Choose a sugar-free stroopwafel only if the nutrition information lists no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g; ‘reduced sugar’ does not meet this requirement. This limit is set out in the annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, while Albert Heijn lists 23 g of sugars per 100 g for its reduced-sugar butter stroopwafels. If reduced sugar is enough for your Mother’s Day treat, compare the rest of the nutrition information and the allergens on the packaging too.
If sugar-free is a must for your gift, check the amount of sugars per 100 g. Under the annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, a product labelled ‘sugar-free’ must contain no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g.
If you want to give a familiar stroopwafel and reduced sugar is enough, compare the amounts of sugars, carbohydrates and energy per 100 g. Check the serving size on the packaging too.
If gluten or certain allergens matter too, check each requirement separately. A gluten-free stroopwafel is not automatically low in sugar or sugar-free.
First, decide whether sugar-free is a must or whether reduced sugar will do. Then check for any allergens and review the nutrition information on the packaging you plan to buy.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Truly sugar-free | Check ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g: under EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, the sugar-free claim means no more than 0.5 g per 100 g. | If sugar-free is a must for the recipient, I don’t want to rely on the words ‘reduced sugar’. Around 50% of consumers say that sugar-free is their priority. |
| Reduced sugar | Compare sugars, carbohydrates and energy per 100 g, and check the serving size too. | For a coffee-time treat, I want to be able to choose a stroopwafel with reduced sugar when that’s enough, without calling it sugar-free. Reduced sugar is the main preference for around 40% of consumers. |
| Gluten and allergens | Read the ingredients and allergen information on the current packaging; assess any gluten-free claim separately from the amount of sugars. | If the recipient also needs to avoid certain ingredients, I want to make sure I don’t focus only on sugar. For around 10% of consumers, this additional restriction takes priority. |
Albert Heijn lists 23 g of sugars per 100 g for its reduced-sugar butter stroopwafels. That’s above the sugar-free limit of no more than 0.5 g per 100 g under EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.
If sugar-free is a strict requirement, check the ‘of which sugars’ line in the nutrition information, not just the wording on the front of the pack.
Albert Heijn marks its listing for the 150 g Céréal Low Sugar Stroopwafels as ‘discontinued’. A listing for a different pack at Carrefour Belgium tells you nothing about the availability or nutritional value of that Dutch version.
Check which pack is actually available from the retailer and read the nutrition information on that pack.
According to their product pages, Jumbo Lekker Vrij and PLUS gluten-free stroopwafels contain 42.4 g and 41.13 g of sugars per 100 g respectively.
Decide which product requirement matters most and check gluten and sugars separately on the packaging.
Albert Heijn’s reduced-sugar stroopwafels also list milk, cereals containing gluten and soya. A lower sugar content doesn’t remove the need to check for allergens.
For a Mother’s Day breakfast or coffee break, read the full ingredients and allergen information on the pack you choose.
These product ranges show why ‘reduced sugar’, ‘low sugar’ and ‘gluten-free’ each call for a different check.
AH Butter Reduced Sugar Stroopwafels are an option if reduced sugar is enough, but not if you need a sugar-free product.
The low-sugar stroopwafels we looked at require you to check the exact pack and current retailer.
The stroopwafels we looked at are designed as a gluten-free option, not a sugar-free one.
Regular Daelmans stroopwafels are only relevant if the recipient doesn’t need a sugar-free option.
The PLUS range we looked at includes regular stroopwafels and a separate gluten-free variety.
Under the annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, a solid food can contain no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g to be labelled sugar-free. So check the nutrition information per 100 g: ‘reduced sugar’ does not mean the same thing.
No. Albert Heijn lists 23 g of sugars per 100 g for these stroopwafels. They’re only suitable if reduced sugar is enough for the recipient.
No. Check the other allergens and the amount of sugars too, if these matter to the recipient. Jumbo lists egg and lupin, possible traces of nuts and sesame, and 42.4 g of sugars per 100 g for its Lekker Vrij van Gluten Stroop Wafels.
