When choosing a chocolate biscuit, first check whether the current packaging lists anything relevant to your allergy. Only then compare the sugar content. A low-sugar biscuit may contain several allergens, while a gluten-free and lactose-free chocolate biscuit is not automatically low in sugar. So check the exact variant and don’t rely solely on a claim on the front of the pack.
You’re looking for a chocolate biscuit and need to check both the ingredients and any ‘may contain’ statements against the allergen you avoid. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority outlines the requirement to list 14 allergens in the ingredients information for prepacked foods.
You want to choose a chocolate biscuit based on its sugar content per 100 g, while also checking which allergens and sweeteners the variant contains.
You’re looking for a chocolate biscuit with the gluten or lactose information you need, and then want to check whether the other allergen information and sugar content suit your needs too.
Start with the allergen you need to avoid, then compare the nutritional information for chocolate biscuits that could suit your needs. The points below are for anyone considering both lower sugar and a food allergy.
| What to look for | What to check when buying | Who it’s most relevant to |
|---|---|---|
| Your specific allergen | Check the ingredients and any ‘may contain’ statements on the current packaging for the exact variant. | If my allergen is listed on a pack, that matters more to my choice than the sugar content. Around 40% of consumers put checking for their own allergen first. |
| Sugar content | Compare ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g across similar biscuits and check which sweeteners have been used. | I want a chocolate biscuit with less sugar, without relying solely on a claim on the front of the pack. Around 30% of consumers prioritise this comparison. |
| Gluten and lactose | Check the gluten and lactose information, as well as the other allergens and sugars, on the same pack. | If I need to avoid gluten or lactose, that’s my first selection criterion; then I look at the rest of the label. This is the main concern for around 30% of consumers. |
For Céréal Minder Suikers Choco Delight Puur, Jumbo lists wheat, egg, milk, oats and soya as allergens present, along with the possibility of nuts and sesame. The sugar content doesn’t change those details.
Check the allergen information on the exact pack first, and only then compare the sugars.
According to Jumbo’s product information, Céréal’s gluten-free and lactose-free chocolate biscuits also carry a warning that milk proteins may be present. So the lactose-free claim doesn’t tell you whether milk proteins are present.
If you need to avoid milk proteins, check the full allergen information on the current packaging.
Biscuits containing sweeteners may carry a warning that excessive consumption can have a laxative effect. For example, Albert Heijn includes this warning for Verkade San Francisco Zero and AH Digestive 0% sugar; neither is a chocolate biscuit.
As well as the nutritional values, check the ingredients and any usage warnings, and take the portion size into account when choosing.
Ingredients and allergen information can change. Albert Heijn advises customers to read the packaging when viewing its product information.
Check the packaging of the variant you’re actually buying, even if you’ve looked up the information online before.
The range includes both a lower-sugar chocolate biscuit and separate gluten-free and lactose-free chocolate biscuits for comparison.
San Francisco Zero is a biscuit for anyone comparing products with no added sugar, but it’s not specifically a chocolate biscuit.
Albert Heijn’s product information allows you to compare biscuits outside the chocolate biscuit category.
Jumbo lists separate chocolate biscuits from Céréal for those looking to reduce their sugar intake or avoid gluten and lactose.
Lotus Speculoos with chocolate is a chocolate variant to compare, rather than a specific option for reducing sugar.
Yes. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, the 14 allergens that must be declared need to be clearly listed in the ingredients information for prepacked foods. Also check for any ‘may contain’ statements relating to the allergen you avoid.
No. For Verkade San Francisco Zero, Albert Heijn states both that the product has no added sugar and that it contains naturally occurring sugars: 1.7 g per 100 g. To check the amount, always look for ‘of which sugars’ in the nutrition table. This product is not a chocolate biscuit, though.
Read the ingredients and any usage warnings. For Verkade San Francisco Zero and AH Digestive 0% sugar, Albert Heijn states that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect. Factor in the portion size too.
Not necessarily. For Céréal’s gluten-free and lactose-free chocolate biscuits, Jumbo states that milk proteins may be present. If you need to avoid milk proteins, check the full allergen information on the current packaging rather than relying only on the lactose-free claim.
No. Lidl Nederland says it doesn’t provide an online list of ingredients, allergens and nutritional values for its food products. Read the packaging of the specific biscuit or ask Lidl for additional product information before making your choice.
