Which choice is right for you?

Shoppers looking for demonstrably less sugar

You want to assess a claim using the packaging and nutrition information. Words such as wholemeal or light and airy don’t, on their own, tell you whether a product contains less sugar.

Shoppers who prioritise fibre

You check for wholemeal flour and fibre per 100 g, but compare the sugar content separately if that also matters to your choice.

Shoppers looking for a family pack

You check the pack size and number of cakes without assuming that a larger pack also contains less sugar per 100 g.

What should you look for when choosing?

Decide whether lower sugar, fibre, pack size or a predictable portion is your priority. Then compare the nutrition information for the varieties you’re considering.

What to consider What to check before buying Who is this most important for?
Demonstrably less sugar Read the exact claim and compare sugar per 100 g with a similar sponge cake. A lower figure per cake doesn’t show that the sugar content per 100 g is lower. If I’m looking for less sugar, I want to know what a sponge cake is being compared with. Around 36% of consumers would prioritise a demonstrable reduction in sugar.
Wholemeal and fibre Check the ingredients and compare both fibre and sugar per 100 g; wholemeal doesn’t automatically mean less sugar. I’d be more likely to choose a wholemeal variety for its fibre, even if it doesn’t contain less sugar. Around 29% of consumers would prioritise fibre.
Pack size Compare the net weight and number of cakes; check sugar per 100 g separately. When shopping for several people, I want to know how many sponge cakes are in the pack. Pack size would determine the choice for around 21% of consumers.
Portion and allergens Check the sugar per cake as well as per 100 g, and read the allergen information for the variety you’ve chosen. I want to know in advance what’s in one cake and which ingredients are relevant to me. Around 14% of consumers would prioritise portion size or checking for allergens.

Common misconceptions

  • Assuming wholemeal means less sugar

    According to Albert Heijn’s product information, both the regular and wholemeal AH sponge cakes contain 31 g of sugar per 100 g. The wholemeal variety does list more fibre.

    Compare fibre and sugar per 100 g separately if both matter to your choice.

  • Looking only at the figure per cake

    Jumbo lists 6.6 g of sugar per 15.5 g cake, approximately, for the Bolletje crunchy sponge cake with milk coating, compared with 42 g per 100 g. The figure per portion and the figure used to compare products answer different questions.

    Use the per-cake figure to check your portion, and the per-100 g figure to compare different sponge cakes.

  • Confusing the impression of less sugar with a claim

    Low sugar and reduced sugar don’t mean the same thing. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre defines low sugar as no more than 5 g of sugar per 100 g; a reduced-sugar claim requires a comparison with a similar product.

    Check exactly what the claim says and what comparison information is provided on the packaging.

  • Guessing allergens from the product name

    Ingredients vary by variety. Bolletje lists egg, milk, soya and cereals containing gluten among the allergens in its crunchy sponge cakes.

    Read the allergen information on the packaging of the exact variety you’re buying.

Brands and own-label options to consider

Albert Heijn

Own-label range with regular and wholemeal sponge cakes.

  • The product information lists ingredients and nutritional values: both the regular and wholemeal varieties contain 31 g of sugar per 100 g.
  • Based on these sugar figures, the wholemeal variety isn’t a lower-sugar choice than the regular AH variety. Check the latest packaging, as product information can change.

Jumbo

Own-label range with regular and wholemeal sponge cakes.

  • Jumbo lists 29.5 g of sugar per 100 g for its regular sponge cakes and 3.9 g of fibre per 100 g for the wholemeal variety reviewed.
  • That wholemeal variety lists 33.6 g of sugar per 100 g. So don’t choose based on the word ‘wholemeal’ alone if sugar is your main priority.

Bolletje

A brand of crunchy sponge cakes, including an individually portioned variety with a milk coating.

  • Jumbo lists 6.6 g of sugar per approximately 15.5 g cake for the crunchy sponge cake with milk coating.
  • The same variety lists 42 g of sugar per 100 g. Also check the ingredients and allergens for the version you’ve chosen.

Heerlijck Banket

The brand of free-range egg sponge cakes that ALDI Netherlands describes as a pack of 12, weighing 360 g.

  • The listed weight and number of cakes can help you choose the right pack size.
  • Check the sugar per 100 g on the pack before choosing these sponge cakes based on their sugar content.

Sondey

Lidl brand of sponge cakes, sold in a pack of 12 weighing 360 g.

  • Lidl Netherlands lists the pack size and number of sponge cakes.
  • If you’re choosing based on sugar content, read the nutrition information on the packaging.

Sponge cakes at Joybuy

Related products will be available soon.

Frequently asked questions

What does ‘low sugar’ mean on a sponge cake?

For a ‘low sugar’ label, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre sets a maximum of 5 g of sugar per 100 g. This is different from a reduced-sugar claim, which you need to assess by comparing the product with something similar.

Does a wholemeal sponge cake contain less sugar?

Not automatically: according to Albert Heijn, both the regular and wholemeal AH sponge cakes list 31 g of sugar per 100 g. The wholemeal variety lists 3.5 g of fibre per 100 g, compared with 1.4 g for the regular variety.

Should I compare sugar per cake or per 100 g?

Compare sugar per 100 g when you’re weighing up sponge cakes of different sizes. The figure per cake also helps you see how much sugar is in one portion.

Which allergens should I check in sponge cakes?

Read the allergen information on the packaging you’ve chosen. Product information from Albert Heijn, Jumbo and Bolletje lists egg, wheat or other cereals containing gluten, milk and soya among the allergens in various products; ingredients vary from one product to another.

Is the online nutrition information enough to help me choose?

Use online nutrition information to shortlist products, then check the packaging of the one you buy. Albert Heijn states that ingredients, nutritional values and allergen information can change.