Choose chocolate flakes for a strictly sugar-free breakfast only if the current packaging carries the ‘sugar-free’ claim and lists no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. If your main aim is to avoid added sugars, you could also consider a breakfast product with no added sugars. However, that doesn’t automatically make it sugar-free or the same type of product as flakes for bread.
You want flakes that meet the ‘sugar-free’ claim, not just flakes with less sugar or no added sugars. In the EU, this claim is only permitted for products containing no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. Check the current packaging.
You’re looking for a sweet breakfast without added sugars and may be willing to switch from flakes for bread to a different breakfast product. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that ‘no added sugars’ doesn’t mean the same as sugar-free.
You want to know before you buy whether the ingredients suit your diet. Check the exact variety: the examples of flakes described by Jumbo list milk, among other ingredients, and Choca also contains cereals containing gluten, soya and wheat.
First decide whether sugar-free is a must or whether you mainly want to avoid added sugars. Then check the nutrition information per 100 g and the ingredients of the product you’re actually planning to buy.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this important to? |
|---|---|---|
| Strictly sugar-free | Check that the current packaging carries the ‘sugar-free’ claim and lists no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. | If I want chocolate flakes for bread that are genuinely sugar-free, a label such as ‘plain’ isn’t enough for me. Around 50% of consumers make this strict requirement their priority. |
| No added sugars | Check the ingredients and the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g; decide whether a different breakfast product, rather than flakes for bread, would suit you. | I want to avoid added sugars, but I could replace my flakes with something like crunchy muesli. For around 30% of consumers, having the option to switch product type is most important. |
| Ingredients | Check the ingredients and allergen information for each variety; if the product contains sweeteners, check which ones have been used. | If certain ingredients aren’t suitable for me, the ingredients matter more than my preference for a sweet flavour. This is the first priority for around 20% of consumers. |
A product with no added sugars may still contain sugars. PLUS lists 5.1 g of sugars per 100 g for Quaker Cruesli Zero Sugar Added Strawberry. It’s also crunchy muesli, not flakes for bread.
If sugar-free is a must, check the claim and the figure per 100 g. Under EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, the claim is only permitted when a product contains no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g.
A flavour or product name doesn’t tell you how much sugar the flakes contain. Jumbo listed 78.5 g of sugars per 100 g for a product with ‘light’ in its name.
Compare the ingredients and the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g, whatever the name on the front of the pack.
Information about sugar doesn’t tell you which allergens a variety contains. Jumbo’s Choca Vlokmix lists milk, cereals containing gluten, soya and wheat.
Before buying, read the current ingredients list and allergen information for the exact variety.
Crunchy muesli is used differently from chocolate flakes for bread, and you should check its ingredients separately too.
Choose an alternative like this only if you’re happy to switch from a bread topping to a different breakfast product. Check its ingredients and nutrition information as well.
Albert Heijn and Jumbo show De Ruijter flakes in a range of flavours, including milk and plain chocolate.
Jumbo offers its own-brand flakes, including a chocolate flakes mix.
Jumbo describes Choca Vlokmix as a variety of flakes to enjoy on bread or with yoghurt.
Quaker Cruesli Zero Sugar Added Strawberry is a breakfast cereal to consider if you’re open to a different type of product from flakes for bread.
Under EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, the ‘sugar-free’ claim can only be used for products containing no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g. Check both the claim and the nutrition information on the current packaging; ‘light’ and ‘plain’ don’t mean the same thing.
No. ‘No added sugars’ doesn’t mean that a product contains no sugars. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, it may still contain naturally occurring sugars, so check the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g too.
No. A smaller portion doesn’t change whether a product meets the ‘sugar-free’ claim. Compare products per 100 g, and also consider how much you actually use if you want to know the sugar content of your own portion.
Check the current ingredients list and allergen information for the exact variety. For Choca Vlokmix, Jumbo lists milk, cereals containing gluten, soya and wheat, among other ingredients. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, any sweeteners used will be listed on the label.
