Anyone checking vegan labels carefully
You don’t want to rely on the word ‘dark’. You check the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging, then decide separately how to treat a warning about possible milk traces.
Who are these choices for?
Anyone serving sprinkles in a glass jar
You’re looking for a jar that seals well, while also wanting to keep the storage advice and information about ingredients, allergens and best-before dates with the sprinkles you’ve transferred.
Anyone comparing flavours and ingredients
You look at dark or mixed sprinkles, but then assess the complete product. A dark variety name or one dark component in a mix doesn’t tell you enough about the other ingredients.
What should you look for?
Start with the ingredients and any mention of milk on the sprinkles’ label. Then choose a jar for storage or serving, and compare flavour varieties by their full list of ingredients.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this important to? |
|---|---|---|
| Ingredients and milk | Read the current ingredients list, allergen information and any warning about possible milk. | If I’m looking for vegan sprinkles, I want to know whether milk is an ingredient and whether there’s a warning about possible milk. This is the main consideration for around 50% of consumers. |
| Storing in glass | Check that the jar seals well and that the storage location is suitable for the advice on the sprinkles’ packaging. | I want to serve sprinkles at the table without losing access to their original storage and label information. A suitable storage option is the first consideration for around 30% of consumers. |
| Flavour variety and mix | Compare the ingredients of the complete variety, even when a mix contains several types of sprinkles. | When choosing a dark variety or a mix, I want to know what all the components contain. Around 20% of consumers prioritise this choice of variety, after checking whether it’s suitable for a vegan diet. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming ‘dark’ means ‘vegan’
According to Albert Heijn, AH Pure chocolate sprinkles contain whole milk powder. So the name of a flavour variety doesn’t tell you whether a specific product is made without milk ingredients.
Before buying, read the ingredients list and allergen information on the current packaging.
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Checking only the dark sprinkles in a mix
Jumbo’s product information for Venz Rimboe Kroko dark/vanilla sprinkles lists skimmed milk powder and whey powder in the shapes. The other components also determine whether the mix suits your needs.
Check the ingredients of the complete mix, not just the words on the front of the pack.
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Transferring sprinkles and throwing away the packaging
This means the ingredients, allergens, best-before date and storage instructions are no longer readily available with the contents.
Keep the original packaging, or make sure that information stays clearly identifiable alongside the glass jar. Store the jar somewhere that suits the product’s storage advice.
Relevant brands to consider
The differences below relate to the varieties and ranges mentioned, not to whether an entire brand is suitable for vegans.
De Ruijter
Dark chocolate sprinkles are available in a 200 g variety for which Albert Heijn publishes an ingredients list.
- Milk is not listed as an ingredient.
- However, the packaging says ‘May contain MILK’. Consider this warning separately from the ingredients.
Albert Heijn
The sprinkles category has a vegan filter, and there’s also the own-brand variety AH Pure chocolate sprinkles.
- The filter can help you search for specific varieties.
- According to the product information, AH Pure chocolate sprinkles contain whole milk powder. Check each product you find individually.
Venz
Rimboe Kroko dark/vanilla sprinkles combine different components in one variety.
- The ingredients information shows which parts of the mix you need to assess.
- According to Jumbo’s product information, the shapes contain skimmed milk powder and whey powder, so this variety isn’t suitable if you’re avoiding milk ingredients.
Choca
Jumbo offers Choca sprinkles mix in a 200 g pack.
- The product information says to store in a cool, dry place.
- Check the current ingredients and allergen information before choosing this mix for a vegan shop.
Jumbo
The own-brand range includes, among other products, 300 g packs of dark chocolate sprinkles and milk chocolate sprinkles.
- Product names and pack weights give you a starting point for telling the varieties apart.
- Check the ingredients of your chosen dark variety before classifying it as vegan.
Sprinkles and glass jars at Joybuy
This selection pairs one pack of sprinkles with two empty glass storage jars. Check the current label on the sprinkles when making your vegan choice; choose a jar separately based on its seal, the space you have available and the sprinkles’ storage advice.
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Sprinkles Choca Flakes, 200 g
If you’re looking for sprinkles for a vegan shop, check the ingredients and warning about possible milk on the current packaging. If you want to avoid possible traces of milk, take that warning into account.
200 g pack. The glass jar is sold separately.
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Glass storage jar with sunflower design, 700 ml
For transferring dry sprinkles to a sealed jar for the table or cupboard. The product name specifies glass, an airtight lid and a capacity of 700 ml.
This is an empty jar, not a sprinkles product. Check that it can hold the quantity of sprinkles you want to transfer, and keep their packaging information with the jar.
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5five glass storage jar with stainless steel lid, 1.7 l
If you’re looking for a larger glass jar for dry food, the product name specifies a capacity of 1.7 l and a stainless steel lid.
This is an empty jar. Compare its capacity with the amount of sprinkles you want to store; the pack weight of the sprinkles doesn’t directly indicate the jar capacity you need.
Frequently asked questions
Are dark chocolate sprinkles automatically vegan?
No. According to Albert Heijn, AH Pure chocolate sprinkles contain whole milk powder. De Ruijter dark chocolate sprinkles don’t list milk as an ingredient, but do carry a warning that the product may contain milk. So check the current ingredients and allergen information for the variety you’re buying.
What does a warning that sprinkles may contain milk mean for my choice?
This warning is different from milk being an ingredient, but it may still affect whether you choose the product. Check the exact wording on the packaging, and if you have an allergy, don’t make your choice based only on a vegan label or the flavour name.
Can I serve chocolate sprinkles in a glass jar on the table?
Yes, as long as the jar seals well and the location is suitable for the sprinkles’ storage advice. For De Ruijter dark chocolate sprinkles, Albert Heijn recommends storing them in a cool, dry place; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises storing similar chocolate products in a cool, dry, dark place in a tightly sealed container. Keep the original label information available.
Is a vegan label the same as allergen information?
No. Consider the vegan label alongside the ingredients and allergen information, not instead of them. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says allergen information must appear on the label of prepacked products.