Who might find these options useful?

Organisers promising a sugar-free buffet

You want to label a tray as sugar-free without confusing that claim with ‘no added sugars’. So check the wording on the packaging and the sugars listed per 100 g.

Organisers putting on a mixed buffet

Guests help themselves to biscuits from different trays. You want the ingredients and allergens for each product to remain clear, even when the original packaging isn’t next to the tray.

Organisers looking to offer a variety of flavours

You might be looking for biscuit, coconut or speculoos varieties to serve with coffee and tea. You’ll want to make the differences in sugar claims, ingredients and allergens clear.

What should you look for when choosing?

Start with the claim you want to use on your buffet label. Then compare the allergens and sweetener information for each biscuit, so your presentation matches the packaging.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
Sugar-free claim Read the exact claim on the current packaging and compare the sugars listed per 100 g; ‘no added sugars’ does not mean the same thing. If I label a tray as sugar-free, guests need to be able to trust that claim. It’s a top priority for around 42% of consumers.
Allergens when guests serve themselves Copy the allergen information for each product from the current packaging, and keep different biscuits and serving tongs separate. When biscuits are served loose on trays, I want to be able to see which allergens each tray contains. This is the main concern for around 33% of consumers.
Sweeteners and presentation Check which sweeteners have been used and include any warnings on the packaging in your presentation; check the serving size too. I want to offer a variety of flavours without overlooking information about sweeteners. Around 25% of consumers prioritise this consideration.

Common buffet mistakes

  • Shortening ‘no added sugars’ to ‘sugar-free’

    These labels don’t mean the same thing. Albert Heijn lists 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g for Verkade San Francisco Zero, even though the product is labelled as having no added sugars.

    Copy the claim from the current packaging exactly onto your buffet label, and don’t put products with different claims under a single ‘sugar-free’ sign.

  • Confusing sugar-free with allergen-free

    A sugar claim tells you nothing about allergens. According to Albert Heijn’s product information, AH Digestive 0% suiker contains wheat; the allergens listed for the Céréal varieties described by Jumbo differ by flavour.

    Make a separate label for each tray, based on the current packaging. Don’t use a general allergen or dietary claim for all the sugar-free biscuits together.

  • Leaving out information about sweeteners

    Sugar-free biscuits may contain polyols. The product page for AH Digestive 0% suiker includes a warning that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.

    Keep the ingredients information and any warnings available to guests, even when you serve the biscuits unwrapped on a tray.

  • Putting regular speculoos on the sugar-free tray

    If biscuits with different claims are mixed together, it’s no longer clear which buffet label applies to which product. This also makes information about ingredients and allergens less useful.

    Serve a regular speculoos option, such as Lotus Biscoff Original, on a separately labelled tray with its own serving utensils.

Brands and retailers to consider

These examples show why you need to read the label for each variety: a sugar claim doesn’t tell you which allergens or sweeteners a biscuit contains.

Albert Heijn

AH Digestive 0% suiker is a biscuit with sweeteners, sold in a 400 g pack.

  • Albert Heijn lists 0.3 g of sugars per 100 g and describes this product as vegan and lactose-free.
  • It contains wheat and may contain barley, oats and rye. The product page also includes a warning about a possible laxative effect if consumed in excess.

Céréal

Céréal makes biscuits labelled ‘No Sugars’ in flavours including coconut and almond speculoos.

  • According to the product information at Jumbo, the coconut variety contains 0 g of sugars per 100 g, while the almond speculoos variety contains 0.4 g per 100 g.
  • Both varieties contain maltitols. Check the allergens for each flavour: the coconut variety contains wheat and may contain other allergens; the speculoos variety contains almonds and wheat, among other ingredients.

Verkade

San Francisco Zero is a biscuit with no added sugars, not a product to label as sugar-free without checking.

  • The ‘0% added sugar’ label makes it clear which claim you can copy onto a separate buffet label.
  • Albert Heijn lists 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g for this product. It contains wheat, milk and soya; the product page includes a warning about a possible laxative effect if consumed in excess.

Lotus Biscoff

Lotus Biscoff Original is a classic speculoos option for a separate coffee-time tray.

  • A separate tray helps guests clearly distinguish regular biscuits from the range labelled sugar-free.
  • Don’t use the name of this speculoos as evidence for a sugar-free claim; base each buffet label on the packaging of the product being served.

Jumbo

Jumbo is a retailer with product information for the Céréal varieties mentioned, not a separate biscuit brand in this selection.

  • The product pages list nutrition information and allergens for each variety, so you can compare the flavours individually.
  • Use the information on the packaging of the product you’re actually serving for your buffet labels, especially when flavours contain different ingredients.

Related products on Joybuy

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Does ‘no added sugars’ mean the same as sugar-free?

No. A biscuit with no added sugars may still contain sugars: Albert Heijn lists 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g for Verkade San Francisco Zero. Use the exact claim from the current packaging on your buffet label.

How should I provide allergen information for unwrapped biscuits?

Keep the allergen information for each biscuit available when the packaging isn’t next to the tray. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that consumers must be given allergen information for unpackaged foods in another way. A label for each tray, based on the current packaging, keeps the information with the right product.

Are sugar-free biscuits automatically suitable for other dietary requirements?

No. ‘Sugar-free’ doesn’t in itself tell you whether a biscuit contains wheat, milk or nuts, for example, or whether it’s vegan. Check the ingredients and allergens for each variety separately, and only include dietary claims that appear on the relevant packaging.

How should I store biscuits until they’re ready to serve?

Follow the storage instructions on the packaging of the biscuits you’ve chosen. Albert Heijn recommends keeping AH Digestive 0% suiker in a cool, dark and dry place, and storing it in a sealed tin after opening; Verkade recommends keeping San Francisco Zero in a dry place, preferably somewhere cool.