Who are these options for?

Strict vegan label checker

You want to check whether the exact breakfast cake is vegan. Look for the claim on the current packaging, and check the ingredients and allergens too.

Vegan shopper looking for fibre

You compare sliced varieties by wholemeal flour and fibre per 100 g. Check the vegan claim separately: a wholemeal variety isn’t automatically labelled vegan.

Vegan shopper looking to limit added sugar

You’re considering varieties sold as zero or with no added sugars, but also want to know which sweeteners they contain and what warnings appear on the packaging.

What should you look for when choosing?

Start by checking the vegan claim on the exact packaging. Then compare the nutritional information and pack size according to what matters most to you.

What to consider What to check when buying Who is this most important to?
Vegan claim Check the claim on the current packaging, and read the ingredients and allergens for that variety. If I’m shopping strictly vegan, I don’t want to judge by the look of the packaging. Around 31% of consumers prioritise an explicit vegan claim.
Sugar and sweetener choice Compare ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g and, for zero varieties, check which sweeteners and warnings are listed. I want to keep an eye on added sugar, but also know what a different sweetener means for the ingredients. For around 25% of consumers, this is their first consideration.
Wholemeal and fibre Compare the proportion of wholemeal flour and the fibre content per 100 g; check the vegan status separately. If I eat sliced cake regularly, I mainly want to compare wholemeal flour and fibre. This is the top priority for around 19% of consumers.
Pack size Check the weight, whether the cake is pre-sliced and how many slices are in the pack. If I want to take slices with me for different occasions, the number in each pack matters. Around 25% of consumers give this convenience top priority.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming a short ingredients list means a product is vegan

    Not seeing milk or egg in the ingredients list isn’t the same as the product being explicitly labelled vegan.

    For the exact variety, check both the current vegan claim and the full ingredients and allergen information.

  • Confusing wholemeal with low sugar

    Albert Heijn lists 41% wholemeal rye flour and 5.7 g of fibre per 100 g in its sliced wholemeal breakfast cake, but it also contains 34 g of sugars per 100 g.

    Check fibre and ‘of which sugars’ as separate values in the nutritional information.

  • Choosing a zero variety without checking the sweeteners

    Jumbo lists maltitols in its sliced zero breakfast cake and warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect. A Peijnenburg variety containing xylitol also carries a warning about animals.

    Check the sweetener name and warnings for the variety you choose. Keep products containing xylitol out of pets’ reach.

Brands to consider product by product

A brand name doesn’t tell you whether every variety is labelled vegan; always check the packaging for the product you choose.

Albert Heijn

Albert Heijn labels both its 485 g sliced plain and wholemeal breakfast cakes as vegan.

  • The product information lets you compare the ingredients and nutritional values of each variety.
  • The sugar content varies between varieties; a vegan claim doesn’t tell you anything about this.

Jumbo

Jumbo labels its 475 g sliced breakfast cake with a zero claim as vegan. A separate 280 g wholemeal variety is described as plant-based.

  • The sweeteners and a usage warning are listed for the sliced zero variety.
  • The zero variety contains maltitols; check the ingredients if you want to avoid this sweetener.

Peijnenburg

Peijnenburg offers sliced plain and wholemeal varieties, as well as varieties with no added sugars.

  • You can compare the size and nutritional information of each variety.
  • Don’t assume a variety is vegan from its name; check the current packaging. The wholemeal variety with no added sugars and xylitol also carries a warning about animals.

Koek & Bakker

ALDI lists a 485 g pack of pre-sliced wholemeal breakfast cake from Koek & Bakker.

  • The weight and pre-sliced format are useful when comparing packs.
  • For vegan shopping, check the ingredients and product claim on the packaging itself.

Tastino

Tastino is a Lidl range name under which breakfast cake is listed.

  • If you find a pack, compare its weight and the information on the label.
  • Check whether the exact variety is vegan using the current product claim and ingredients.

Sliced breakfast cake at Joybuy

This sliced Peijnenburg breakfast cake is worth considering when comparing pack sizes. Check the current vegan claim, ingredients and allergens before choosing it for vegan shopping.

Peijnenburg Whole Wheat sliced breakfast cake, 345 g

Peijnenburg Whole Wheat sliced breakfast cake 345 g

For anyone looking for pre-sliced breakfast cake who wants to check whether the exact variety is vegan on the current packaging.

Pack weight: 345 g. Also check the ingredients, allergens and number of slices if these matter to your choice.

View at Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Is breakfast cake automatically vegan if it contains no milk or egg?

No. Checking only for those two ingredients isn’t enough to establish whether a product is vegan. Albert Heijn labels its sliced plain and wholemeal varieties as vegan, while Jumbo labels its sliced zero variety as vegan. Also check the current ingredients and allergens on the packaging you choose.

Is wholemeal breakfast cake always a better choice for vegan shopping?

Not necessarily: wholemeal and vegan status are separate product characteristics. For its wholemeal variety labelled vegan, Albert Heijn lists 5.7 g of fibre per 100 g, compared with 3.3 g for its plain variety, which is also labelled vegan. Compare the rest of the nutritional information too.

Does zero% added sugar mean breakfast cake contains no sugars?

No. Jumbo lists 5.8 g of sugars per 100 g and maltitols in its sliced zero variety. So check both ‘of which sugars’ and the ingredients, as well as the warning about excessive consumption.

Can you assume breakfast cake contains iodine from baker’s salt?

No. Don’t automatically assume that the breakfast cake you choose contains baker’s salt. If the type of salt used matters to you, check the ingredients for the exact variety.