Who is this choice relevant to?

Shoppers comparing labels

You’re looking for a ready-made biscuit for the autumn half-term and want to check the ‘sugar-free’ claim against the nutrition information, rather than relying on a word such as ‘mindful’.

Families checking allergens

You’d like to share biscuits, but need to check the ingredients in your chosen variety, such as almonds, cereals containing gluten, egg, milk and soya.

Shoppers keeping an eye on portions

You want to choose biscuits with less sugar while also considering how many you’ll eat, their energy and fat content, and any polyols.

What should you look for when choosing?

Ready-made speculoos

Best for: You want to serve biscuits straight away and choose a variety that lists sugars per 100 g on the label.

Consider: Céréal Speculoos with almond pieces contains maltitol and several allergens. Check that the ingredients are suitable for everyone sharing them.

Baking your own

Best for: You want to choose the ingredients yourself and decide how large to make the biscuits.

Consider: A recipe isn’t automatically sugar-free: Jumbo’s recipe titled ‘sugar-free spiced biscuits’ uses 500 g of maple syrup.

What to look for What to check when buying Who it matters to
Sugar-free claim Check ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g in the nutrition table. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, the ‘sugar-free’ claim is limited to a maximum of 0.5 g of sugar per 100 g. If I’m specifically looking to choose products with less sugar, I want to know what’s in this particular biscuit. Around 44% of shoppers say this is their main priority.
Ingredients and allergens Check the current ingredients and allergen information, including sweeteners such as maltitol. When I’m sharing biscuits with others, I need to check whether everyone can eat the ingredients. For around 33% of shoppers, checking the ingredients comes first.
Portion and nutritional value Compare the nutrition per 100 g and per portion; as well as sugars, look at energy, fat and polyols. I want to decide in advance how many biscuits to serve, because a sugar-free claim says nothing about the overall nutritional value. Choosing a portion size is the main concern for around 23% of shoppers.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming ‘sugar-free’ means ‘low-calorie’

    Céréal Nederland lists 0.4 g of sugars in its Speculoos with almond pieces, but also 404 kcal and 20 g of fat per 100 g.

    So don’t use the sugar-free claim to judge the overall nutritional value; also compare it with the portion you plan to serve.

  • Judging a recipe by its name alone

    Jumbo’s ‘sugar-free spiced biscuits’ recipe includes 500 g of maple syrup. The title therefore doesn’t tell you how much sugar the finished biscuits contain.

    Read all the ingredients and assess the nutritional value of the recipe you’re actually making.

  • Overlooking the mention of maltitol

    Céréal Nederland lists maltitol and 29 g of polyols per 100 g; the product information warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.

    Read the warning on the packaging and bear portion size in mind when serving.

  • Confusing a product category with a nutrition claim

    A product being described as spiced biscuits or speculoos spread doesn’t, by itself, mean it’s sugar-free.

    Check the claim and nutrition information for the exact biscuit variety, not just the shop category or brand name.

Brands and shops to consider

Céréal

According to Céréal Nederland, its Speculoos with almond pieces contains 0.4 g of sugars and 29 g of polyols per 100 g.

  • The nutrition information makes it possible to compare products per 100 g.
  • Jumbo lists almonds, barley, egg, milk, soya and wheat among the allergens in this variety.

Albert Heijn

Albert Heijn lists Céréal Speculoos with almond pieces in the ‘Sugar-conscious biscuits’ category, as a product with no sugars.

  • This listing helps you identify the specific Céréal variety.
  • Other biscuits in a spiced biscuit category aren’t automatically sugar-free.

Jumbo

Jumbo has product information for Céréal Speculoos with no sugars, as well as a separate recipe for homemade spiced biscuits.

  • The product page for the Céréal variety lists its ingredients, allergens and nutritional values.
  • The ‘sugar-free spiced biscuits’ recipe uses maple syrup; its name doesn’t prove that the finished biscuits will be sugar-free.

Lidl

Lidl lists baker’s spiced biscuits, a different product variety from the Céréal speculoos mentioned here.

  • The product name makes clear which type of biscuit you’re looking at.
  • Check any sugar-free claim against the label for the variety you’ve chosen.

ALDI

The Sam Speculoos listed is a spread, not a spiced biscuit or speculoos biscuit.

  • Distinguishing between spreads and biscuits helps you compare the right type of product.
  • This spread isn’t a direct alternative if you’re looking for sugar-free biscuits.

Related products on Joybuy

Related products will be available soon.

Frequently asked questions

What does ‘sugar-free’ mean on a packet of biscuits?

According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, the ‘sugar-free’ claim can be used when a product contains no more than 0.5 g of sugar per 100 g. Céréal Nederland lists 0.4 g of sugars per 100 g for its Speculoos with almond pieces; check the current packaging for that variety when you buy it.

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

No. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre distinguishes between the claims: a product with no added sugars may still contain naturally occurring sugars, while ‘sugar-free’ means no more than 0.5 g of sugar per 100 g.

Why does maltitol matter in Céréal Speculoos?

Céréal Speculoos with almond pieces contains maltitol and, according to Céréal Nederland, 29 g of polyols per 100 g. The product information warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect, so read the packaging and bear portion size in mind.

Which allergens should I check in this speculoos?

For Céréal Speculoos with almond pieces, Jumbo lists almonds, barley, egg, milk, soya and wheat among the ingredients. If you have an allergy, always check the current packaging for the exact variety before serving the biscuits.