Who is this choice relevant to?

Consumers with a strict sugar-free requirement

If you only want to choose a sugar-free treat for the office, you need a clear sugar value per 100 g. The two AH Kano biscuits mentioned here do not meet that requirement.

People buying snacks for a shared office stash

If you’re putting snacks out for colleagues, you’ll need to check portion sizes, ingredients and allergens, as well as the number of items in the pack.

Consumers keeping an eye on sugar

If you want to eat less added sugar but don’t need a strict sugar-free option, compare the nutritional information per 100 g and per portion rather than relying on a claim alone.

What should you look for when choosing?

First, decide whether sugar-free is a strict requirement. If it is, check that before comparing Kano biscuits or snacks from another category for portion sizes and suitability for sharing.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
Sugar-free Check the claim and the sugars per 100 g. According to the Voedingscentrum, a product can contain no more than 0.5 g per 100 g to be labelled ‘sugar-free’. If an office treat really needs to be sugar-free, don’t choose a product that merely contains less sugar; around 33% of consumers prioritise products that can be verified as sugar-free.
Nutritional value Compare energy, sugars, saturated fat and fibre per 100 g and per portion. If snacks are offered regularly, look beyond the sugar claim, as the rest of the nutritional information matters too; for around 27% of consumers, this broader comparison is the most important factor.
Portions Check the number of items in the pack and the portion size. For a meeting table, it’s useful to know how many individual portions you can put out; around 20% of consumers prioritise how easy snacks are to share and their portion size.
Ingredients and allergens Read the latest ingredients list, allergen information and any warnings about traces. When colleagues share the same stash, you’ll want to check who can safely eat each snack; around 20% of consumers put ingredients and allergens first.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming ‘no added sugars’ means ‘sugar-free’

    A product with no added sugars may still contain sugars that occur naturally in its ingredients. According to the Voedingscentrum, ‘sugar-free’ has a separate limit of no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g.

    If sugar-free is a strict requirement, check both the exact claim and the sugar value on the packaging.

  • Assuming a standard Kano biscuit is sugar-free

    Albert Heijn’s product information lists 38 g of sugars per 100 g for AH BASIC Kano’s and 39 g per 100 g for AH Roomboter kano’s. So neither the product category nor a search term tells you enough about a specific pack.

    Check the latest nutritional information before choosing a Kano biscuit for a sugar-free office stash.

  • Looking only at the sugar claim

    A sugar claim doesn’t tell you everything about a product’s nutritional value. Portion size and how often you offer a snack also matter when making your choice.

    Compare energy, saturated fat and fibre, among other things, per 100 g and per portion. If you offer snacks regularly, consider other product categories too.

  • Putting out shared snacks without checking allergens

    Snacks intended for several colleagues need clear information about ingredients and allergens.

    Keep the current packaging or ingredients information with the snacks so colleagues can check it for themselves.

Brands to compare

Albert Heijn

AH BASIC Kano’s and AH Roomboter kano’s are two specific products whose nutritional information you can compare.

  • The product information lists ingredients and nutritional values.
  • According to Albert Heijn, these varieties contain 38 g and 39 g of sugars per 100 g respectively, so they don’t meet a strict sugar-free requirement.

Verkade

Verkade offers a range of biscuits and cookies that you can use as a comparison when choosing an office treat.

  • The range includes other biscuits and cookies that you can assess individually.
  • A brand’s range alone tells you nothing about the sugar content of a specific Kano biscuit or other snack; check the label of the product you choose.

Related Joybuy products

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

When can a Kano biscuit be called ‘sugar-free’?

For a solid biscuit such as a Kano, the Voedingscentrum says the ‘sugar-free’ nutrition claim means it can contain no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. Check the claim and nutritional information on the packaging of the product you want to buy.

Are AH BASIC Kano’s and AH Roomboter kano’s sugar-free?

No. Albert Heijn lists 38 g of sugars per 100 g for AH BASIC Kano’s and 39 g per 100 g for AH Roomboter kano’s. Both values are above the limit of 0.5 g per 100 g for a ‘sugar-free’ claim.

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

No. Products labelled ‘no added sugars’ may still contain sugars that occur naturally in their ingredients. For a solid snack, the Voedingscentrum’s limit for ‘sugar-free’ is no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g.

What should you check when choosing Kano biscuits for a shared office stash?

Check the latest ingredients list and allergen information, and make it available to colleagues. Also check the number of items and portion size if the pack will be shared.

Is a sugar-free biscuit automatically suitable as an everyday office snack?

No. The sugar claim doesn’t tell you everything about the nutritional value or portion size. Compare energy, saturated fat and fibre per 100 g and per portion too, and consider how often you want to offer the snack.