additional restriction relating to, for example, milk, egg, nuts or soya, ‘gluten-free’ alone isn’t enough. Additional allergens are the first consideration for around 30% of consumers. |
| Type of biscuit to go with coffee | Compare oat biscuits, chocolate chip cookies and digestives, and see which pack size suits the occasion. | Once the relevant dietary requirements are taken care of, I mainly want a biscuit that suits how I’ll serve it and the flavour I’m looking for. For around 20% of consumers, the type of biscuit then takes priority. |
Not seeing wheat in the ingredients list isn’t the same as seeing a gluten-free statement. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority refers to Regulation (EU) No 828/2014 in relation to the ‘gluten-free’ claim.
If you’re buying for someone with coeliac disease, check the current gluten-free statement or symbol, as well as the ingredients on the packaging.
A gluten-free chocolate biscuit may still contain milk, egg, nuts or soya. A lactose-free statement doesn’t mean the biscuit is free from other allergens either.
Read all the allergen information and compare it with all the dietary requirements of the person you’re buying for.
Albert Heijn warns in its product information that ingredients and allergen information can change. So a familiar pack or product name is no substitute for checking the current label.
Check the gluten-free statement, ingredients and allergen information again every time you buy a new pack.
Verkade describes Oaties Melkchocolade as a gluten-free chocolate oat biscuit. This doesn’t mean other Verkade biscuits are suitable.
The Chocolate chip cookies in this range are an option if you’re looking for a crunchy cookie with milk chocolate and hazelnuts.
Schär Choco Chip Cookies are a smaller chocolate chip cookie to enjoy with coffee.
Céréal chocolate biscuits are an option if you need them to be lactose-free as well as gluten-free.
In this own-brand range, Jumbo lists a Lekker Vrij van Gluten Digestives Melkchocolade, weighing 165 g.
No. Don’t choose a product based on ‘wheat-free’ alone. Check that the current packaging says ‘gluten-free’ or displays a gluten-free symbol, and read the ingredients. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority refers to Regulation (EU) No 828/2014 in relation to the ‘gluten-free’ claim; the Dutch Coeliac Society also advises checking the label.
Yes, check every new pack. Albert Heijn notes that ingredients, nutritional values and allergen information can change, even if the product name stays the same.
Not necessarily: the products mentioned may contain milk, egg, hazelnuts or soya, among other ingredients, or carry warnings about other allergens. Check the current ‘contains’ and ‘may contain’ statements for each biscuit. Even if a variety is lactose-free, don’t assume it is free from other allergens.
Keep the packaging to hand, use clean, separate serving utensils and prevent contact with regular biscuits or bread crumbs. The Dutch Coeliac Society notes that cross-contamination is also something to consider when serving food.
