If you want to label biscuits on a Dutch hotel breakfast buffet as sugar-free, choose only varieties containing no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. This is the threshold for the claim under the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. Céréal Coconut Biscuits and Speculoos with Almond list 0 g and 0.4 g respectively, but check the polyols and allergens too. Verkade San Francisco Zero lists 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g, so it isn’t suitable for a strictly sugar-free buffet label.
If the buffet label needs to say ‘sugar-free’, the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g is key. Under the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, sugar-free biscuits must contain no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g.
If you serve biscuits unpackaged in a bowl or dispenser, guests must be able to get information about the allergens they contain. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority states that you must also name the specific cereal or nut when referring to cereals containing gluten and nuts.
For a small biscuit served alongside breakfast, portion size, nutritional values per portion and the amount of polyols all matter too. For example, Albert Heijn lists 29 g of polyols per 100 g for Céréal Speculoos with Almond and warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
First decide what you want the buffet label to say. Then check the allergen information for each biscuit, and make sure the portions and storage method suit your buffet service.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Especially relevant for |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar-free claim | Check the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g. Under the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, the ‘sugar-free’ claim requires a maximum of 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. | I want to label the buffet ‘sugar-free’ without guests confusing this with ‘no added sugars’. For around 46% of consumers, having a demonstrably sugar-free option is the top priority. |
| Allergen information | Check the current ingredients and allergen information for each variety, and make sure the details are available for unpackaged biscuits. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority also requires the specific type to be named for cereals containing gluten and nuts. | If I serve biscuits loose, I want to be able to answer guests’ questions about ingredients straight away. For around 36% of consumers, allergen information matters most. |
| Portions and storage | Compare the nutritional values per portion and the polyols per 100 g, and read any warnings on the packaging. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises storing opened sugar-free biscuits in a cool, dry, dark place in a tightly sealed container. | I want to offer small portions and stop opened biscuits on the buffet from losing their quality. Around 18% of consumers say this practical aspect is their top priority. |
These claims don’t mean the same thing. Verkade lists 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g for San Francisco Zero, which is above the EU maximum of 0.5 g per 100 g for the ‘sugar-free’ claim.
Make sure your buffet label matches the nutritional information, and use ‘sugar-free’ only when the biscuit you choose meets that threshold.
Sugar-free biscuits can still contain allergens. For Céréal Speculoos with Almond, Albert Heijn lists wheat, almond, soya, egg, milk and barley, among other ingredients. If you serve biscuits unpackaged, guests must be able to get the relevant allergen information.
Keep the current packaging or product information, and make the details available in writing by each serving dish or ensure staff can provide them verbally.
According to Albert Heijn, Céréal Speculoos with Almond contains 29 g of polyols per 100 g and carries a warning that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect. ‘Sugar-free’ on its own says nothing about this warning.
For biscuits containing maltitol, check the amount of polyols and the packaging warning before deciding on self-service portions.
Lotus Bakeries lists 38.1 g of sugars per 100 g for its original Lotus Biscoff. In a mixed bowl, guests can’t tell which biscuit matches which label.
Use separate bowls, serving utensils and labels for regular and sugar-free varieties.
Céréal offers coconut biscuits and Speculoos with Almond under the ‘no sugars’ label.
San Francisco Zero is a biscuit that Verkade labels ‘no added sugars’.
Albert Heijn has a ‘sugar-conscious biscuits’ category and describes a product called AH Digestive 0% sugar.
The original Lotus Biscoff is a regular speculoos biscuit that can be offered as a separate option alongside a sugar-free selection.
No. Under the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, a biscuit can contain no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g to carry the ‘sugar-free’ claim. Verkade lists 1.7 g per 100 g for San Francisco Zero, so don’t treat the ‘no added sugars’ label as meaning ‘sugar-free’.
Guests must be able to get information about the allergens in unpackaged biscuits. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, this covers the 14 allergens specified by law. For cereals containing gluten and nuts, you must also make clear which cereal or nut is present. The information can be provided in writing or verbally.
Check the portion size, amount of polyols and any warning on the packaging. Albert Heijn lists 29 g of polyols per 100 g for Céréal Speculoos with Almond and warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect. Bear this warning in mind when deciding on portions and how to present the biscuits on the buffet.
Store opened biscuits in a cool, dry, dark place in a tightly sealed container, as advised by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. Also follow the use-by date and storage instructions on the packaging of the product you choose, especially if you’re putting only some of the biscuits out on the buffet.
