Who is this relevant to?

If you’re looking for a sugar-free chocolate biscuit

You want a chocolate biscuit with your hotel-room coffee, with a sugar content that meets the sugar-free limit. The wording on the front of the pack isn’t enough to tell you that.

If you want to avoid added sugars

A biscuit without chocolate can go just as well with your coffee. You’re mainly looking for a product with no added sugars, and you know that this claim is different from sugar-free.

If you want to check the whole label

As well as sugars, you check the carbohydrates, polyols, pack warnings and allergens, especially if you’re planning to eat more than one biscuit.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide whether both chocolate and sugar-free are must-haves. Then compare the nutrition information and ingredients of the biscuits that meet your requirements.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
Sugar-free and chocolate Check that the biscuit contains chocolate and read the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g. According to the annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, a solid food carrying the sugar-free claim may contain no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. If I really want a chocolate biscuit with my hotel-room coffee, ‘no added sugars’ doesn’t meet my requirement. Around 44% of consumers prioritise this combination.
No added sugars Check the product description to see what type of biscuit it is, and compare the sugar content separately. No added sugars does not automatically mean sugar-free. A biscuit without chocolate is fine with my coffee, as long as no sugars have been added. Around 33% of consumers prioritise this.
Other label information Check the carbohydrates, polyols and allergens per 100 g, any information per serving, and warnings on the pack. If I want to have more than one biscuit or need to avoid certain ingredients, the rest of the label matters more than the sugar claim alone. Around 23% of consumers consider this first.

Common mistakes when choosing

  • Taking ‘no added sugars’ to mean ‘sugar-free’

    These claims don’t mean the same thing. Verkade lists 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g for San Francisco Zero, even though the brand says the product contains no added sugars.

    If sugar-free is a must-have, compare the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g with the 0.5 g limit in the annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.

  • Looking only at the sugar content

    A low sugar content doesn’t tell you how many carbohydrates or polyols a biscuit contains. Jumbo lists 60 g of carbohydrates and 24 g of polyols per 100 g for Céréal Minder Suikers Choco Delight Puur.

    Check the rest of the nutrition information too, and follow any warnings on the pack, especially if you’re planning to have more than one biscuit.

  • Mistaking a sugar-free biscuit for a chocolate biscuit

    Albert Heijn lists 0.3 g of sugars per 100 g for AH Digestive 0% suiker, but this biscuit has no chocolate coating. So it won’t meet your needs if chocolate is essential.

    Check both the product description and sugar content before choosing an alternative.

  • Not checking the label again

    If you have an allergy, the ingredients of the specific biscuit matter. Jumbo’s product information for Céréal Minder Suikers Choco Delight Puur lists egg, milk, oats, soya and wheat, among other ingredients.

    Read the pack of the product you’re actually going to eat, even if you’ve bought it before.

Relevant brands and product ranges

These product ranges represent different choices: a chocolate biscuit right at the sugar-free limit, a biscuit with no added sugars, and a sugar-free biscuit without chocolate.

Céréal

According to Jumbo, Minder Suikers Choco Delight Puur is a biscuit with a dark chocolate coating and sweetener.

  • Jumbo lists 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g, exactly the sugar-free limit under the annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.
  • Jumbo also lists 60 g of carbohydrates and 24 g of polyols per 100 g, and identifies egg, milk, oats, soya and wheat as allergens.

Verkade

According to Verkade, San Francisco Zero is a biscuit with no added sugars, for anyone who isn’t looking for chocolate.

  • The no-added-sugars claim meets a different need from strictly sugar-free.
  • Verkade lists 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g, so the product doesn’t meet the sugar-free limit. Also check the listed maltitols, wheat, milk and soya.

Albert Heijn

AH Digestive 0% suiker is a sugar-free biscuit with sweeteners, but it isn’t a chocolate biscuit.

  • Albert Heijn lists 0.3 g of sugars per 100 g, below the sugar-free limit in the annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.
  • Albert Heijn lists 63 g of carbohydrates and 14 g of polyols per 100 g, and warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.

Products on Joybuy

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

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

No. According to the annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, a solid food carrying the sugar-free claim may contain no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. Verkade describes San Francisco Zero as a biscuit with no added sugars, but lists 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g.

Which biscuit mentioned here combines chocolate with the sugar-free limit?

According to Jumbo, Céréal Minder Suikers Choco Delight Puur combines a dark chocolate coating with 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. That figure is exactly at the limit for the sugar-free claim in the annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. Check the pack of the specific product when you buy it.

Does sugar-free also mean low in carbohydrates?

No. The sugar content alone doesn’t tell you the total amount of carbohydrates. Jumbo lists 60 g of carbohydrates per 100 g for Céréal Minder Suikers Choco Delight Puur, alongside 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. So compare both figures and consider how many you plan to eat.

Why do some biscuits carry a warning about a laxative effect?

The warning may be related to added polyols. The Voedingscentrum explains that products containing more than 10% added polyols carry a warning about excessive consumption; Albert Heijn includes this warning for AH Digestive 0% suiker. Read the guidance on the pack before having several biscuits.

How should you store biscuits for coffee in a hotel room?

Follow the storage instructions for your chosen product. For AH Digestive 0% suiker, Albert Heijn recommends storing it in a cool, dark, dry place and keeping it in a sealed tin after opening. In your hotel room, make sure you keep biscuits sealed in line with the storage advice on their own packaging.