The butter canoe biscuits mentioned here are not an option if ‘sugar-free’ is a strict requirement: Albert Heijn lists 39 g of sugars per 100 g for its canoe biscuits, while Jumbo lists 36.8 g per 100 g for its own. If the canoe shape is less important, you could consider a different type of biscuit. But ‘no added sugars’ does not mean the same as ‘sugar-free’: according to Verkade, Verkade San Francisco Zero contains 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g.
For you, the ‘of which sugars’ figure is what matters, not just wording on the front of the pack. The canoe biscuits mentioned here and Verkade San Francisco Zero do not meet the threshold for the ‘sugar-free’ claim set out by EUR-Lex: no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g.
If you want to hand out butter biscuits filled with almond paste at the Sinterklaas procession, a regular canoe biscuit is a different choice from a plain biscuit. Before deciding, check the sugar content, portion size and allergens on the pack.
If the canoe shape and filling are not essential, you can consider biscuits with no added sugars on their own merits. Even then, check the sugars per 100 g, the ingredients and any sweeteners. The words ‘no added sugars’ do not mean that a biscuit is sugar-free.
First, decide whether ‘sugar-free’ is a strict requirement. Then consider whether you specifically want a canoe biscuit with almond paste, and if you’re handing them out, check the ingredients and allergens of the product you’re actually taking with you.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar-free or no added sugars | Check the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g. According to EUR-Lex, a product can contain no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g to use the ‘sugar-free’ claim. | If I specifically need a sugar-free biscuit, I want to be able to rule out products with sugars above that threshold. This is the top priority for around 50% of consumers. |
| Canoe biscuits and almond paste | Check whether you’re choosing a canoe biscuit with almond paste or another type of biscuit. For regular canoe biscuits, compare the nutrition information per 100 g. | When handing them out, I sometimes specifically want the familiar filled canoe biscuit; a plain biscuit is not necessarily a like-for-like replacement. For around 30% of consumers, the canoe biscuit itself matters most. |
| Ingredients and portion size | Read the current allergen information and ingredients list, including details of any sweeteners. Also check the nutrition information per portion. | When several people will be eating the biscuits, I want to know what’s in them and how big a portion is. For around 20% of consumers, this check is the top priority. |
These statements do not mean the same thing. According to Verkade, Verkade San Francisco Zero contains 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g. That is above the maximum of 0.5 g per 100 g set out by EUR-Lex for the ‘sugar-free’ claim.
If you have a strict requirement, always compare the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g. Don’t rely solely on the word ‘Zero’ or the wording on the front of the pack.
Portion size does not change the nutrition information per 100 g. Albert Heijn lists 39 g of sugars per 100 g for its butter canoe biscuits, while Jumbo lists 36.8 g per 100 g for its butter canoe biscuits.
Use the figures per 100 g to compare products. Then check the pack to see how much one portion of your chosen canoe biscuit weighs.
For the canoe biscuits mentioned here, relevant allergens include wheat and other gluten-containing ingredients, milk, egg, soya and almond. Biscuits with no added sugars also need to be checked for ingredients individually.
Keep the packaging available when handing out the biscuits, so people can check the current ingredients and allergen information for themselves.
AH Roomboter kano’s are an example of a regular canoe biscuit with almond paste, not a sugar-free option.
Jumbo Kano’s met Roomboter are regular canoe biscuits; a biscuit with no added sugars is a separate type of product.
Verkade San Francisco Zero is a biscuit for anyone who is happy with something other than a canoe biscuit.
This product is worth considering as an alternative if the canoe shape is not essential. Before buying, check which product and ingredients correspond to the packaging.
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Consider this item only if a different type of biscuit from a canoe biscuit suits your occasion.
The product title refers to 110 g of biscuits, while another description mentions liquorice. So check the product identity and nutrition information on the current packaging, especially if the sugar content or sweeteners used are key to your choice.
No. According to EUR-Lex, the ‘sugar-free’ claim requires a maximum of 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g or 100 ml. A product with no added sugars can still contain sugars, so check the ‘of which sugars’ figure.
No, not if you mean the ‘sugar-free’ claim. Albert Heijn lists 39 g of sugars per 100 g for AH Roomboter kano’s, while Jumbo lists 36.8 g per 100 g for Jumbo Kano’s met Roomboter.
Only if you’re happy with a biscuit that does not have the canoe shape or almond paste filling. Verkade lists 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g and describes the product as having no added sugars, so it is not a sugar-free canoe biscuit.
Check the current ingredients list and allergen information on the pack you’ve chosen. For the canoe biscuits mentioned here, relevant allergens include wheat and other gluten-containing ingredients, milk, egg, soya and almond. Keep the packaging available for anyone who will be eating them.
