Who is this choice important for?

Visitors with coeliac disease

You want to take crispbread with you and be able to check the gluten-free claim and ingredients on the pack, rather than choosing ordinary crispbread made with rye, wheat or barley.

People with allergies in addition to gluten

If sesame, milk, soya or mustard are also relevant to you, read the full allergen information. A gluten-free product may contain one of these allergens or state that it may contain traces.

Christmas market visitors comparing labels

You’re looking for a packaged option to take with you and want to compare fibre, salt and ingredients. Check the label of the specific product to see whether it contains iodised salt.

What should you look for when choosing?

If you have coeliac disease, first check the gluten-free claim and the packaging. Then compare other allergens and the nutritional information for the options that suit you.

What to check What to look for when buying Who is this most important for?
Gluten-free status and packaging Look for the ‘gluten-free’ claim on the pack and read the ingredients. Take an unopened pack if you want to be able to check the information while you’re out. If you have coeliac disease, don’t rely on the brand name or a statement about unpackaged food. For around 50% of consumers, being able to verify that a product is gluten-free would be the first consideration.
Other allergens Read both the ‘contains’ and ‘may contain’ information. The gluten-free options reviewed differ in their statements about sesame, milk, soya and mustard, among other things. If you need to avoid another allergen as well as gluten, a gluten-free option may still not be suitable. Other allergens would be the main deciding factor for around 30% of consumers.
Label and portability Compare fibre and salt per 100 g and, where provided, per portion. Check the ingredients list for information about iodine, and consider whether the pack is convenient to take with you. If you’re spending the day at the Christmas market, you’ll want a pack that suits your plans and lets you compare nutritional information. For around 20% of consumers, these label and packaging features would come first.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming a familiar brand name means the product is gluten-free

    Ryvita says that all its products contain gluten. Joybuy’s product information lists rye and gluten for Wasa Lightweight; this is not the same product as a gluten-free Wasa option.

    Check the full product name, ingredients and allergen information. Look for the ‘gluten-free’ claim on the product you’re actually buying.

  • Checking only for gluten

    According to Albert Heijn, AH Glutenvrij Vezelrijk crispbread may contain sesame. The Wasa options reviewed also list other allergens that are present or may be present.

    Every time you buy, check both the ‘contains’ and ‘may contain’ information on the current packaging.

  • Assuming allergen information from a market stall means food is ‘gluten-free’

    Allergen information for unpackaged food tells you which allergens are present, but it does not by itself confirm that a product meets the EU requirements for the ‘gluten-free’ claim. Preparation and possible cross-contact are also relevant.

    Ask the seller about the ingredients and preparation before you buy. If the information isn’t clear enough, choose your own unopened pack labelled gluten-free.

  • Assuming all gluten-free crispbread contains iodised salt

    Albert Heijn lists iodised salt in AH Glutenvrij Vezelrijk crispbread. This ingredient information tells you nothing about the composition of other options.

    If iodised salt is important to your comparison, check the ingredients list of the product you choose.

Brands compared

AH Glutenvrij

Albert Heijn describes AH Glutenvrij Vezelrijk crispbread as a pre-packed gluten-free option.

  • The product information states that it is made in a completely gluten-free environment and contains iodised salt.
  • The product contains oats, may contain sesame and has 2.4 g of salt per 100 g. Check the current packaging if these details matter to you.

Wasa

The product information reviewed relates to the gluten-free Classic and Sesame & Sea Salt options, not all Wasa products.

  • Albert Heijn lists individually wrapped portions and 1.1 g of salt per 100 g for Classic; Jumbo lists 10 g of fibre per 100 g for Sesame & Sea Salt.
  • Classic may contain milk, soya, sesame and mustard. Sesame & Sea Salt contains sesame and may contain milk, mustard and soya.

Ryvita

Ryvita is included for comparison in the crispbread category, but its own product information does not identify it as a gluten-free option.

  • Ryvita says that all its products contain gluten. So if you’re looking for gluten-free crispbread, don’t choose a Ryvita product based on the product category alone.

Related Joybuy products

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

When can crispbread be labelled ‘gluten-free’?

Under EU rules set out by the European Commission, a finished product labelled ‘gluten-free’ may contain no more than 20 mg of gluten per kg. When buying, check that the chosen product carries this claim on its packaging.

Is allergen information from a Christmas market stall enough to call something gluten-free?

No. Information about allergens in unpackaged food does not by itself confirm that the product meets the requirements for the ‘gluten-free’ claim. Ask about the ingredients and preparation. If you have coeliac disease and the information isn’t clear enough, you can bring your own unopened option labelled gluten-free.

Are regular Ryvita or Wasa Lightweight gluten-free alternatives?

No. Ryvita says that all its products contain gluten, and Joybuy lists rye and gluten for Wasa Lightweight. Wasa Lightweight is not the same option as Wasa Gluten- and Lactose-Free Classic or Sesame & Sea Salt.

Does gluten-free crispbread always contain iodised salt?

Don’t assume so. Albert Heijn lists iodised salt in AH Glutenvrij Vezelrijk crispbread; check the ingredients list separately for every other option.