If you’re shopping for someone with coeliac disease, first choose chocolate biscuits with an explicit gluten-free claim, then check the ingredients and allergen information on the current packaging. Gluten-free doesn’t mean a biscuit is also free from milk, egg, soya, nuts or oats. For your weekly shop, compare the pack size and type of biscuit: chocolate chip cookies, chocolate digestives and oat biscuits are different options.
You’re looking for a chocolate biscuit with an explicit gluten-free claim, and you check that claim on the current packaging rather than relying only on the ingredients listed on an online product page.
You want to know whether the pack size suits the number of times you plan to enjoy them. You’ll also compare chocolate chip cookies, chocolate digestives and oat biscuits as different types of biscuit.
As well as gluten, you may need to look out for milk, egg, soya, hazelnuts, other nuts or oats. The ingredients and warnings that matter will vary from product to product.
Start by checking for a gluten-free claim on the packaging, then review the other ingredients. Only then choose a type of biscuit and pack size for the week.
| What to look for | What to check when buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free claim and label | Look for an explicit ‘gluten-free’ claim on the physical packaging and read the current ingredients and allergen information. | When I’m buying biscuits for someone with coeliac disease, I want to be able to check the gluten-free claim on the packaging itself. For around 50% of shoppers, checking the label is the top priority. |
| Pack size for the week | Compare the weight in grams and work out how many packs suit the planned occasions. | If I’m planning several occasions, I want to buy a suitable quantity of biscuits without relying only on the front of the pack. That’s why pack size comes first for around 30% of shoppers. |
| Other ingredients and type of biscuit | Read the ingredients list and allergen information; distinguish between chocolate chip cookies, chocolate digestives and oat biscuits. | If I need to avoid another ingredient as well as gluten, I want to know what’s in this particular biscuit. For around 20% of shoppers, this is the main additional consideration. |
For someone with coeliac disease, an ingredients list that doesn’t mention wheat is no substitute for an explicit gluten-free claim.
Check for the ‘gluten-free’ claim and read the current packaging before eating the biscuits. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority links the use of this claim to the requirements of Regulation (EU) No 828/2014.
Albert Heijn lists egg, milk and hazelnut among the allergens in its gluten-free chocolate chip cookies; Jumbo lists milk, oats and soya for its gluten-free chocolate digestives.
Even after finding the gluten-free claim, read the full ingredients list, allergen information and any warnings on the pack you choose.
Jumbo says that the Damhert chocolate oat biscuit is no longer in its online range. So, finding a product page doesn’t confirm that you’ll be able to order the product for your next shop.
Check availability when planning your shop and, if needed, choose another biscuit whose current label meets your requirements.
Albert Heijn’s own-brand range includes chocolate chip cookies that AH presents as gluten-free.
Jumbo’s range includes gluten-free digestives coated in milk chocolate.
Schär’s Choco Chip Cookies feature on product pages from Albert Heijn and Jumbo.
Oaties Melkchocolade is Verkade’s chocolate oat biscuit, alongside the chocolate chip cookies and digestives discussed here.
Damhert makes a gluten-free chocolate oat biscuit, offering another type of biscuit in this category.
If you’re looking for an oat biscuit with milk chocolate for your weekly shop, rather than a chocolate chip cookie or chocolate digestive, this is the type of product featured below. Before eating, check the current gluten-free claim and allergen information on the packaging.
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This oat biscuit with milk chocolate is a good option if you’re looking for a different type of biscuit for the week, rather than chocolate chip cookies. The pack contains 150 g. Verkade lists gluten-free oat ingredients, milk and soya for Oaties Melkchocolade; check the current packaging if you also need to watch out for oats or other ingredients.
Yes. For this choice, first look for an explicit gluten-free claim. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, this claim may only be used when the requirements of Regulation (EU) No 828/2014 are met. Then check the current packaging for ingredients and other allergens.
Yes, oats can be found in products with a gluten-free claim, such as the Jumbo chocolate digestives and Verkade Oaties Melkchocolade described here. If you also need to watch out for oats, read the current ingredients and warnings; don’t rely on the type of biscuit alone.
Because the information on the current packaging matters when buying and eating the product. Albert Heijn warns that ingredients, nutritional information and allergen information may change, and advises customers to read the packaging before eating the product.
It depends on the product you choose. Albert Heijn lists egg, milk and hazelnut for its gluten-free chocolate chip cookies; Jumbo lists milk, oats and soya for its gluten-free chocolate digestives, with a warning about nuts. Jumbo lists soya for Schär Choco Chip Cookies, while Verkade lists milk and soya for Oaties Melkchocolade. Always read the label on the pack you’re buying.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging of the biscuits you choose. The product information from Albert Heijn, Jumbo and Schär recommends storing the products described in a cool, dry and/or dark place; seal an opened pack tightly.
