Snackers avoiding nuts or gluten
If you want a ready-to-eat fruit snack with dinner, look for declarations covering nuts or cereals containing gluten specifically. Do not assume that a fruit-based product excludes them.
Who is this for?
Shoppers avoiding sulphites
A statement about sulphites matters more than the type or appearance of the fruit: product labels differ. Check the current pack for sulphur dioxide or sulphites.
Snackers comparing portions and ingredients
Individual packs can make the serving size clear while you eat in front of the TV. Compare the ingredient list and sugars per serving as well as any free-from statement.
What should you check?
Start with the allergen you need to avoid, then check the whole ingredient and precautionary statement. Portion size and sugar information can help distinguish suitable snack formats once those checks are done.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Nuts and gluten | Read the named free-from declarations and the full allergen statement on the current pack. ASDA lists BEAR Fruit Yoyos Blackcurrant as free from nuts and cereals containing gluten; that declaration applies to that product. | I need a fruit snack with clear information about the particular allergen I avoid, not just a general free-from description. |
| Sulphites | Look for an explicit no-sulphites statement or a declaration of sulphur dioxide or sulphites. ASDA states that BEAR Dried Strawberry contains no sulphites, whereas ASDA Apricots 200g lists them in its allergy advice. | If I avoid sulphites, I cannot decide from the fruit name or colour whether a pack suits me. |
| Mixed snacks | Check all ingredients and any ‘may contain’ wording, especially for fruit-and-nut bars or chocolate-coated fruit. Whitworths lists milk in its Berry + Chocolate Clusters and says they may contain peanuts, other nuts and sesame. | A snack containing fruit still needs a separate check for milk, nuts, peanuts, sesame or soya if those matter to me. |
| Portions and sugars | Compare pack sizes and sugars per serving on the same basis. ASDA lists 9.7g sugars per 20g portion for BEAR Fruit Yoyos Blackcurrant. | I would like a portion I can identify easily during a TV dinner; a fruit snack’s sugar information matters to that comparison. |
Common buying mistakes
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Assuming dried fruit contains no sulphites
ASDA Apricots 200g lists sulphur dioxide or sulphites in both its ingredients and allergy advice, while ASDA’s BEAR Dried Strawberry listing states that it contains no sulphites.
If sulphites matter to you, compare the exact products’ declarations and check the physical pack rather than judging by the fruit.
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Treating vegan or gluten-free as nut- or milk-free
Marks & Spencer describes its Almond and Cherry Pressed Fruit and Nut Bars as vegan and gluten-free, but says they are unsuitable for milk, nut, peanut and soya allergy. Whitworths Berry + Chocolate Clusters contain milk and may contain peanuts, other nuts and sesame.
Read the complete allergen information for a mixed or coated snack, even when another dietary claim appears on the front.
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Relying on an old product listing
Sainsbury’s advises checking packaging because ingredients may change. An online description is useful for narrowing down choices, but it may not describe the pack in your hand.
Check the current in-store or delivered pack before eating, and repeat the check if you change flavour or pack size.
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Reading ‘no added sugar’ as ‘no sugar’
ASDA lists 9.7g sugars per 20g portion for BEAR Fruit Yoyos Blackcurrant. A no-added-sugar claim does not remove sugars occurring in the fruit.
Use the sugars-per-serving figure and serving size when comparing portioned TV snacks.
Relevant brands and retailers
These examples show why allergen information needs to be checked by product, rather than assumed from a brand name.
BEAR
BEAR offers portioned fruit rolls and dried-fruit snacks with product-specific dietary information on retailer listings.
- ASDA lists Fruit Yoyos Blackcurrant as free from nuts and cereals containing gluten, and Dried Strawberry as containing no sulphites.
- Those statements concern different products and do not establish that every BEAR snack suits every allergen need.
Asda
Asda’s product listings provide ingredients and allergy advice for individual dried-fruit snacks.
- Its listings distinguish BEAR Fruit Yoyos Blackcurrant’s nut- and gluten-free declarations from the sulphite declaration on ASDA Apricots 200g.
- Check the current pack before eating rather than relying on an earlier listing.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s publishes allergen information for its own-brand products and listings for other brands’ fruit snacks.
- Its BEAR Fruit Yoyos Raspberry listing describes that product as nut-free and gluten-free.
- Sainsbury’s advises checking packaging as ingredients may change; its own-brand allergen lists should not be applied to BEAR products.
Whitworths
Whitworths sells dried fruit alongside fruit-and-nut mixes and coated snack formats.
- The range includes different formats to compare if you want loose fruit or a snack pack.
- Its Berry + Chocolate Clusters contain milk and may contain peanuts, other nuts and sesame; assess the exact product.
M&S
M&S offers pressed fruit-and-nut bars as well as other food products.
- Its Almond and Cherry Pressed Fruit and Nut Bars have stated vegan and gluten-free attributes.
- The bars contain almonds and are stated as unsuitable for milk, nut, peanut and soya allergy.
Joybuy fruit-snack options
These Joybuy options are portioned fruit rolls, fruit snacks and freeze-dried peach for a TV dinner. For any free-from requirement, use the current pack’s allergen information to decide whether a particular option suits you.
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BEAR Raspberry Yoyo 5 x 20g
The 5 x 20g format provides separate portions for a TV snack. Check this pack’s nut, gluten and other allergen declarations if you are choosing it for a free-from need.
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BEAR Paws Strawberry Apple 5 x 20g
This strawberry-and-apple option comes as five 20g portions. Read the pack’s full ingredient and allergen information before choosing it for a particular avoidance need.
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BEAR Apple & Blackcurrant Giant Fruit Yoyos 5 x 20g
The 5 x 20g pack offers individual apple-and-blackcurrant fruit-roll portions. Do not transfer the allergen declarations for a different Blackcurrant Fruit Yoyos pack to this variant; check its own label.
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BEAR Apple Fruit Yoyos 100g
This is a 100g apple fruit-roll option. Check the pack for its serving size and the specific allergen declarations you need, rather than assuming they match another BEAR flavour.
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Frula Freeze Dried Fruits Peach 10g
The 10g freeze-dried peach pack is a different fruit format from the rolls above. If sulphites or another allergen are your concern, check this product’s own current label rather than inferring suitability from the fruit or drying method.
Frequently asked questions
Does ‘free from’ cover every food allergen?
No. Read a free-from declaration for the allergen it names, then check the rest of the current label. A vegan or gluten-free fruit snack is not thereby declared free from nuts, milk or sulphites.
Which fruit snack has a stated nut- and gluten-free declaration?
ASDA lists BEAR Fruit Yoyos Blackcurrant Multipack 4 x 20g as free from nuts and cereals containing gluten. Check the pack you receive before eating; do not assume that a different flavour or pack format carries the same declaration.
Are dried apricots automatically free from sulphites?
No. ASDA Apricots 200g lists sulphur dioxide or sulphites in its ingredients and allergy advice. ASDA’s BEAR Dried Strawberry listing, by contrast, states that it contains no sulphites; check the exact pack when choosing.
Is a supermarket webpage enough to check allergens?
Use it to narrow down products, but check the physical pack before eating. Sainsbury’s advises checking packaging because ingredients can change, so an earlier online description should not replace the current label.