Parents planning a snack
When you’re short on time, you want to be able to pick a bag and decide on a portion. Compare the fat and energy per 100 g; a ‘less fat’ claim doesn’t tell you how much you’ll end up eating.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Consumers checking salt or allergens
If salt, ingredients or allergens matter to you or someone at home, the front of the pack isn’t enough. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority highlights the importance of nutrition information and clearly identifiable allergens on prepacked food labels.
Consumers looking for a familiar flavour, fast
You want to choose between options such as an oven-baked flavour and plain ridged crisps without spending ages comparing them. Jumbo lists several Lay's Oven Baked flavours, while Albert Heijn describes its own lower-fat ridged crisps variant. Compare the nutrition information for the variant you actually plan to buy.
What should you look for when choosing?
Lay's Oven Baked
Choose this option if: you’re looking for an oven-baked crisps range and want to choose between flavours. Jumbo lists options including plain, paprika, barbecue and Mediterranean herbs in its lower-fat crisps category.
Bear in mind: a claim about fat doesn’t, on its own, tell you anything about the salt or allergens in your chosen flavour. Check that variant’s label for details.
AH Ribbelchips naturel minder vet
Choose this option if: you want to compare plain ridged crisps with the regular AH variant. Albert Heijn states that it has 35% less fat than AH Ribbelchips naturel and contains 20 g of fat per 100 g.
Bear in mind: Albert Heijn also lists 461 kcal and 0.9 g of salt per 100 g. So the fat comparison won’t answer your questions about energy or salt.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Fat and energy | Compare the fat and kcal per 100 g in similar crisps, then consider the portion you want. | When I want a quick snack, I want to know what the ‘less fat’ claim means for the amount I eat. Around 42% of consumers put fat and energy first. |
| Salt, ingredients and allergens | Check the salt content, ingredients list and allergens on the packaging of your chosen flavour. | If I need to avoid an ingredient or allergen, I want to check before opening the bag. For around 33% of consumers, label information about salt, ingredients or allergens is the top priority. |
| Flavour and convenience | Choose the flavour and texture you want; only compare any Nutri-Score between similar crisps. | When I’m busy, I mainly want to choose a flavour and texture I like, without spending ages looking for a different type of product. Flavour and convenience come first for around 25% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Focusing only on the ‘less fat’ claim
A relative reduction in fat doesn’t tell you how much salt or energy the crisps contain. Albert Heijn lists 461 kcal and 0.9 g of salt per 100 g for AH Ribbelchips naturel minder vet.
For similar crisps, compare the fat, energy and salt per 100 g, then decide what portion you want to eat.
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Treating Nutri-Score as a verdict on the whole snack
According to the Dutch government, Nutri-Score is intended for comparing products of the same type; it is not a replacement for the Dutch dietary guidelines, known as the Schijf van Vijf.
Use Nutri-Score only as an additional way to compare similar crisps, and check the nutrition information and ingredients too.
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Relying on an old ingredients list
A recipe or online product listing can change. If you have an allergy, always use the current packaging to check the ingredients and allergens.
Read the label on the bag you’ve bought before eating it. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority states that allergens must be clearly identifiable in the ingredients list.
Brands to compare
Lay's
Jumbo lists Lay's Oven Baked as a lower-fat crisps range, with flavours including plain, paprika, barbecue and Mediterranean herbs.
- Several flavours in the same oven-baked range make it easy to choose by taste.
- Check the nutrition information, ingredients and allergens for each flavour; the ‘less fat’ claim doesn’t answer those questions.
Albert Heijn
AH Ribbelchips naturel minder vet is an own-brand option with an explicit comparison against AH Ribbelchips naturel.
- Albert Heijn states that it has 35% less fat than regular AH plain ridged crisps and contains 20 g of fat per 100 g.
- Albert Heijn also states that the variant contains 461 kcal and 0.9 g of salt per 100 g; consider these figures separately.
Jumbo
Jumbo’s range includes both its own-brand plain crisps and several Lay's Oven Baked variants.
- The listed variants give you a starting point for choosing a flavour and product type.
- A product range isn’t a comparison of nutritional values; check the information on each individual bag.
Oven-baked crisps at Joybuy
These Joybuy products are Lay's variants with ‘oven’ in the product name. Start by choosing your preferred flavour, then check the nutrition information on the pack before drawing conclusions about fat, energy or salt.
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Lay's Oven Baked Mediterranean Herbs, 150 g
An option if you’re looking for a herby flavour in oven-baked crisps.
Pack size: 150 g. Check the pack for the basis of the nutrition values and the allergens in this flavour.
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Lay's Oven Baked Barbecue, 150 g
An option if you want to choose a barbecue flavour from the oven-baked range.
Pack size: 150 g. Check the nutrition values and allergens on the current packaging before comparing flavours.
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Lay's Oven Baked Paprika, 150 g
An option if you’d like paprika flavour from the oven-baked Lay's range.
Pack size: 150 g. To compare, check the fat, energy and salt per 100 g on the packaging.
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Lay's Oven Baked Natural, 150 g
An option if you’re looking for the plain variant in the oven-baked range.
Pack size: 150 g. If you have an allergy, always read the ingredients and allergens on the current packaging.
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Lay's Oven Cheese Onion, 150 g
An option if you’re looking for cheese and onion-flavoured crisps.
Pack size: 150 g. Check the nutrition values and allergens for this variant on the packaging.
Frequently asked questions
Do lower-fat crisps also contain less salt?
A claim about fat doesn’t tell you that. Albert Heijn lists 20 g of fat and 0.9 g of salt per 100 g for AH Ribbelchips naturel minder vet; check the salt content separately on the label of the variant you choose.
Can I use Nutri-Score to compare crisps?
Yes, as an additional way to compare crisps of the same type. The Dutch government says Nutri-Score is intended for comparisons within a product group and doesn’t replace the Schijf van Vijf.
What information should be on a prepacked bag of crisps?
According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, the label includes, where applicable, details such as ingredients, allergens, net quantity, a best-before date, storage or use instructions and nutrition information. Allergens must be clearly identifiable in the ingredients list.
How should I store an opened or unopened bag of crisps?
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging of your chosen variant. Albert Heijn says AH Ribbelchips naturel minder vet should be stored in a cool, dry place; for any other bag, check its own storage instructions and best-before date.