Who is this choice relevant to?

Hotel buyers choosing by sugar content

You’re looking for a chocolate biscuit to serve with coffee and want to compare the stated amount of sugars per 100 g and per serving.

Hotel teams handling allergen queries

You need to be able to tell guests which allergens are present in the biscuit on offer. A low sugar content doesn’t tell you whether it’s suitable for someone asking about, for example, gluten or milk.

Buyers organising in-room service

You want to know how many servings are in a pack, whether the biscuits can be served individually and how guests can check the product information.

What should you look for when choosing?

Start by checking that the biscuit actually contains chocolate. Then compare the nutritional information and make sure the exact product meets your requirements for allergens and the way you plan to serve it in the room.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
Sugars Compare ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g and per biscuit on the current label. I want to serve a chocolate biscuit and compare its sugar content, rather than relying only on the wording on the front of the pack. Around 36% of consumers prioritise this sugar figure.
Allergens and dietary requirements Check the ingredients, allergen declaration and any ‘may contain’ statement for the exact product. If guests ask about gluten, milk or other allergens, I need reliable information about the biscuit they’ll be served. For around 29% of consumers, handling these queries is the top priority.
In-room service Check the individual packaging, shelf life and access to allergen information. A biscuit should be practical to serve to each guest without losing access to the product information. Around 21% of consumers prioritise this practicality.
Chocolate and ingredients As well as sugars, check for chocolate, energy, saturated fat and polyols per 100 g and per serving. I want to know whether the chocolate flavour and other ingredients suit the range I’ve chosen. Around 14% of consumers put this consideration first.

Common purchasing mistakes

  • Assuming a lower sugar content means fewer calories

    Jumbo lists 427 kcal per 100 g for Céréal Choco Delight Puur; De Online Drogist lists 537 kcal per 100 g for Damhert Coco Chocolat Cookies. Sugar content alone doesn’t tell you the full nutritional value.

    When comparing products, consider sugars, energy, saturated fat and serving size together, without drawing conclusions about the healthiness of a biscuit.

  • Assuming less sugar also addresses an allergen query

    According to Jumbo, Céréal Choco Delight Puur contains, among other ingredients, wheat, milk, soya, egg and oats. Céréal’s separate gluten-free and lactose-free chocolate biscuits, by contrast, list 29 g of sugars per 100 g.

    Keep the choice based on sugar content separate from specific dietary requirements. For every guest, check the current declaration for the exact product you plan to serve.

  • Overlooking polyols on the label

    Jumbo lists 24 g of polyols per 100 g for Céréal Choco Delight Puur; De Online Drogist lists 26.1 g per 100 g for Damhert Coco Chocolat Cookies. So it’s worth considering the ingredients as well as the sugar content.

    Read the ingredients and any warnings on the pack, and adjust the serving size accordingly.

  • Assuming a bulk pack contains individual portions for guests

    The pack size doesn’t automatically make a biscuit suitable for serving to one guest. Allergen information also needs to remain accessible when it’s served.

    Before ordering, check the individual packaging, shelf life and how guests will access information about the biscuit they’re served.

Brands to consider

Céréal

Jumbo lists both Choco Delight Puur and a separate range of gluten-free and lactose-free chocolate biscuits. They’re different options for different needs.

  • Choco Delight Puur lists 0.5 g of sugars and 24 g of polyols per 100 g.
  • The separate gluten-free and lactose-free chocolate biscuits list 29 g of sugars per 100 g. Don’t assume the features of one variant apply to the other.

Damhert

Coco Chocolat Cookies is a coconut and chocolate biscuit with nutritional values listed by De Online Drogist.

  • The stated sugar content is 0.8 g per 100 g.
  • The product also lists 26.1 g of polyols per 100 g. Check the allergen declaration for the intended guest service.

Verkade

San Francisco Zero is an alternative only if chocolate isn’t essential: it’s a biscuit, not a chocolate biscuit.

  • Albert Heijn lists 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g for this biscuit.
  • It contains maltitols; the product information warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.

Joybuy products related to this topic

Related products will be available soon.

Frequently asked questions

Does ‘less sugar’ mean a biscuit contains little sugar?

No. A reduction claim doesn’t tell you on its own how much sugar a biscuit contains. Under EU rules on nutrition claims, a claim that a nutrient has been reduced requires a reduction of at least 30% compared with a similar product. You should also check ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g and per serving.

Is a biscuit with no added sugars an alternative to a chocolate biscuit?

Only if chocolate isn’t a requirement. Albert Heijn describes Verkade San Francisco Zero as a biscuit with no added sugars, but it isn’t a chocolate biscuit. So decide first what kind of biscuit you want to serve, then compare the nutritional information.

What allergen information does a hotel need for biscuits served in guest rooms?

A hotel serving biscuits to guests must be able to tell them about any allergens present. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, this information appears on the label of prepacked foods. For unpackaged food, the information must be made available in an appropriate way. Keep the details for the exact biscuit you serve.

What should you look for if a biscuit contains polyols?

Check the ingredients, the stated amount of polyols and any warnings on the label of the product you’ve chosen. Albert Heijn lists a warning for Verkade San Francisco Zero that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.