Choose chocolate-coated spritz biscuits if you’re mainly after a biscuit to enjoy with your coffee, and a box of chocolates if you want something to share or a small thank-you gift. For both, check the label for allergens and storage advice: depending on the variety, the products mentioned contain ingredients such as wheat, milk, nuts or soya.
Want a crisp biscuit with your coffee, with no need to give a gift? Then a spritz biscuit, perhaps with a chocolate coating, is a better fit than an assortment of chocolates. Just check the ingredients of the variety you choose.
Individually wrapped chocolates can be handy for a travel companion or as a small thank-you: you can offer someone a single piece without having to portion anything out. If you choose an assortment, check the ingredients and allergens for the person receiving it.
Base your choice on the label of the exact pack you’re buying, not just on the name ‘spritz biscuit’ or ‘box of chocolates’. Ingredients vary from product to product, and online product information can change.
If you’re choosing something to enjoy with coffee in your hotel room, first decide whether a biscuit, easy sharing or checking allergens matters most to you. Then compare the packaging and label of the specific product.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Biscuit or chocolate | Check whether you’re buying spritz biscuits, chocolate-coated biscuits or individual chocolates. | If I want a biscuit with my coffee, a box of chocolates isn’t the same thing. For around 30% of consumers, having a biscuit is the top priority. |
| Sharing or giving as a gift | Check the number of pieces, the total weight and whether the pieces are individually wrapped. | When I want to offer something to a travel companion or give it as a thank-you, I want it to be easy to share. Around 40% of consumers give this the highest priority. |
| Allergens | Read the ingredients list and any warnings on the pack you’re buying. | If there’s an allergy, I first want to know which ingredients and allergens matter to the recipient. For around 30% of consumers, checking this is the deciding factor. |
According to Jumbo, the 250 g merci Assorted Chocolates Box contains ingredients including milk, hazelnut, almond and soya; possible traces of peanuts, other nuts and egg are also mentioned. So a variety of flavours doesn’t automatically make a box suitable for every recipient.
Ask about any relevant allergies and read the label on the box you’ve chosen before giving it as a gift.
Verkade NoboSprits Milk and PLUS Sprits both list wheat and milk; PLUS also lists egg. A product name doesn’t tell you which ingredients apply to every variety.
Check the ingredients list and any warnings on the pack of spritz biscuits you’re buying.
Jumbo advises that the 250 g merci Assorted Chocolates Box should be protected from heat.
Store the box according to the label and keep it out of direct sunlight and away from heat sources.
PLUS and Albert Heijn point out that product information, including ingredients and allergens, can change.
Use online information to compare products, then check the physical packaging again before serving or giving anything as a gift.
Verkade NoboSprits Milk is an example of a chocolate-coated spritz biscuit for anyone looking for a biscuit to have with their coffee.
PLUS Sprits are butter spritz biscuits for anyone who doesn’t need a box of chocolates.
The 250 g merci Assorted Chocolates Box is an example of chocolates to share or give as a gift.
The product listing for the 400 g merci Gift Box is another example of a box of chocolates that’s easy to share.
Jumbo has a category for chocolate gifts, including assortment boxes as an alternative to a biscuit with your coffee.
These products illustrate two options for coffee in your hotel room: a biscuit with milk chocolate and an assortment of chocolates to give as a gift. The biscuit isn’t a spritz; if you want to hand out the chocolates individually, check whether they’re individually wrapped.
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For anyone who’d rather have a biscuit than an assortment of chocolates with their hotel-room coffee; these aren’t spritz biscuits.
Milk chocolate biscuits in a 150 g pack. If you have an allergy, check the ingredients and warnings on the packaging.
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An assortment of chocolates to give as a small thank-you when you’re not looking for a biscuit.
125 g pack. Check the ingredients and allergens on the box, and see whether the chocolates are individually wrapped if you want to hand them out one at a time.
Yes. For pre-packed spritz biscuits and chocolate, check the ingredients and allergens on the packaging you’re buying. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that relevant allergens must be listed on food labels; ingredients vary from product to product.
Verkade NoboSprits Milk lists wheat, milk and soya; PLUS Sprits lists wheat, milk and egg. Also read any warnings on the specific packaging, as these vary by variety.
A box with individually wrapped pieces is handy when you want to offer someone a single chocolate without having to portion out the contents. According to Jumbo, the 250 g merci Assorted Chocolates Box contains 20 individually wrapped bars; check this separately for other boxes.
Follow the storage advice on the packaging you’ve chosen. PLUS recommends storing its Sprits in a cool, dry place; Jumbo says the 250 g merci Assorted Chocolates Box should be protected from heat.
Use online information to compare products in advance, but check the physical packaging before giving a gift. PLUS and Albert Heijn warn that product information, including ingredients and allergens, can change.
