Who is this choice relevant to?

Shoppers looking for strictly sugar-free flakes

A less sweet taste isn’t enough for you. The nutritional information per 100 g needs to meet the EU requirement for a sugar-free claim: no more than 0.5 g of sugars.

People organising an Easter breakfast

You’re looking for flakes to use as a spread or topping at breakfast. If you also want to hide Easter eggs, you’ll need a different product format for that.

Shoppers checking ingredients and allergens

You want to know which sweeteners an alternative contains and whether your chosen variety meets your requirements around ingredients such as milk, soya or gluten. Check the information for the individual product.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide whether you need sprinklable flakes for breakfast or egg-shaped chocolate for an Easter egg hunt. Then check each product against your requirements for sugars and ingredients.

What to consider What to check before buying Who it matters most to
Sugar-free Look for the sugar-free claim and check that the nutritional information states no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. I want to serve flakes without compromising on my sugar-free requirement. This is the top priority for around 50% of consumers.
Product format Choose flakes as a spread or topping, and a separate egg-shaped product for an Easter egg hunt. I want something to sprinkle over breakfast, but I need something to hide for the egg hunt. Product format matters most to around 30% of consumers.
Ingredients and allergens For your chosen variety, read the ingredients list and check the information on sweeteners and allergens. An alternative needs to meet my requirements for ingredients and allergens, whatever its format. This is the first thing around 20% of consumers consider.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming plain flakes are sugar-free

    A plain variety isn’t automatically sugar-free. Albert Heijn’s product information lists 65 g of sugars per 100 g for AH Pure chocoladevlokken and 63 g per 100 g for De Ruijter Chocoladevlokken Puur.

    If you’re looking for a strictly sugar-free option, check the claim and the amount of sugars per 100 g rather than relying on the word ‘plain’.

  • Treating flakes and Easter eggs as the same product format

    Flakes are a sprinklable spread or topping; an Easter egg is a separate, egg-shaped product. So what you choose for breakfast won’t necessarily serve the same purpose in an Easter egg hunt.

    Decide which format you need, then check the sugar and ingredient information for each product separately.

  • Checking only for a sugar-free claim

    Even with a sweetener-based alternative, the ingredients and allergens in your chosen variety still matter. According to Voedingscentrum, any sweeteners present are listed on the label.

    Read the full ingredients list and allergen information before choosing a product.

Brands and ranges to consider

Albert Heijn

AH Pure chocoladevlokken are 300 g flakes for use as a spread or topping.

  • Albert Heijn lists the ingredients and nutritional information on the product page.
  • At 65 g of sugars per 100 g, these plain flakes are not a sugar-free option.

De Ruijter

De Ruijter Chocoladevlokken Puur are 200 g flakes for bread or as a topping.

  • Albert Heijn’s product information lists the ingredients and allergen details.
  • The plain variety contains 63 g of sugars per 100 g, contains soya and may contain milk.

Choca

Choca Vlokken is a 200 g cocoa-flavoured confectionery flake sold at PLUS.

  • PLUS provides the nutritional information and allergen details for this product.
  • The product contains 71 g of sugars per 100 g, contains wheat and soya, and may contain milk.

Kiekeboe

ALDI lists Kiekeboe chocoladevlokken in a milk or plain variety, in a 300 g pack.

  • You can choose between a milk and a plain variety of these flakes.
  • Check the sugars per 100 g in your chosen variety before deciding it’s sugar-free.

Lidl

Lidl lists 300 g plain chocolate flakes as a shop product.

  • The product description makes the format and pack size clear.
  • If you’re looking for a sugar-free option, check the nutrition table on the product you buy.

Related products at Joybuy

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

When can a product be called sugar-free?

Under the EU requirement for the sugar-free nutrition claim in Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, a product may contain no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g or 100 ml. For flakes, check the nutritional information per 100 g. ‘Plain’ or ‘no added sugars’ doesn’t automatically mean sugar-free.

Are AH or De Ruijter plain chocolate flakes sugar-free?

No, the plain varieties mentioned do not meet the sugar-free limit. Albert Heijn lists 65 g of sugars per 100 g for AH Pure chocoladevlokken and 63 g per 100 g for De Ruijter Chocoladevlokken Puur.

Can I use Easter eggs instead of flakes?

An Easter egg is an egg-shaped product that’s suitable for an Easter egg hunt, but it won’t replace a sprinklable breakfast topping. Even for an Easter egg marketed as sugar-free, check the sugars per 100 g, ingredients and allergens in your chosen variety.

Where can I find information about sweeteners?

According to Voedingscentrum, any sweeteners present are listed on the label. If you’re considering an alternative with sweeteners, check the other ingredients and allergen information too, so you can decide whether it meets your requirements.