Shoppers keeping an eye on sugar
You’re looking for chocolate sprinkles clearly labelled as lower in sugar, and want to compare the sugar content per 100 g and per serving for the variety you’ve chosen.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Hosts and parents checking allergens
You’re serving food to children or other guests and want to check the ingredients and relevant allergens on the exact pack before serving.
Shoppers buying chocolate sprinkles for an Easter breakfast or as a topping
You want to use chocolate sprinkles on bread or as a topping, and choose a pack size to suit the number of people and the amount you need.
What should you look for when buying?
First decide whether your priority is less sugar, checking allergens or finding the right pack size. Then compare the nutrition information and ingredients for the exact variety of chocolate sprinkles you’re considering.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Verifiable sugar reduction | Read the exact claim on the pack and compare the sugar content per 100 g and per planned serving with similar chocolate sprinkles. | If my main aim is to buy something with less sugar, I want to know what the claim means for this variety. Around 50% of consumers put a verifiable sugar reduction first. |
| Allergens when sharing | Check the ingredients, allergens and any warnings on the pack for the flavour you’ve chosen; keep the pack handy when serving. | When guests are eating too, I need to be able to check which ingredients are relevant to them. That’s why around 30% of consumers put checking allergens first. |
| Quantity and how you’ll use it | Choose between a pack for bread toppings or garnishes and smaller portions to share; check the net weight and storage instructions. | For a one-off Easter breakfast, I don’t want to open more chocolate sprinkles than I need. The right quantity is the top priority for around 20% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Reading ‘less sugar’ as ‘sugar-free’
A ‘less sugar’ claim means something different from ‘sugar-free’. The wording on the front of the pack doesn’t replace the nutrition information for the variety you’ve chosen.
Compare the sugar content per 100 g in similar products, and consider how much you plan to have in each serving.
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Assuming the allergens from the brand name
Ingredients can vary between varieties. Product information for De Ruijter Hagelslag Puur at Jumbo and Venz Hagelslag melk at Albert Heijn lists milk and soya; that doesn’t automatically apply to other varieties from those brands.
Read the label on the pack you’re actually serving, and keep it to hand while guests are eating the chocolate sprinkles.
Brands and varieties compared
Céréal
An option to consider if an explicit sugar reduction claim is important to you.
- Jumbo lists the claim ‘-88% sugars’ for Céréal Hagelslag Puur 200 g.
- That claim applies to the variety named; before buying, also check the current ingredients, allergens and nutrition information.
Albert Heijn
According to Albert Heijn, its own-brand chocolate sprinkles come in a ‘less sugar’ variety in both milk and dark chocolate.
- You can assess the two flavours as separate varieties.
- Before choosing between milk and dark chocolate, compare the sugar content per 100 g and the ingredients on the pack you’ve selected.
Jumbo
Jumbo offers a point of comparison, with chocolate sprinkles available under different variety names and in different pack sizes.
- Its range lets you compare pack sizes and product descriptions side by side.
- Check each pack to see whether it actually carries a ‘less sugar’ claim; this doesn’t apply to the whole range.
De Ruijter
Regular dark chocolate sprinkles and smaller portions can be used as a point of comparison for flavour and quantity.
- Albert Heijn lists eight portions for De Ruijter Kleintjes.
- The regular De Ruijter Hagelslag Puur described by Jumbo contains 64 g of sugars per 100 g; smaller portions don’t, in themselves, mean less sugar.
Venz
Venz Hagelslag melk is a regular milk chocolate variety to compare with products labelled as lower in sugar.
- Albert Heijn lists this milk variety in a 400 g pack.
- The same product listing gives 69 g of sugars per 100 g and lists milk and soya; don’t treat this variety as a lower-sugar product.
Chocolate sprinkles at Joybuy
Related products coming soon.
Frequently asked questions
Does ‘less sugar’ mean chocolate sprinkles are sugar-free?
No, ‘less sugar’ and ‘sugar-free’ don’t mean the same thing. Check the pack you’ve chosen to see how much sugar the chocolate sprinkles contain per 100 g, and also consider how much you plan to use per serving.
What should I check if guests are eating the chocolate sprinkles?
Read the ingredients and allergens on the exact pack before serving the chocolate sprinkles. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority highlights that allergens must be listed on the labels of pre-packed foods; keep the pack so guests can check the information for themselves.
Are chocolate sprinkles suitable for an Easter egg activity?
Yes, chocolate sprinkles can be part of an Easter breakfast or used as a topping, but they’re no substitute for the Easter eggs you hide. Choose an amount to suit how you’ll use them, and keep the pack handy for product information.
How can I tell lower-sugar chocolate sprinkles from a regular variety?
Check the full variety name, then compare the sugar content per 100 g on the label. For comparison, Jumbo lists 64 g of sugars per 100 g for regular De Ruijter Hagelslag Puur, while Albert Heijn lists 69 g per 100 g for Venz Hagelslag melk; these figures don’t tell you anything about other varieties from the same brands.