Who is this choice for?

Coffee-break organisers

Looking for a biscuit to serve as a treat with coffee or tea? A butter-rich spritz biscuit could fit the bill, but the AH and Verkade varieties reviewed contain milk ingredients and wheat.

People managing the office cupboard

Want to compare the nutritional values of specific biscuits, especially fibre and saturated fat. Albert Heijn’s product information shows why it’s important to look at the particular digestive variety, rather than just the name ‘digestive’.

Offices with a range of dietary requirements

Need a clearly labelled option for colleagues who choose vegan or lactose-free products. The AH Digestive and AH Digestive wholemeal with wheat flour reviewed are both labelled as such, but also contain wheat.

What should you consider when choosing?

When stocking the office cupboard for everyone, first decide what matters most: a treat with coffee, comparing nutritional values or a biscuit that suits specific dietary requirements.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
Coffee break Check the ingredients and portion size of your chosen spritz biscuit. AH Spritsen lists 29% butter and a 20 g portion. If I’m serving biscuits at a meeting, I want them to feel like a familiar treat with coffee. For around 40% of consumers, this treat-like quality matters most.
Nutritional value Compare specific varieties per 100 g and per portion for fibre, saturated fat, sugars and salt. According to Albert Heijn, the wholemeal digestive reviewed contains 6 g of fibre and 1.6 g of saturated fat per 100 g; AH Spritsen contains 1.3 g of fibre and 15 g of saturated fat. When restocking, I want to compare the nutritional values of the biscuits side by side, rather than judging them by their product names. Around 40% of consumers put this comparison first.
Dietary requirements and allergens Read the current labelling, ingredients and allergen information on every pack. Albert Heijn labels the standard and wholemeal digestive biscuits reviewed as vegan and lactose-free; both contain wheat. When colleagues need a vegan or lactose-free option, I want to know which specific pack is suitable and what allergens it contains. For around 20% of consumers, suitability is the most important consideration.

What should you watch out for?

  • Assuming ‘digestive’ means better nutritional value

    The name doesn’t tell you how much fibre, saturated fat, sugar or salt your chosen biscuit contains. Albert Heijn lists 6 g of fibre in AH Digestive wholemeal with wheat flour, but also 1.15 g of salt per 100 g.

    Compare the full nutritional information for specific varieties on the same basis: per 100 g and, if given, per portion.

  • Confusing vegan or lactose-free with allergen-free

    The AH digestive biscuits reviewed are labelled vegan and lactose-free, but contain wheat. So neither label answers every question about allergens.

    When stocking biscuits for everyone, check the ingredients and allergen information on the current packaging, and make it clear to colleagues which biscuits contain which allergens.

  • Assuming spritz biscuits are suitable for everyone

    According to Albert Heijn, AH Spritsen contains butter, milk ingredients, lactose and wheat. One type of biscuit therefore won’t meet every dietary requirement mentioned.

    If necessary, choose an additional variety with clearly labelled characteristics and keep it separate.

  • Relying solely on online product information

    Ingredients and other product details can change. This is particularly important if you’re relying on specific labelling or allergen information for colleagues.

    Before serving, check the information on the pack that’s actually in the office.

Brands and product ranges compared

Verkade

NoboSprits Original is a spritz biscuit for anyone looking for a crisp biscuit with coffee or tea; Verkade describes the product as crisp.

  • The ingredients list includes wheat flour, sugar and butter oil.
  • For this product, Verkade lists 1.1 g of fibre and 14.81 g of saturated fat per 100 g; it contains milk ingredients and wheat.

Albert Heijn

The AH Spritsen, AH Digestive and AH Digestive wholemeal with wheat flour reviewed here are three specific biscuits you can compare by variety.

  • AH Spritsen lists 29% butter. The two digestive biscuits reviewed are labelled vegan and lactose-free; the wholemeal variety lists 6 g of fibre per 100 g.
  • The spritz biscuit contains milk, lactose and wheat; both digestive biscuits contain wheat. The wholemeal digestive also lists 1.15 g of salt per 100 g.

McVitie's

According to Albert Heijn, the Digestives Original pack reviewed contains two 400 g packs.

  • For this pack, Albert Heijn lists 3.7 g of fibre per 100 g.
  • The same product information lists 10 g of saturated fat and 1.3 g of salt per 100 g. The product contains wheat and may contain milk.

PLUS

PLUS Digestive biscuit is a standard digestive variety reviewed for comparison using the information on its label.

  • PLUS labels this biscuit as vegan and lists 3.3 g of fibre and 1.8 g of saturated fat per 100 g.
  • The product contains wheat and may contain rye, barley and oats; check the packaging if these allergens are relevant.

Sondey

Lidl describes Sondey as a range that includes biscuits and cookies, with vegan options among them.

  • The brand description may prompt you to look for a specific variety labelled as vegan.
  • For a particular pack, check what type of biscuit it is and review its ingredients, allergens and nutritional values.

Digestive biscuits for the office cupboard on Joybuy

This product is a standard digestive option. Check the packaging to assess its nutritional value and suitability for specific dietary requirements.

McVities Digestive Original, 400 g pack

McVities Digestive Original, 400 g

A standard digestive for anyone looking to add biscuits to the office cupboard. The pack contains 400 g; check the current ingredients, allergens and nutritional information if dietary requirements or nutritional values influence your choice.

View on Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Is a digestive automatically a better choice than a spritz biscuit?

No. Compare the nutritional values of the specific biscuits. According to Albert Heijn, AH Digestive wholemeal with wheat flour contains more fibre and less saturated fat per 100 g than AH Spritsen, but also 1.15 g of salt per 100 g. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends looking beyond the front of the pack; check the ingredients and full nutritional information too.

Can I serve a vegan or lactose-free digestive without checking anything else?

First check the packaging for the relevant dietary information and allergens. The AH Digestive and AH Digestive wholemeal with wheat flour reviewed are labelled vegan and lactose-free, but contain wheat. So check the ingredients and allergen information before sharing the biscuits with colleagues.

How should I store biscuits in the office once they’re open?

Follow the storage instructions on the pack and seal opened biscuits well. For the AH Digestive reviewed, Albert Heijn recommends storing them in a sealed tin once opened; PLUS recommends keeping its digestive biscuits reviewed in a cool, dry place.