Who might find this choice useful?

If you’re looking for sugar-free chocolate biscuits

You want both chocolate and a verifiable sugar-free claim for Halloween. A biscuit labelled only ‘no added sugars’ won’t necessarily meet that requirement.

If you’re hosting and considering your guests’ needs

You’re putting out biscuits to share and want to know which allergens, possible traces and warnings about excessive consumption are listed on the packaging before serving them.

If you’re flexible but keeping an eye on sugar

You’re also comparing chocolate biscuits labelled ‘reduced sugars’ with biscuits labelled ‘no added sugars’. Keep the exact claim separate from whether the biscuit contains chocolate.

What should you look for when choosing?

First, decide whether ‘sugar-free’ is an absolute requirement. Then check the ingredients and any warnings for the guests you plan to offer the biscuits to.

What to consider What to check before buying Who it matters to
Sugar-free claim Read the exact wording and compare the ‘of which sugars’ value per 100 g with the maximum of 0.5 g per 100 g that the Netherlands Nutrition Centre gives for ‘sugar-free’. If I want to hand out sugar-free chocolate biscuits, both the claim and the chocolate content need to be clear. For around 50% of consumers, this combination comes first.
Polyols and allergens Check the ingredients, allergen information and any warning about excessive consumption on the packaging. At a shared Halloween table, I want to know whether the biscuits are suitable for the guests eating them. Around 30% of consumers give this check top priority.
Chocolate and alternative claims Check that it’s a chocolate biscuit, and distinguish ‘reduced sugars’ from ‘no added sugars’ and ‘sugar-free’. I want to be able to choose between a chocolate option and another biscuit without misrepresenting the sugar claim. This is the main consideration for around 20% of consumers.

Common mistakes

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

    A product with no added sugars may still contain sugars that occur naturally. For the claim ‘sugar-free’, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre gives a limit of no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g.

    Read the claim and check the ‘of which sugars’ value per 100 g. If sugar-free is a strict requirement, don’t choose a product based solely on the words ‘no added sugars’.

  • Checking only the sugars and overlooking polyols

    Albert Heijn lists 26 g of polyols per 100 g for Céréal Chocolate Chip Cookie zonder suikers, along with a warning about excessive consumption. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, large amounts of polyols can cause digestive discomfort.

    Check the ingredients and warning on the pack you buy. If the biscuits carry such a warning, don’t hand them out as though eating as many as you like is not a concern.

  • Assuming gluten-free or lactose-free means sugar-free

    These labels answer different questions. For example, Jumbo lists Lekker Vrij van Gluten Digestives Melkchocolade, but the gluten-free label alone tells you nothing about the amount of sugars.

    Check each property that matters to your guests separately on the packaging, including the sugar content and allergen information.

  • Serving an ordinary chocolate biscuit as a sugar-free alternative

    Lotus Bakeries lists 39.6 g of sugars per 100 g for Lotus Speculoos met chocolade. A small portion doesn’t change the sugar content per 100 g or the product claim.

    If you’re offering both, keep regular biscuits clearly separate from the sugar-free option.

Brands to consider

Compare specific products from these brands: a biscuit with no added sugars isn’t automatically a sugar-free chocolate biscuit.

Céréal

In the product information consulted from Albert Heijn and Jumbo, Céréal offers both Chocolate Chip Cookie zonder suikers and Choco Delight Puur, labelled ‘reduced sugars’.

  • Albert Heijn lists 0 g of sugars per 100 g for the Chocolate Chip Cookie; Jumbo lists 0.5 g per 100 g for Choco Delight Puur.
  • The products have different claims. Check the polyols and allergens on each pack before offering them to guests.

Albert Heijn

AH Digestive 0% suiker is a biscuit option if you’re happy to do without chocolate.

  • The product information lists 0.3 g of sugars per 100 g.
  • It isn’t a chocolate biscuit. The product information lists wheat and warns of a possible laxative effect if consumed in excess.

Verkade

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

  • The product information lists 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g.
  • It isn’t a chocolate biscuit, and ‘no added sugars’ is not the same claim as ‘sugar-free’.

Lotus

Lotus Speculoos met chocolade is a regular chocolate speculoos option for guests who don’t require a sugar-free choice.

  • Lotus Bakeries lists 22% chocolate for this product.
  • Lotus Bakeries’ nutritional information lists 39.6 g of sugars per 100 g, so don’t present it as a sugar-free alternative.

Jumbo Lekker Vrij

Jumbo lists Lekker Vrij van Gluten Digestives Melkchocolade as a chocolate biscuit for anyone also looking for a gluten-free option.

  • The product name makes it clear that this option contains chocolate and is gluten-free.
  • Don’t assume that ‘gluten-free’ also means sugar-free. Check the claim and nutritional information on the pack you choose.

Related Joybuy products

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

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

According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ‘sugar-free’ means no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g; a product labelled ‘no added sugars’ may still contain sugars that occur naturally. So compare the exact claim with the ‘of which sugars’ value in the nutritional information.

Does ‘sugar-free’ tell you anything about a biscuit’s overall nutritional value?

No. The claim relates to the amount of sugars and doesn’t assess the product’s overall nutritional value. When comparing products, also check the ingredients, the other nutritional information per 100 g and the serving size.

Why do some sugar-free biscuits carry a warning about a laxative effect?

This warning may be related to polyols: according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, large amounts can cause digestive discomfort. Albert Heijn lists 26 g of polyols per 100 g for Céréal Chocolate Chip Cookie zonder suikers, along with a warning about excessive consumption.

Can all your Halloween guests eat chocolate biscuits from the same plate?

Don’t assume they can without checking. Albert Heijn’s product information lists wheat and oats for Céréal Chocolate Chip Cookie, as well as possible traces of ingredients including milk, egg, nuts, soya and sesame. Read the allergen information on the pack you’re actually handing out and take your guests’ needs into account.