Buyer with a strict sugar limit
You’re looking for a chocolate biscuit that meets the EU limit for the ‘sugar-free’ claim: no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. A ‘no added sugars’ label isn’t enough.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Team that wants chocolate in the biscuit tin
You want to offer a chocolate biscuit with coffee, so you’re comparing more than just the sugars per 100 g. You’re also looking at the type of biscuit, its ingredients and the portion size.
Person in charge of a shared biscuit tin
You’re thinking of colleagues who need to know about allergens or polyols. Keep the current packaging available so everyone can check the ingredients and warnings.
What should you look for when choosing?
First, decide whether sugar-free is a must and whether the biscuit needs to contain chocolate. Then check what the label means for a shared biscuit tin.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who this matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar-free or not | Check ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g. Under EU regulations, the ‘sugar-free’ claim is limited to a maximum of 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. | If the office supply has to meet a strict sugar limit, I don’t want to rely on the word ‘zero’ alone. This strict check is a priority for around 36% of consumers. |
| Allergens and polyols | Check the ingredients, allergens, ‘may contain’ information and any sweetener warning on the pack. | With a shared biscuit tin, I want colleagues to be able to check what’s in the biscuits for themselves. Allergens and polyols are the main concern for around 29% of consumers. |
| A proper chocolate biscuit | Check the product type and chocolate variety. A biscuit with no added sugars isn’t necessarily a chocolate biscuit. | If people are expecting chocolate biscuits with their coffee, I don’t want to put out a different kind of biscuit. Keeping the chocolate variety is decisive for around 21% of consumers. |
| Stock and portions | Compare the pack weight with the number of biscuits, and check the nutritional information per 100 g as well as per portion. | If I regularly top up the tin, I want to know how many biscuits are in a pack. This convenience is the top priority for around 14% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
-
Assuming ‘zero’ means ‘sugar-free’
According to Verkade, Verkade San Francisco Zero is a biscuit with no added sugars. Albert Heijn lists 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g, which is above the EU limit of 0.5 g per 100 g for the ‘sugar-free’ claim.
Read the claim and the ‘of which sugars’ value per 100 g as two separate parts of the label.
-
Putting biscuits containing polyols in an open tin without checking
Jumbo lists 2.5 g of polyols per biscuit for Céréal Minder Suikers Choco Delight Puur. A high intake of polyols can have a laxative effect.
Keep the packaging by the tin so colleagues can check the ingredients and portion information.
-
Assuming a lower sugar content makes a biscuit suitable for everyone
The Céréal variety listed by Jumbo contains wheat, egg, milk, oats and soya, and may contain nuts and sesame. A low sugar content says nothing about these allergens.
Check the label on the pack you buy, and keep different types of biscuits clearly identifiable and separate.
Brands and retailers compared
Céréal
Céréal Minder Suikers Choco Delight Puur is a chocolate biscuit in a 126 g pack listed by Jumbo.
- Jumbo lists 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g for this variety, exactly the EU limit for the ‘sugar-free’ claim.
- The same product information lists 24 g of polyols per 100 g and allergens; the biscuit may also contain nuts and sesame.
Verkade
According to Verkade, San Francisco Zero is a biscuit with no added sugars, not a chocolate biscuit.
- It’s a separate option if chocolate isn’t essential and you’re specifically looking for a biscuit with no added sugars.
- Albert Heijn lists 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g and a warning that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect. This means the product does not meet the EU limit for the ‘sugar-free’ claim.
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn’s range of sugar-conscious biscuits includes a Céréal sugar-free chocolate chip cookie.
- The product listing can help you identify a chocolate variety.
- For a strictly sugar-free choice, check the sugars per 100 g and the ingredients on the pack of the variety you choose.
Jumbo
Jumbo lists the ingredients, allergens and nutritional values for Céréal Minder Suikers Choco Delight Puur 126 g.
- The listed sugars per 100 g and polyols per biscuit make it easy to assess this specific variety.
- Check the pack itself when you buy it, especially if allergens or sweeteners matter to colleagues.
ALDI / Biscotto
ALDI lists Biscotto Chocolate Biscuits in a 250 g pack, with biscuits containing dark, white and milk chocolate.
- This listing is relevant if you’re considering regular chocolate biscuits as a separate option.
- Only include this variety in a strictly sugar-free selection if the nutritional information on the pack meets the EU limit for that claim.
Related products on Joybuy
Related products will be available soon.
Frequently asked questions
Does ‘no added sugars’ mean the same as ‘sugar-free’?
No. Under EU regulations, biscuits can only carry the ‘sugar-free’ claim if they contain no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. ‘No added sugars’ is a different claim: Albert Heijn lists 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g for Verkade San Francisco Zero.
Does a low sugar content automatically make a biscuit suitable for the whole office?
No. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority points out that a nutrition claim only tells you something about one aspect of a product’s composition. For the biscuit tin, also compare the rest of the nutritional information, the ingredients and the portion size, and let colleagues check the allergen declaration.
Why do polyols matter in a shared biscuit tin?
Polyols are sweeteners that can have a laxative effect when consumed in large quantities. Jumbo lists 2.5 g of polyols per biscuit for Céréal Minder Suikers Choco Delight Puur, so keep the packaging with the ingredients and portion information by the tin.
Which allergens should I check in these biscuits?
Always check the allergen declaration on the pack you put in the tin. For Céréal Minder Suikers Choco Delight Puur, Jumbo lists wheat, egg, milk, oats and soya, with possible traces of nuts and sesame. For Verkade San Francisco Zero, Albert Heijn lists cereals containing gluten, milk and soya.
Can a biscuit with no added sugars replace a chocolate biscuit?
Only if chocolate isn’t essential. Verkade San Francisco Zero is a biscuit with no added sugars, while this tin is intended for chocolate biscuits. If you choose an alternative, check the product type and sugars per 100 g separately.