Who is this choice relevant to?

If you’re specifically looking for sugar-free

You want the product itself to be labelled as sugar-free. A pack that only says ‘no added sugars’ doesn’t meet that requirement, so check the claim on the exact variant.

If you want a quick bowl of cereal

You want to eat cereal with yoghurt or milk and mainly avoid added sugars. You’re happy for the product to still contain sugars, and you also check whether it contains sweeteners.

If you’re sticking with flakes on toast

You’re looking for a sweet topping for a quick breakfast and don’t want to switch to muesli or granola. Compare chocolate flakes as a bread topping and check the sugar claim for each product.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide whether you want flakes on bread or cereal in a bowl. Then compare the exact claim, ingredients and nutritional information of products in that breakfast format.

What to consider What to look for Who it’s relevant to
The ‘sugar-free’ claim Look for the exact claim on the pack and check ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g. If I’m buying flakes for bread, I don’t want ‘no added sugars’ to be confused with my requirement for sugar-free; around 40% of consumers prioritise an explicit sugar-free claim.
No added sugars Read the claim and ingredients list, and check ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g; also consider the portion you plan to eat. For a quick bowl of yoghurt or milk, I want to avoid added sugars, even if the product still contains sugars; for around 30% of consumers, no added sugar is their top priority.
Flakes as a bread topping Check that they’re chocolate flakes for bread, rather than flakes in a breakfast cereal mix. My breakfast needs to fit on a slice of bread, without needing a bowl; around 30% of consumers give the bread-topping format top priority.

Common mistakes

  • Treating ‘sugar-free’ and ‘no added sugars’ as the same thing

    The claims answer different questions. PLUS states that Quaker Cruesli Zero Sugar Added Strawberry contains 5.1 g of sugars per 100 g, despite having no added sugars.

    Decide which claim matters to you, then check both that claim and ‘of which sugars’ in the nutritional information.

  • Treating chocolate flakes and breakfast cereal as the same product

    Chocolate flakes are a bread topping; muesli and granola are designed for a bowl of cereal. Switching between them changes how you prepare and eat breakfast.

    First compare products within your chosen breakfast format. Only consider a cereal mix as an alternative if a bowl with yoghurt or milk fits into your morning routine.

  • Looking only at the sugar claim

    A sugar claim doesn’t tell you everything about a breakfast product’s nutritional value. Portion size and the rest of the nutritional information also matter when comparing products.

    As well as ‘of which sugars’, check the ingredients and the stated fibre, fat and salt content. Compare like for like: per 100 g or per portion.

  • Skipping the ingredients and allergen information

    Switching from a bread topping to breakfast cereal also changes the ingredients you eat. PLUS lists oats and wheat for the Quaker granola mentioned above.

    Check the ingredients and allergen information on the exact pack. If you want to avoid sweeteners, check the ingredients list too; according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, any sweeteners used are listed on the label.

Brands to compare

De Ruijter

Albert Heijn and Jumbo list De Ruijter chocolate flakes as a sweet bread topping.

  • A good option if you’re specifically looking for chocolate flakes for bread.
  • Check the claim and nutritional information for the exact variant; the brand name doesn’t tell you whether it’s sugar-free.

Albert Heijn

Albert Heijn sells chocolate flakes in its sweet bread toppings and sprinkles category.

  • You can compare flakes as a bread topping within the same product category.
  • Reduced-sugar chocolate sprinkles are a different product and don’t make chocolate flakes automatically sugar-free.

Jumbo

Jumbo lists chocolate flakes, including dark and milk varieties, as sweet bread toppings.

  • These variants are worth comparing if you want flakes for a slice of bread.
  • The difference between dark and milk chocolate doesn’t in itself tell you whether a product is sugar-free; check the label for each variant.

PLUS

PLUS offers a breakfast cereal option with no added sugars: Quaker Cruesli Zero Sugar Added Strawberry.

  • Relevant if a bowl of cereal is an alternative to flakes on bread for you.
  • This isn’t a chocolate bread topping and it contains 5.1 g of sugars per 100 g.

ALDI

ALDI lists products including porridge oats, muesli and cornflakes in its breakfast cereal range.

  • Relevant if you want to explore different types of bowl-based breakfast.
  • These products aren’t interchangeable with chocolate flakes for bread; check the ingredients and nutritional information on each pack.

Lidl

Lidl lists granola and various types of muesli in its breakfast range.

  • Relevant if you want to compare cereal mixes for a bowl-based breakfast.
  • Granola and muesli aren’t chocolate flakes for bread; check the claim and nutritional information for the product you choose.

Joybuy products for this topic

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Does ‘no added sugars’ mean the same as ‘sugar-free’?

No. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority describes ‘sugar-free’ as a regulated nutrition claim; ‘no added sugars’ doesn’t mean a product contains no sugars. For example, PLUS states that Quaker Cruesli Zero Sugar Added Strawberry contains 5.1 g of sugars per 100 g.

Can I replace chocolate flakes with breakfast cereal containing flakes?

Yes, if a bowl of cereal with yoghurt or milk fits into your morning. Chocolate flakes are a sweet bread topping, while muesli and granola need to be prepared and eaten differently. Be sure to check the exact sugar claim on the alternative too.

What should I look for if I’m short on time in the morning?

First choose between a slice of bread with a topping and a bowl of cereal, so you’re comparing products you can actually use. Then check the sugar claim, ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g, the ingredients, allergen information and the portion you plan to eat.

How can I tell if breakfast cereal contains sweeteners?

Check the ingredients list on the exact pack. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, any sweeteners used are listed on the label; a claim about added sugars alone won’t tell you whether a product contains sweeteners.