If you have coeliac disease, choose speculaas with a ‘gluten-free’ label on the current packaging. AH Glutenvrij Speculaas and Jumbo Lekker Vrij van Gluten Speculaas are both 125 g options; check the other allergens listed on the pack, too. A Lotus Biscoff variant listed by Albert Heijn contains wheat flour, so it isn’t suitable for this gluten-free choice.
If you’re taking speculaas to have alongside your lunch, first check that the exact product is labelled gluten-free on the packaging. A familiar speculaas flavour or brand name alone doesn’t tell you whether it’s suitable.
If you need to avoid other allergens as well as gluten, such as eggs, milk, nuts, lupin or sesame, check both the ingredients and any ‘may contain’ information. A gluten-free label doesn’t tell you whether the product is suitable for these other allergies.
If you want to take a biscuit as part of your lunch, compare the net weight, portion information and nutritional information on the packs. Check the sugars and fibre per 100 g, as well as the portion you’ll actually be taking with you.
If you have coeliac disease, start by checking that the exact speculaas product is labelled gluten-free before taking it with you. Other allergens and the role the biscuit will play in your lunch may also influence your choice.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free labelling | Look for ‘gluten-free’ on the current packaging of the exact product and read the ingredients. | If I have coeliac disease, I don’t want to have to rely on the flavour or brand when choosing a biscuit to take with me. For around 50% of shoppers, confidence in choosing a gluten-free product comes first. |
| Other allergens | Check the pack to see what the product contains and which ingredients it may contain according to the allergen information. | I may need to avoid eggs, milk, nuts, lupin or sesame as well as gluten. Around 30% of shoppers give these additional allergen checks top priority. |
| Portion and lunch | Compare the net weight, portion information and nutritional information, including sugars and fibre per 100 g. | I want to know how many biscuits I’m taking and what else will be part of my lunch. For around 20% of shoppers, this practical choice for lunch matters most. |
Speculaas isn’t automatically gluten-free. The Lotus Biscoff speculoos rolls listed by Albert Heijn contain wheat flour in the speculoos component, so they aren’t suitable for someone who needs to eat gluten-free.
Check the gluten-free label and ingredients on the exact pack you’re buying, even if you already know the brand.
A gluten-free label doesn’t mean a product is suitable if you have another allergy. Product information from AH, Jumbo and Consenza lists different ingredients and possible traces of other allergens.
Check both the ‘contains’ and ‘may contain’ information on the current packaging, and compare it with the ingredients you need to avoid.
The nutritional information for AH and Jumbo speculaas lists 27 g and 26.9 g of sugars per 100 g, respectively; both list 1.6 g of fibre per 100 g. These figures describe the biscuit, not the nutritional value of a complete lunch.
Check the portion information on the pack and decide what other products you’ll take for lunch.
Jumbo marks the pages for Consenza Glutenvrije Speculaasjes and Gluten Free Bakery Holland Gevulde Speculaas as no longer part of its online range. That doesn’t tell you whether you might find a pack elsewhere.
Check current availability before buying, and read the label again if you find a pack.
For each of these brands, check the exact speculaas product: gluten-free labelling and allergen information can vary from pack to pack.
AH Glutenvrij Speculaas is a 125 g own-brand product.
Jumbo Lekker Vrij van Gluten Speculaas is a 125 g own-brand product.
Consenza has gluten-free speculaas biscuits and speculaas shapes, which should be checked individually by product name and label.
Lotus Biscoff is a brand of regular speculoos; check each variant individually if gluten-free is a requirement.
Under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, the term ‘gluten-free’ may only be used if the food contains no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten when sold to the final consumer. If you have coeliac disease, look for this label on the current packaging of the exact product.
The symbol doesn’t replace the gluten-free label or the need to check the current packaging. Jumbo displays the symbol on its Lekker Vrij van Gluten Speculaas; if other allergens matter to your choice, check the ingredients and allergen information for this product, too.
It’s best to take the speculaas in a sealed pack and follow the storage instructions on the packaging. Check the best-before date and keep the biscuits separate from foods you want to avoid contact with.
Before eating the product, check the ingredients and allergens on the packaging you actually have. Albert Heijn warns that online product information can change; if there’s a discrepancy, check the information for your specific pack.
