If the biscuits in your office tin really need to be sugar-free, choose only a product with no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g: this is the limit set by European Union Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. The Céréal biscuits with coconut and with speculoos and almond listed by Jumbo are below this limit, but they are not spritz biscuits. According to Verkade, Verkade San Francisco Zero contains 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g, so despite being labelled ‘no added sugars’, it is not sugar-free. If you share the tin, check the current packaging for allergens and sweeteners too.
For these shoppers, the amount of sugar matters more than whether a biscuit is a spritz. Under European Union Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, the limit for a ‘sugar-free’ claim is no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g.
When you share a biscuit tin, the ingredients and allergens in your chosen biscuits matter too. Keep the packaging available for colleagues, and store opened biscuits in a well-sealed container.
For these shoppers, the familiar shape and buttery flavour are important. According to their listed nutritional information, classic AH Spritsen and Verkade NoboSprits Original do not meet the sugar-free limit.
First decide whether ‘sugar-free’ is an essential requirement, or whether the flavour and shape of a spritz matter more. Then check the nutritional information per 100 g and, if you share the tin with colleagues, the ingredients on the current packaging.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar-free claim | Check ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g: under Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, the limit for a ‘sugar-free’ claim is 0.5 g per 100 g. | If the biscuits really need to be sugar-free, I give more weight to the nutritional information than to the wording on the front of the pack. This is the top priority for around 44% of consumers. |
| Sharing at the office | Read the current ingredients and allergen information, and check which sweeteners the product contains. | When colleagues choose from the same tin, I want them to be able to see what the biscuits contain. Clear information when sharing matters most to around 33% of consumers. |
| The spritz experience | Compare both the type of product and its sugars per 100 g: a biscuit with no added sugars is not automatically a spritz or sugar-free. | I’m mainly looking for the familiar shape and flavour of a spritz, and want to know which requirement I’d have to compromise on. Around 23% of consumers prioritise the spritz experience. |
According to Verkade, San Francisco Zero contains 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g. That is above the limit of no more than 0.5 g per 100 g for a ‘sugar-free’ claim under Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006.
If the biscuits in the tin really need to be sugar-free, use the nutritional information per 100 g to check.
Albert Heijn lists 28 g of sugars per 100 g for AH Spritsen; Verkade lists 24.2 g per 100 g for NoboSprits Original. Neither belongs in a sugar-free selection.
Keep classic spritz biscuits clearly separate from sugar-free alternatives.
The Céréal varieties with coconut and with speculoos and almond contain maltitol and have different allergen information. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, consuming large amounts of polyols can cause flatulence and diarrhoea.
Keep the current packaging by the tin so colleagues can check the ingredients and allergens for themselves.
An open tin makes it harder to follow the storage advice the Netherlands Nutrition Centre gives for sugar-free biscuits.
Top up the tin with smaller quantities and store the rest in a cool, dry, dark place in a well-sealed container.
The biscuits compared here are sugar-free alternatives for the tin, not classic spritz biscuits.
This comparison distinguishes between a classic spritz and a biscuit with no added sugars.
AH Spritsen are a useful reference for anyone specifically looking for a butter spritz.
For a solid food such as a biscuit, European Union Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 sets a limit of no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g for a ‘sugar-free’ claim. So check the ‘of which sugars’ figure in the nutritional information, not just the wording on the front of the pack.
No. San Francisco Zero is a biscuit, not a spritz, and Verkade lists 1.7 g of sugars per 100 g. ‘No added sugars’ does not mean a product also meets the ‘sugar-free’ limit.
Keep the current packaging available so colleagues can check the ingredients, allergens and sweeteners. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, store opened sugar-free biscuits in a cool, dry, dark place in a well-sealed container.
No. Bear in mind that ingredients vary and people can have different sensitivities. Maltitol is a polyol; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre notes that consuming large amounts of polyols can cause flatulence and diarrhoea.
