For a Dutch hotel buffet, only label flakes as sugar-free if the latest nutritional information shows no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g, as required by the European regulation on nutrition claims. For other breakfast options, compare fibre, salt and ingredients per 100 g too. If you serve flakes loose, make sure guests can access the required allergen information before choosing.
If you want to describe the flakes on your buffet as sugar-free, check the latest sugar content per 100 g. The European regulation on nutrition claims sets a limit of no more than 0.5 g per 100 g; the product name alone is not enough.
If you don’t want to choose based on sugar alone, compare fibre, salt and ingredients per 100 g too. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends comparing breakfast cereals on this basis.
Guests must be able to check which allergens are present in loose flakes. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains what information must be available for non-prepacked foods.
First, decide whether you need to be able to label the buffet sugar-free. Then assess the other nutritional information and make separate arrangements for allergen information at the self-service station.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| The sugar-free label | Before labelling a product sugar-free, check the latest nutritional information to confirm that it contains no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. This limit comes from the European regulation on nutrition claims. | If I want to label something sugar-free on the buffet, that label needs to be accurate for the flakes I serve. For around 42% of consumers choosing a hotel buffet, checking this claim comes first. |
| Nutritional information | Compare similar breakfast cereals per 100 g for sugars, fibre and salt; also check the ingredients and the stated wholegrain content. | When I put together the breakfast selection, I don’t want to rely on just one nutritional value. For around 33% of these consumers, comparing breakfast cereals more broadly takes priority. |
| Gluten and allergens | Check the product information when choosing a gluten-free option, and make the required allergen information available for loose flakes in line with the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority’s requirements. | Guests need to be able to check which allergens the flakes contain before serving themselves. For around 25% of these consumers, clear dietary and allergen information is the main concern. |
A product’s name doesn’t tell you how much sugar it contains per 100 g. The European regulation on nutrition claims only allows the sugar-free label when a product contains no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g.
Check the latest nutrition table before labelling flakes on a buffet sugar-free.
Sugars don’t tell you how much fibre or salt a breakfast cereal contains. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s criteria for breakfast cereals also take account of added sugar, fibre, salt and wholegrain content.
Compare similar products per 100 g and check the ingredients list if wholegrain cereal is part of your selection criteria.
Albert Heijn lists 4.1 g of sugars per 100 g for AH Glutenvrij Cornflakes. That is above the limit for the sugar-free label.
Assess a gluten-free label and the amount of sugars as two separate product features.
Guests must be able to get information about the allergens present in non-prepacked foods. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, for cereals containing gluten, you must also name the specific cereal.
Make sure the information is available at the buffet, in writing or electronically, or provided verbally under the conditions set by the relevant authority.
Kellogg's Corn Flakes is a specific variety for which Kellogg's Netherlands publishes nutritional values.
AH Glutenvrij Cornflakes is a separate gluten-free variety.
Jumbo includes Smaakt Bio Cornflakes Ongezoet among its breakfast cereals.
ALDI lists Cornflakes and other breakfast cereals under the Golden Bridge brand.
Lidl lists Cornflakes in a 500 g pack.
You can use the sugar-free label if they contain no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g, in line with the European regulation on nutrition claims. Check the latest nutritional information for the variety you’ve chosen; having ‘unsweetened’ in the product name doesn’t prove that it meets this limit.
No, gluten-free doesn’t automatically mean sugar-free. Albert Heijn lists 4.1 g of sugars per 100 g for AH Glutenvrij Cornflakes, which is above the limit of no more than 0.5 g per 100 g for the sugar-free label.
Make sure guests can get information about the allergens present before making their choice. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority sets requirements for information about the 14 allergens in non-prepacked foods; for cereals containing gluten, you must name the specific cereal. The information must be available where the food is served, or provided verbally under the applicable conditions.
Compare similar products per 100 g for sugars, fibre and salt, as recommended by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. Also check the ingredients and, if relevant to your purchasing decision, the stated wholegrain content. Comparing products per serving alone can give you a different picture if serving sizes vary.
