Who is this choice relevant to?

Anyone who wants to hand out strictly sugar-free treats

If you’re checking the nutritional information per 100 g for an Easter egg hunt, rather than relying only on the front of the pack.

Anyone looking for a crisp alternative to spritz biscuits

If you want to serve biscuits as an Easter treat and would also consider a digestive or coconut biscuit, as long as it doesn’t have to be the classic spritz shape.

Anyone who needs to check ingredients carefully

If you check allergens and polyols before handing out biscuits, as ingredients and warnings vary between products.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide whether sugar-free is an absolute requirement. Then consider the type of biscuit and check the ingredients and warnings before handing them out.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
Sugar-free or no added sugar Check ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g. Under EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, the maximum for the sugar-free claim is 0.5 g per 100 g. If sugar-free is a must for me, I don’t want to rely only on ‘0%’ on the front of the pack. Around 42% of consumers prioritise this requirement.
Type of biscuit Consider whether a digestive or coconut biscuit would work if the shape and flavour of a spritz biscuit aren’t essential. For the egg hunt, I want a crisp biscuit to hand out, even if it isn’t a spritz biscuit. Around 33% of consumers prioritise this kind of alternative.
Ingredients and warnings Check the allergens, polyols used and any warnings on the pack of the product you choose. If I’m sharing biscuits with guests, I want to know what’s in them beforehand. For around 25% of consumers, this check is the top priority.

Common mistakes

  • Reading ‘no added sugar’ as ‘sugar-free’

    The two claims don’t mean the same thing. PLUS lists 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g for Verkade San Francisco 0% suiker toegevoegd, which is above the limit for the sugar-free claim.

    If sugar-free is a strict requirement, use the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g as your deciding check.

  • Assuming regular spritz biscuits are sugar-free

    Verkade lists 24.2 g of sugars per 100 g for NoboSprits Original. So the familiar biscuit shape tells you nothing about whether it meets a sugar-free requirement.

    Check the nutritional information for the exact product you plan to hand out.

  • Leaving allergen and polyol checks until you’re handing them out

    Albert Heijn lists wheat in AH Digestive 0% suiker. Jumbo lists wheat and 18 g of polyols per 100 g in Céréal Zonder Suikers Kokos. The Céréal variety with sesame and vanilla also carries a warning about a possible laxative effect if eaten in excess.

    Before buying, read the ingredients and warnings on the pack you’ve chosen, especially if other people will be eating the biscuits.

Brands compared

Céréal

Céréal has biscuit varieties with no sugars that could be considered as alternatives to spritz biscuits if a different shape is acceptable.

  • Jumbo lists 0 g of sugars and 18 g of polyols per 100 g for Céréal Zonder Suikers Kokos.
  • The coconut variety contains wheat. Check the allergens and warnings for each variety individually; it isn’t a spritz biscuit.

Albert Heijn

AH Digestive 0% suiker is a digestive biscuit to consider if you don’t need the spritz shape.

  • Albert Heijn lists 0.3 g of sugars per 100 g for this variety.
  • The biscuit contains wheat and the polyols maltitol and isomalt; it isn’t a spritz biscuit.

Verkade

Here, Verkade offers a comparison between a classic spritz biscuit and a biscuit labelled ‘0% sugar added’.

  • Verkade lists 24.2 g of sugars per 100 g for NoboSprits Original: useful label information if the classic spritz shape matters to you.
  • PLUS lists 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g for Verkade San Francisco 0% suiker toegevoegd. This biscuit also exceeds the limit for the sugar-free claim.

Joybuy products

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

When can a biscuit be called sugar-free?

Under EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, the sugar-free claim can be used when a product contains no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. Check the ‘of which sugars’ figure in the nutritional information, not just the name on the pack.

Does ‘0% sugar added’ mean the same as sugar-free?

No. PLUS lists 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g for Verkade San Francisco 0% suiker toegevoegd. That label doesn’t make the biscuit suitable if sugar-free is an absolute requirement.

Which biscuit can I serve instead of sugar-free spritz biscuits?

A digestive or coconut biscuit could work if you don’t need the spritz shape. Albert Heijn lists 0.3 g of sugars per 100 g for AH Digestive 0% suiker, while Jumbo lists 0 g per 100 g for Céréal Zonder Suikers Kokos. Remember to check the ingredients of the variety you choose when buying.

Why is there sometimes a warning about a laxative effect?

Some biscuits containing polyols carry a warning that eating them in excess may have a laxative effect. Jumbo includes this warning for Céréal with sesame and vanilla; check the warning on the pack of the variety you plan to hand out.