Office teams with a colleague who has coeliac disease
When sharing a treat, it’s not just what the packaging says that matters. The biscuits also need to be served without contact with crumbs or shared serving utensils.
Who are these choices relevant to?
Shoppers with additional dietary requirements
As well as the gluten-free statement, milk, soya, nuts, oats or lactose may be relevant. What you need to check depends on the needs of the people eating the biscuits.
Colleagues buying treats for the office
Whether you’re buying a chocolate biscuit to enjoy with a coffee or at a meeting, check the current packaging and plan to serve it separately from regular biscuits.
What should you look for when choosing?
First, check the gluten-free statement on the individual product. Then decide how you’ll serve it at work, and only after that look for a chocolate variety that meets any additional dietary requirements.
| What to look for | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free statement | Look for the explicit ‘gluten-free’ statement on the current packaging and read the allergen and cross-contamination information. | If I’m buying biscuits for a colleague with coeliac disease, I want to check the wording on the pack rather than rely on the product name. Around 50% of consumers would consider this check their most important buying requirement. |
| Serving separately | Keep the pack sealed until you’re ready to serve the biscuits, and use a clean, crumb-free surface or serve them straight from the pack. | In a shared coffee area, I want to prevent gluten-free biscuits coming into contact with crumbs from regular snacks. For around 30% of consumers, safe serving would be the top priority. |
| Additional dietary requirements | Check the relevant ingredients and allergens; only look for a lactose-free variety if that’s a requirement. | I’m looking for a chocolate biscuit that also suits the recipient’s other dietary requirements, such as those relating to lactose or oats. This would be the first selection criterion for around 20% of consumers. |
Common mistakes when buying and serving
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Assuming a regular chocolate biscuit is gluten-free based on its name
Not seeing wheat in the name isn’t the same as seeing a gluten-free statement on the product. Under Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, ‘gluten-free’ may only be stated if the final product contains no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten.
Check for the explicit statement and read the current allergen and cross-contamination information on the packaging too.
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Putting gluten-free biscuits on a mixed platter
The Dutch Coeliac Society notes that cross-contamination can occur when serving food and eating together. Crumbs or shared serving utensils could make a carefully chosen biscuit unsuitable after all.
Keep gluten-free biscuits separate from regular snacks, and use clean hands, a clean surface and clean utensils.
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Assuming ‘gluten-free’ means free from other allergens
Verkade Gv Oaties Melkchocolade product information also lists milk, oats and soya, as well as possible traces of nuts. So the gluten-free statement doesn’t answer every question about the ingredients.
Make any additional checks according to the recipient’s needs, and read the current label for the variety you’ve chosen.
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Relying on an old web page for your final label check
Albert Heijn states that product ingredients, nutritional information and allergen information can change.
Check the pack you receive again before serving the biscuits, especially if the gluten-free statement or relevant allergen information differs from what you saw when ordering.
Relevant brands and shops to explore
Verkade
Verkade presents Oaties Melkchocolade as a gluten-free oat biscuit with milk chocolate.
- The range includes a chocolate variety with an explicit gluten-free statement.
- For this variety, also check the current packaging for milk, soya, oats and possible traces of nuts.
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn lists AH Glutenvrij Chocolate chip cookies as a separate product.
- An option if you’re looking for chocolate chip cookies rather than oat biscuits.
- Albert Heijn says product information can change, so check the label on the pack you receive.
Jumbo
Jumbo lists Cereal Glutenvrije & Lactosevrije Chocoladekoekjes in a 150 g pack.
- The product description states that it is both gluten-free and lactose-free.
- Check the individual label for other ingredients and allergens; those two statements won’t answer every dietary question.
Lidl
Lidl describes a gluten-free range, but a range page doesn’t confirm the properties of an individual chocolate biscuit.
- The gluten-free range page may help you search for products more easily.
- For a specific biscuit, check the current gluten-free statement and label yourself.
Aldi
ALDI lists Biscotto chocolate biscuits, as well as a separate gluten-free coconut macaroon.
- According to ALDI, the Biscotto chocolate biscuits are individually packed in pairs.
- The gluten-free statement for the coconut macaroon doesn’t automatically apply to Biscotto chocolate biscuits; check the product you’ve chosen separately.
Lotus
Lotus presents Biscoff as a biscuit to enjoy with coffee, among other occasions.
- The range suits the occasion of an office treat.
- Don’t assume Biscoff is gluten-free just because it’s suitable for this occasion. If you’re buying for someone with coeliac disease, check the statement on the individual product.
Chocolate biscuits compared
This curated selection considers how well each product fits the gluten-free chocolate biscuit category, whether it has an explicit product statement and how suitable it is as an office treat. It isn’t a sales ranking or a comparison of taste and product quality.
| Place | Product | Features | Why it’s included | Retailer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Verkade Gv Oaties Melkchocolade, 150 g | Gluten-free oat biscuit with milk chocolate; 150 g. | Verkade describes Oaties Melkchocolade as gluten-free. For this oat biscuit, check the other ingredients on the current packaging too. | Joybuy |
| 2 | AH Glutenvrij Chocolate chip cookies | Gluten-free chocolate chip cookies. | Albert Heijn lists this as a separate product for anyone looking for a chocolate chip cookie. Check the current label when it arrives. | Albert Heijn |
| 3 | Cereal Glutenvrije & Lactosevrije Chocoladekoekjes, 150 g | Described as gluten-free and lactose-free; 150 g. | Jumbo lists both properties for this product. The additional lactose-free statement makes it worth considering if the recipient needs it. | Jumbo |
Gluten-free chocolate oat biscuit at Joybuy
This product selection features an oat biscuit with milk chocolate for an office treat. Before serving, check that the current label suits the recipient, and keep the biscuits separate from snacks containing gluten.
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Verkade Gv Oaties Milk Chocolate, 150 g
An oat biscuit with milk chocolate to consider if you’re looking for a chocolate variety labelled gluten-free for an office treat.
The pack contains 150 g. According to the product information, milk, oats and soya are relevant, and traces of nuts may be present. Check the current packaging for the gluten-free statement and cross-contamination information too.
When serving the biscuits, keep them separate from snacks containing gluten and use clean serving utensils.
Frequently asked questions
What does ‘gluten-free’ mean on a biscuit pack?
Under Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, this statement may only be used if the food, as sold to the final consumer, contains no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten. For an office treat, check for the explicit statement on the current product, rather than relying on the ingredient name or where it’s placed in the shop.
Can I put gluten-free biscuits next to regular biscuits?
Keep them separate when serving to prevent contact with crumbs and shared serving utensils. The Dutch Coeliac Society highlights the risk of cross-contamination when food is served and shared, so use clean hands and clean utensils.
Should I still read the pack if the online shop says ‘gluten-free’?
Yes, check the packaging of the product you receive. Albert Heijn says that information such as ingredients and allergens can change, so read the label again before serving.
Is a gluten-free oat biscuit suitable for everyone with coeliac disease?
Not without considering the individual recipient. Verkade Gv Oaties Melkchocolade product information states that a small group of people with coeliac disease may be sensitive to oat protein, also known as avenin. If you know the recipient is sensitive, ask which biscuits they consider suitable and check the current label.