Who are these points relevant to?

If you’re strict about sugars

You’re looking for an afternoon biscuit that meets the threshold for the ‘sugar-free’ claim. Wording such as ‘no added sugars’ isn’t enough.

If you compare carbohydrates too

As well as ‘of which sugars’, you want to check total carbohydrates and the amount per serving. A sugar claim doesn’t tell you how many carbohydrates a biscuit contains.

If you read ingredients carefully

You check which sweeteners and allergens are in a particular flavour and look out for any warnings on the packaging.

What should you look for when choosing?

Start with the sugar claim and the ‘of which sugars’ line per 100 g. Then check the rest of the nutritional information and the ingredients for the variety you want to buy.

What to check What to look for when buying Who it matters to
Sugar claim Check ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g. Under the EU claim conditions set out by EUR-Lex, ‘sugar-free’ means no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. I want a biscuit that genuinely meets the ‘sugar-free’ claim, not just a variety with no added sugars. For around 36% of consumers, this strict sugar check comes first.
Carbohydrates and serving size Compare carbohydrates and fibre per 100 g, and check how many biscuits you actually eat in a serving. For my afternoon snack, I want to know how the amount I eat affects my carbohydrate comparison. Around 29% of consumers give this the highest priority.
Sweeteners and allergens Read the ingredients and allergen information, and check for any warnings about the laxative effects of excessive polyol consumption. I want to know in advance whether the sweetener and ingredients in this particular variety suit me. This is the main consideration for around 21% of consumers.
Flavour and occasion Once you’re happy with the sugar claim and ingredients, compare the flavour and packaging. With coffee or tea, I mainly want a flavour I enjoy, once I’ve checked the label. This comes first for around 14% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming ‘no added sugars’ means ‘sugar-free’

    A product with no added sugars may still contain sugars. Jumbo lists 4.9 g of sugars per 100 g for Peijnenburg wholemeal breakfast cake with no added sugars. It’s also breakfast cake, not a sugar-free biscuit.

    If you’re looking for a sugar-free biscuit, check the sugar content per 100 g rather than relying on the wording on the front of the pack.

  • Ignoring the warning about polyols

    Joybuy’s product information lists 29 g of polyols per 100 g for Céréal speculoos with almond, and warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.

    Check which sweeteners your chosen variety contains and follow the warnings on the current packaging.

  • Assuming allergen information applies to every flavour

    Ingredients vary between varieties. For Céréal speculoos with almond, Joybuy lists almonds, cereals containing gluten, egg, milk and soya among the allergens.

    Check the allergen information on the packaging of the exact variety you’re buying.

Brands to compare

Céréal

Offers biscuit varieties labelled ‘sugar-free’, including coconut and speculoos with almond.

  • Joybuy lists 0 g of sugars per 100 g for the coconut variety and 0.4 g per 100 g for the speculoos with almond.
  • The speculoos variety also contains 29 g of polyols per 100 g and several allergens. Compare this information for each variety, rather than making assumptions about the brand as a whole.

Albert Heijn

Has an own-brand product called AH Digestive 0% suiker.

  • It offers a digestive-style biscuit to compare with others using the label information.
  • Albert Heijn notes that ingredients, nutritional values and allergy information may change, so check the current packaging.

Verkade

Verkade San Francisco Zero is a variety to compare with other biscuits.

  • Albert Heijn lists this specific variety in its range.
  • Don’t assume that ‘Zero’ in the product name tells you how much sugar, how many carbohydrates or which allergens the biscuit contains. Check the packaging for those details.

Peijnenburg

Offers wholemeal breakfast cake with no added sugars as an alternative if you’re considering breakfast cake rather than biscuits.

  • Jumbo lists 17 g of fibre per 100 g for this variety.
  • The same product information lists 4.9 g of sugars and 51 g of carbohydrates per 100 g. So this breakfast cake is not a sugar-free biscuit.

Biscuits at Joybuy

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

What’s the difference between ‘sugar-free’ and ‘no added sugars’?

Under the EU claim conditions published by EUR-Lex, ‘sugar-free’ means no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. A product with no added sugars may still contain sugars. So if you’re specifically looking for a sugar-free biscuit, check the ‘of which sugars’ line.

Are sugar-free biscuits also low in carbohydrates?

Not necessarily: a low sugar content doesn’t tell you how many total carbohydrates a biscuit contains. Joybuy lists 0 g of sugars and 72 g of carbohydrates per 100 g for Céréal Cookie Coconut. Check the nutritional information for your chosen variety per serving too.

What should I look out for if a biscuit contains polyols?

Read the ingredients and any warnings about excessive consumption. Joybuy’s product information for Céréal speculoos with almond lists polyols and warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.

What should I check on the packaging?

Check the ingredients and allergens for the specific flavour, as well as ‘of which sugars’, carbohydrates and serving size. Albert Heijn notes that product and allergy information may change, so use the current packaging to guide your choice.