Who is this choice important for?

Office buyers keeping an eye on sugar

They want to compare biscuits for the shared tin by looking at the stated amount of sugars per 100 g. For low-sugar options, they also check which sweeteners and ingredients have been used.

Teams looking for a familiar biscuit to go with their coffee

They want a familiar biscuit or stroopwafel to enjoy with their coffee. What matters is whether ‘less sugar’ means a relative reduction or also results in a low sugar figure per 100 g.

People responsible for a shared biscuit tin

They need to make sure colleagues can check the ingredients and allergens, even when the biscuits are no longer in their outer packaging. The allergens present vary from one product and variant to another.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide whether a low sugar figure per 100 g or a familiar type of biscuit matters more. Then check the ingredients, portion sizes and storage instructions on each pack to make sure they suit a shared biscuit tin.

What to look for What to check when buying Who it matters to
Amount of sugars Compare ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g in similar biscuits; don’t assess a ‘less sugar’ claim without considering that figure. If I mainly want to offer biscuits with little sugar, I’d rather check the nutrition table than rely on the front of the pack. This is the deciding factor for around 39% of consumers.
Type of biscuit and serving Choose between biscuits and stroopwafels, and check the portion size and packaging. When I put something out with coffee, I want a biscuit colleagues recognise and can easily grab. A familiar type matters most to around 31% of consumers.
Ingredients and allergens Read the current ingredients list and allergen information, and check for any warning about polyols. Keep this information available. When several colleagues choose from the same tin, I want everyone to be able to check the packaging before taking a biscuit. This is the top priority for around 23% of consumers.
Stock and storage Check the number of biscuits or portions and follow the storage instructions after opening. I’d rather top up the tin with quantities we can use while storing the biscuits as directed on the label. This is the most important consideration for around 7% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Reading ‘less sugar’ as ‘low in sugars’

    A relative reduction doesn’t tell you how much sugar the product contains overall. According to Albert Heijn, AH Roomboter minder suiker stroopwafels contain 32% less sugar than the regular version, but still have 23 g of sugars per 100 g.

    When comparing similar products, check the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g before relying on the claim on the front of the pack.

  • Overlooking sweeteners when the sugar figure is low

    Several of the low-sugar biscuits reviewed contain polyols, including maltitol. As stated in the warnings on these packs, excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.

    Read the ingredients and warnings, and keep the original packaging by the biscuit tin.

  • Offering unwrapped biscuits without allergen information

    The variants reviewed contain different ingredients, such as wheat, almonds, egg, milk and soya. Without the packaging, colleagues can’t tell which information applies to each biscuit.

    Keep the current packaging by the tin, or clearly list the ingredients and allergens for each individual variant on a card.

  • Comparing ontbijtkoek and biscuits as if they were the same thing

    An ontbijtkoek bar or koekhapper is a different product from a biscuit to have with coffee. A ‘less’ or ‘no added sugar’ claim doesn’t make the product type or portion size the same.

    First choose which type of product belongs in the tin, then compare the nutritional information of products in that category.

Brands compared

These brand names help you distinguish between the product types reviewed. Always check the specific variant on its current packaging.

Céréal

The Coconut and Speculoos biscuits listed by Jumbo are two different types of biscuit, both with a low stated sugar figure.

  • Jumbo lists 0 g of sugars per 100 g for Coconut and 0.4 g for Speculoos with almonds.
  • Both variants contain polyols. The Speculoos variant contains almonds, egg, milk, soya, wheat and barley, among other ingredients. Check the ingredients for each variant.

Albert Heijn

The own-brand products reviewed show why a digestive biscuit and a reduced-sugar stroopwafel need to be assessed separately.

  • Albert Heijn lists 0.3 g of sugars per 100 g for AH Digestive 0% suiker.
  • That digestive contains sweeteners and wheat. Despite the relative reduction, AH Roomboter minder suiker stroopwafels contain 23 g of sugars per 100 g.

Verkade

San Francisco zero is a biscuit for anyone looking for a familiar coffee-time treat who wants to distinguish a claim about added sugar from the total sugar figure.

  • Albert Heijn lists this variant as having 0% added sugar and 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g.
  • The variant contains naturally occurring sugars, maltitols, milk, soya and cereals containing gluten.

Lotus Biscoff

Regular Biscoff is a Speculoos biscuit, while Lotus Mini Zero is an ontbijtkoek bar and therefore a different type of product.

  • Lotus Bakeries describes Mini Zero as an ontbijtkoek bar with 0% added sugars.
  • Don’t treat regular Biscoff as a low-sugar alternative without comparing the current nutrition table.

ALDI / Koek & Bakker

The ALDI products reviewed are ontbijtkoek and koekhappers: more like individual snacks than classic biscuits for a biscuit tin.

  • ALDI describes Koek & Bakker Gesneden Ontbijtkoek Zero as having no added sugars and lists a koekhapper variant with less sugar.
  • Don’t compare these product types with biscuits based only on claims on the front of the pack; check the nutritional information and portion size for each variant.

Related products on Joybuy

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Does ‘less sugar’ mean the same as ‘sugar-free’?

No. ‘Less sugar’ compares a product with a reference product and doesn’t, by itself, tell you how much sugar it contains. Albert Heijn says the stroopwafels reviewed contain 32% less sugar than the regular version, but they still have 23 g of sugars per 100 g. Always check the nutrition table.

What should I do if there’s a warning about polyols?

Make sure the warning is visible to colleagues choosing from the tin. Several of the biscuits reviewed contain polyols; excessive consumption may have a laxative effect, according to the product warning. Keep the packaging with the biscuits so that the ingredients and allergens can also be checked.

How do I compare the amount of sugars in different biscuits?

First compare the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g for products of the same type. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre uses the figure per 100 g as a basis for comparison. Then check the portion size if you want to know how much sugar is in one biscuit.

How should I store biscuits in an office biscuit tin?

Follow the storage instructions for the product you’ve chosen. Albert Heijn says AH Digestive 0% suiker biscuits should be stored in a sealed tin after opening. Keep the outer packaging available so colleagues can continue to check the ingredients and allergens in the biscuits.