One-bag coffee-break shoppers
If you keep crisps in a bag, desk or locker, decide whether a 25g bag fits your break or whether you would rather take a larger individual bag.
Who is buying for commuter breaks?
Bulk buyers comparing portions
A case may contain many bags of different weights. Compare both the cost per 100g and the cost of the individual bag you expect to take each day.
Shoppers checking labels
Before buying several bags at once, check the ingredients, allergens and nutrition information for each included flavour that matters to you.
What should you compare?
Start with the number and weight of the bags you will actually use. Then compare current unit costs and check the exact flavours in the pack.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Cost per portion | Check the current cost per bag and per 100g. Use the stated bag weight and pack count when comparing different cases. | I want enough individual bags for my commutes, without choosing a larger bag solely because the case looks cheaper. |
| Bag size | Compare the grams in each bag, not just the number on the box. Listings in this category include 25g multipacks and cases with 35g to 45g bags. | Would one smaller bag suit my coffee break, or would I prefer more crisps in a single bag? |
| Flavours and allergens | Read the ingredients and allergen information for every included flavour. Check dietary claims against the exact product. | I may enjoy a variety box, but every flavour I receive needs to suit my requirements. Walkers UK lists milk ingredients in its Cheese & Onion crisps, for example. |
| Nutrition per bag | Read the exact flavour’s nutrition table and bag weight; a per-100g figure and a per-bag figure describe different quantities. | If I compare salt, I want to know the amount in the whole bag I plan to eat, rather than rely on the brand name or pack format. |
What is easy to overlook?
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Judging a case by its total cost alone
Bag counts and weights vary, so two cases can provide different numbers of commute snacks and different amounts of crisps.
Use the retailer’s current price, total weight and bag count to compare cost per 100g and per bag.
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Checking only one flavour in a variety box
Allergens can differ within the same pack. On the Joybuy Seabrook Variety 18 x 25g listing, Cheese & Onion contains milk while Sea Salted lists no allergens.
Check each included flavour before ordering, particularly if any one of them would be unsuitable.
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Assuming a larger bag is the same kind of break-time portion
A 40g or 45g bag contains more crisps than a 25g bag; nutrition information also depends on the exact flavour.
Choose the individual bag size you intend to use before comparing cases by weight.
Brand and product-line references
These examples help distinguish pack formats and label checks; a brand’s wider range does not describe every flavour or multipack.
Walkers
Walkers has small-bag variety formats, including a listed Classic Variety 6 x 25g multipack.
- Walkers UK provides flavour-specific ingredients; its Cheese & Onion crisps contain milk-derived ingredients.
- Check the flavours in the particular multipack rather than applying one flavour’s ingredients to the whole range.
Tyrrells
Tyrrells describes its potato crisps as hand-cooked in small batches from English potatoes.
- Its Lightly Sea Salted product page specifies its ingredients and states that it contains no artificial flavours, colours or MSG.
- Check the available bag size if you need one individually wrapped portion for each commute.
KETTLE Chips
A J L Brooks listing gives KETTLE Lightly Salted as a case of 18 x 40g bags.
- KETTLE states that Lightly Salted is gluten-free and suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
- A 40g bag is larger than the 25g bags in the smaller-portion multipacks discussed here; check other flavours separately.
Seabrook
Seabrook variety formats include individually wrapped 25g bags.
- The Joybuy Seabrook Variety 18 x 25g listing provides information by flavour.
- Its Cheese & Onion bags contain milk, while its Sea Salted bags list no allergens; check the exact mix you buy.
McCoy’s
McCoy’s identifies ridged crisps as part of its range; a J L Brooks listing includes a 36 x 45g Flame Grilled Steak case.
- The case format offers individual 45g bags for shoppers who prefer that size.
- Check nutrition for the exact flavour: McCoy’s lists 1.3g salt per 100g for its Salted product, not for every McCoy’s crisp.
REAL Hand Cooked Crisps
REAL offers a mixed box of 24 x 35g bags with a choice of flavours through its own shop.
- REAL states that its range is vegetarian and gluten-free.
- That range statement does not remove the need for an allergen check: REAL’s Roast Ox ingredients include milk, soya and celery.
Joybuy multipack options
These Joybuy options are multipacks of individual bags for taking one snack on a commute. Compare their stated bag sizes and counts; the selection is not a comparison of every case size discussed above.
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Seabrook Classic Variety Box 24 x 25g
The 24 individual 25g bags suit a routine of taking one bag per commute. This is a variety box, so check the ingredients and allergens for each included flavour.
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Walkers Meaty Variety 20 x 25g
Twenty individual 25g bags provide a smaller-bag option for repeated breaks. Check the ingredients and allergen information for the flavours in this Meaty Variety pack rather than relying on details for a different Walkers assortment.
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Walkers Squares Variety 12 x 22g
This pack has twelve 22g bags, a smaller individual bag than the 25g options here. If you are choosing it for variety, check each flavour’s label before stocking up.
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Hula Hoops Variety Multipack 12 x 24g
The twelve 24g bags offer another individually packed size for a coffee break. Check the included flavours and their separate allergen information if you have a dietary requirement.
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McCoy’s Ridge Cut Mighty Meaty 6 x 25g
Six individual 25g bags make this a smaller multipack if you do not need a larger case. Its Mighty Meaty assortment has multiple flavours, so check each bag’s ingredients and allergens.
Common questions
Should I compare crisp cases by the case cost or per 100g?
Use both cost per 100g and cost per bag. The first helps compare different bag weights; the second shows the cost of the individual portion you would take on a commute. Check the current price and pack count before deciding.
Should I choose 25g bags or a case of larger bags?
Choose by the amount you want in one break. A 25g multipack provides smaller individual bags, while a 35g to 45g case provides more crisps per bag. Compare costs only after deciding which portions you are likely to use.
Can a brand name tell me whether every flavour meets my dietary requirements?
No. Check the exact product and every included flavour. KETTLE describes its Lightly Salted crisps as gluten-free and suitable for vegans and vegetarians; REAL describes its range as vegetarian and gluten-free, but its Roast Ox ingredients include milk, soya and celery.
What should I check on a mixed crisp pack?
Check the number and weight of the bags, then read the ingredients, allergens and nutrition information for each flavour. A mixed pack can have different allergen information from one bag to the next.
How do I compare salt information for different bag sizes?
Use the salt information for the exact flavour and compare the amount in the whole bag you intend to eat. A per-100g figure alone does not describe the same serving when bag weights differ.