If you need your food to be sugar-free, the standard raisin and currant buns compared here from Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS are not suitable: they list 25, 24.0 and 25.2 g of sugars per 100 g respectively. According to EUR-Lex, the EU claim ‘sugar-free’ can only be used for solid foods containing no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. If you don’t need to be quite so strict, choose what to serve with coffee based on portion size, nutritional information and allergens. Mini or wholemeal varieties are not automatically lower in sugar.
Do you want to serve only something that meets the ‘sugar-free’ claim with your coffee? The sugar levels listed for the standard raisin and currant buns from Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS are above the limit EUR-Lex sets for this EU claim.
Want to have enough buns for everyone without too many left over? Compare the number of buns, their size and the storage advice on the pack you’re planning to buy.
If your guests need to avoid certain ingredients or allergens, check the packaging before serving. The standard varieties from Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS included in this comparison contain wheat or gluten and milk; additional warnings may vary by product.
First, decide whether sugar-free is a must. If it isn’t, you can choose portions and check the label with your guests in mind.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Genuinely sugar-free | Check ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g and verify the claim. According to EUR-Lex, the EU limit for ‘sugar-free’ is no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. | If I really want to serve something sugar-free, a standard currant bun isn’t an obvious choice. This requirement comes first for around 36% of consumers. |
| Portions and storage | Compare the number of buns and their size; follow the storage advice on the packaging for any that are left over. | For a small coffee gathering, I want to serve enough without having lots of buns left over. Around 29% of consumers prioritise planning portions this way. |
| Nutritional information and ingredients | Compare sugars, fibre and salt per 100 g, and read the ingredients and allergen information. | When I’m buying for guests with different needs, I want to know what the buns contain and what the label says. For around 21% of consumers, label information is the main consideration. |
| Availability straight away | Check shortly before buying which pack is available at your chosen shop. | If friends are coming over soon, I need to be able to buy the buns in time. Immediate availability matters most to around 14% of consumers. |
Total sugars also include sugars from raisins and currants. So a lower amount of added sugar doesn’t mean a currant bun meets the EU limit for ‘sugar-free’.
Check total sugars per 100 g, and don’t choose a product as sugar-free based only on a statement about added sugar.
A smaller size doesn’t automatically change the sugar content per 100 g. And the word ‘wholemeal’ alone doesn’t answer that question either.
Use the size to plan portions, and compare the nutritional information for the specific variety to check its sugar content.
The standard currant buns from Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS included in this comparison contain wheat or gluten and milk; any warnings about traces vary by product.
Just before serving, check the ingredients and allergen information on the pack you actually bought.
Albert Heijn lists raisin and currant buns in a range of pack sizes.
Jumbo lists a pack of six standard raisin and currant buns.
PLUS lists standard currant buns in a range of pack sizes.
ALDI lists raisin and currant buns in a pack of six.
Lidl lists standard currant buns in packs of six, as well as separate mini wholemeal raisin buns.
The standard varieties from Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS compared here are not. Their listed values are 25, 24.0 and 25.2 g of sugars per 100 g respectively. According to EUR-Lex, the EU claim ‘sugar-free’ for solid foods has a maximum limit of 0.5 g per 100 g. Always check the label on any other product.
No, they’re different claims. Raisins and currants naturally contain sugars, as the Netherlands Nutrition Centre explains in its guidance on dried fruit. So if you need to limit total sugars, check ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g, even if you’re also keeping an eye on added sugar.
Check the ingredients, allergens and any warnings about traces for the buns you’re serving. The standard varieties from Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS included in this comparison contain wheat or gluten and milk, but additional warnings may vary by product.
That isn’t required by the Dutch rules for bakery products. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that iodine compounds may only be present in these products through bakers’ salt, which can contain a maximum of 65 mg of iodine per kg of salt. Albert Heijn lists iodised salt in one variety included in this comparison; check the ingredients list on any other currant bun.
