Only choose cornflakes labelled sugar-free if the nutrition table lists no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. This is the limit for the ‘sugar-free’ claim set out in the annex to EU Regulation 1924/2006. ‘Unsweetened’ and ‘no added sugars’ do not confirm that a product is sugar-free. If your main aim is to avoid added sugars, compare the ingredients and nutrition information per 100 g too. For your weekly shop, also consider the pack size.
You want to be able to check the claim on the pack. Under the annex to EU Regulation 1924/2006, ‘sugar-free’ can only be used for a solid food if it contains no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. The word ‘unsweetened’ is not a substitute for this claim.
You’re looking for cornflakes for your weekly shop, but sugar-free isn’t a strict requirement. Compare the ingredients and the sugars, fibre and salt per 100 g. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre highlights differences between breakfast cereals in these areas.
You want to know how much cornflakes a pack contains, without confusing pack size with whether it suits your sugar target. ALDI Netherlands lists Golden Bridge Cornflakes in 500 g and 1 kg packs. Check the label on your chosen pack too.
First decide whether sugar-free is a strict requirement or whether you mainly want to avoid added sugars. Then compare the nutrition information per 100 g and choose a pack size that suits your weekly stock-up.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Strictly sugar-free | Check ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g on the current pack. Under EU Regulation 1924/2006, the ‘sugar-free’ claim is subject to a limit of 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. | If I want to stock up on cornflakes that are literally sugar-free, I need to be able to check the sugar content rather than rely on ‘unsweetened’; this is the top priority for around 42% of consumers. |
| No added sugars | Check the ingredients and compare sugars, fibre and salt per 100 g. ‘No added sugars’ does not mean ‘sugar-free’. | For family breakfasts, I mainly want to avoid added sugars, while also taking other nutritional values into account; this is the top priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| Weekly stock-up | Check the net weight of the pack and compare the nutrition table with your sugar target. | When I do the weekly shop, I want to choose a pack size that suits my stock-up; this is the main consideration for around 25% of consumers. |
A product with no added sugars may still contain sugars that occur naturally. Jumbo uses both descriptions for Special Flakes. Special Flakes are also a different product variant from standard cornflakes.
If sugar-free is a strict requirement, check ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g in the nutrition table on the product you’re buying.
Kellogg’s Netherlands lists 8.0 g of sugars per 100 g for Kellogg’s Corn Flakes. This is above the EU limit of 0.5 g per 100 g for the ‘sugar-free’ claim.
Don’t choose this product if sugar-free is a strict requirement. Check another cornflake variant against its own current nutrition table.
A sugar claim doesn’t tell you everything you need to know to compare products. For example, Jumbo lists sweeteners in Special Flakes, while the Netherlands Nutrition Centre also highlights differences in fibre, salt and fat between breakfast cereals.
Alongside the sugar content, check the ingredients and the other nutrition information per 100 g, depending on what matters to you when buying.
Jumbo lists Smaakt Bio Unsweetened Cornflakes 300 g as a cornflake variant.
Jumbo lists both Jumbo Cornflakes 500 g and Jumbo Special Flakes 350 g.
Kellogg’s Corn Flakes are a standard cornflake variant.
ALDI Netherlands lists Golden Bridge Cornflakes in 500 g and 1 kg packs.
Lidl Netherlands has a product page for Cornflakes.
No, the product name doesn’t confirm the sugar content. Under the annex to EU Regulation 1924/2006, cornflakes can contain no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g to use the ‘sugar-free’ claim. So check the nutrition table on the pack.
No. A product with no added sugars may still contain sugars that occur naturally. Jumbo uses both descriptions for Special Flakes. Compare the sugar content per 100 g when making your choice, and bear in mind that Special Flakes are not the same as standard cornflakes.
Compare fibre and salt per 100 g, and read the ingredients list. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that breakfast cereals differ in areas including sugars, fibre, salt and fat. So compare products on the same basis.
Check the ingredients and nutrition table on the pack you’re buying again, especially if the packaging has changed. Albert Heijn recommends checking the packaging because product information can change.
