Is sugar-free a must for your family shop? Only choose a currant bun if its nutrition information lists no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g, the threshold for the ‘sugar-free’ claim under Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. If your main aim is to limit added sugars, compare similar buns per 100 g for their sugar content and ingredients: ‘no added sugars’ does not mean they contain no sugars. Then choose a pack size and storage instructions that suit how your family will use them.
For you, the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g is what counts, not how sweet a bun tastes. Under Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, a product carrying the ‘sugar-free’ claim may contain no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g.
You may not need a sugar-free product, but you want to know what a claim on the front of the pack really means. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that ‘no added sugars’ does not rule out naturally occurring sugars. So compare similar buns per 100 g and check the ingredients list too.
If you’re buying enough for several occasions at once, the number of buns, their size and the storage instructions all matter. Mini, regular and giant versions are not equivalent portions; also check the allergen information on the pack you choose.
First decide whether sugar-free is essential. Then compare the nutrition information, and only after that choose a size and pack that works for your family.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Genuinely sugar-free | Check ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g. Under Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, the ‘sugar-free’ claim is permitted only if the product contains no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. | If sugar-free is a must for my family, I don’t want to rely on a claim on the front of the pack or on taste. For around 33% of consumers, this is the top priority. |
| Added sugars | Compare similar buns for total sugars per 100 g and read the ingredients list; check added sugars where these are listed separately. | I want to limit added sugars, but I don’t necessarily need to rule out a currant bun containing sugars from fruit. Around 27% of consumers give this the highest priority. |
| Portions and storage | Check the number of buns, their size and the storage instructions for the pack you choose. | For several breakfasts or lunches, I want to choose buns we can eat within the recommended time or store according to the label. This is the biggest consideration for around 20% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredients and allergen information; check salt per 100 g if you want to compare products. | If a family member needs to avoid certain ingredients, I check the pack before serving, even if it’s a familiar variety. For around 20% of consumers, this is the most important factor when buying. |
These terms don’t mean the same thing: according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, sugars can still be naturally present. Under Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, a product can only claim to be ‘sugar-free’ if it contains no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g.
If sugar-free is essential, check the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g rather than relying on the claim on the front of the pack.
A single bun is not a like-for-like measure when sizes differ. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends comparing nutritional values per 100 g.
First compare similar products per 100 g for things such as sugars and fibre. Then decide which size works best as a portion for your family.
A larger pack is only practical if you can eat the buns in time or store them according to the product instructions.
Check the instructions on the pack you choose. PLUS says its eight-pack of Currant Buns That Stay Fresh for Longer can be frozen on the day of purchase and should be used within one month; don’t assume the same instructions apply to other varieties.
Albert Heijn warns that ingredients, nutritional values and allergen information for its raisin and currant buns may change.
Read the nutrition and allergen information on the pack you’re actually using, even if you’ve bought these currant buns before.
Albert Heijn has an online category for currant and muesli buns, including its own raisin and currant buns.
Jumbo lists its own raisin and currant buns in packs of six, as well as individual raisin buns in mini and giant sizes.
PLUS lists currant and raisin buns in mini, giant and longer-lasting varieties, among others.
Lidl lists currant buns in its bread range.
ALDI lists raisin and currant buns in packs of six, as well as giant raisin buns.
Under Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, a food product carrying the ‘sugar-free’ claim may contain no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. For a currant bun, check the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g on the label.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, products carrying this claim may still contain naturally occurring sugars. So check ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g and read the ingredients list too.
No. PLUS lists 25.7 g of sugars per 100 g for this giant variety; the EU threshold for the ‘sugar-free’ claim is no more than 0.5 g per 100 g. PLUS also lists 3.14 g of added sugars per 100 g. These figures apply to this specific variety.
Follow the instructions on the specific pack. For its eight-pack of Currant Buns That Stay Fresh for Longer, PLUS says to freeze them on the day of purchase and use them within one month. Other varieties may have different instructions.
This isn’t guaranteed by the rule for bakery products described by the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority. Under that rule, iodine compounds may be present in bread, bread substitutes and other bakery products only through baker’s salt, at a maximum of 65 mg of iodine per kg of salt. This does not confirm that every currant bun contains this type of salt. If it matters to your choice, check the ingredients for the specific product.
