Budget shoppers watching sugar
Compare sugars per 100g as well as pack size. A smaller pack or cake does not, by itself, have a lower sugar concentration.
Who is comparing these packs?
One-cake snackers
Use the per-cake figure for the number you intend to eat, but return to the per-100g figure when comparing different products. A three-cake snack pack is a different portion.
What should you check?
Start with the per-100g nutrition line to compare products, then check the labelled portion and whether the pack size fits how you will use it.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar comparison | Compare total sugars per 100g on each pack. NHS food-label guidance uses the per-100g figure for comparisons; cake size does not affect that basis. | I want to compare different Jaffa cakes without mistaking a smaller cake for a lower-sugar product. |
| Amount eaten | Check whether the portion figure means one cake or several. Sainsbury’s lists 6.2g sugars per cake for its orange pack; Sainsbury’s lists 5.4g per cake for McVitie’s Original x10. | If I plan to eat one cake, the per-cake figure helps. For a snack pack, I need to check how many cakes make up the stated serving. |
| Pack quantity | Check the pack weight, number of cakes and after-opening instructions. Tesco’s 2 × 150g orange pack says to consume it within two days of opening. | A larger pack only suits my shop if I expect to use it within the instructions on its packaging. |
| Sugar descriptions | Check what a reduced-sugar description compares the product with, then read its sugars per 100g. NHS Scotland’s food-label guidance distinguishes reduced sugar from low sugar. | I do not want a comparison with other biscuits, or a small serving, to stand in for the figures on this particular pack. |
| Ingredients | Read the ingredients and allergy advice on the exact pack. UK government food-labelling guidance says specified allergens must be highlighted in the ingredients list. | When an ingredient or allergen matters in my household, I need to check the pack I am serving. |
Common comparison mistakes
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Taking a comparison with biscuits as a reduced-sugar Jaffa cake claim
A comparison with unspecified other biscuits does not show how a Jaffa cake compares with a standard equivalent. NHS Scotland’s food-label guidance describes reduced sugar as a comparison with a standard equivalent product.
Read the sugars per 100g on the pack and check which standard product any reduced-sugar description uses for comparison.
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Comparing sugar per cake without checking per 100g
Sainsbury’s lists 6.2g sugars per cake and 49.6g per 100g for its orange pack. Its listing for McVitie’s Original x10 gives 5.4g per cake but 50g per 100g, so the comparison changes with the portion basis.
Use per 100g to compare the products, then use per cake for the number you plan to eat.
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Choosing a larger pack without planning when to use it
Tesco’s orange twin pack contains 2 × 150g and instructs shoppers to consume the cakes within two days of opening.
Check the after-opening instructions on your pack against how quickly you expect to use it.
Brand and retailer pack references
These label examples concern the specific packs named below, not every product made or sold by each brand.
Sainsbury’s
Its own-label orange Jaffa cakes come in a 150g pack.
- Sainsbury’s lists 49.6g sugars per 100g and 6.2g per cake.
- The listing does not describe this pack as reduced sugar.
ASDA
Its own-label orange Jaffa cakes come in a 150g pack.
- ASDA lists 50g sugars per 100g and 6.3g per cake.
- Check the current pack details before using those figures for a comparison.
McVitie’s
The Original x10 pack is an example with a stated single-cake sugar figure.
- Sainsbury’s lists 5.4g sugars per cake for this pack.
- The same listing gives 50g sugars per 100g; the smaller per-cake figure is not a lower per-100g figure.
M&S
Its Dark Chocolate Jaffa Cakes come in a 250g pack.
- M&S lists 47.2g sugars per 100g for this product.
- The label also lists 407kcal and 7.3g saturates per 100g; a sugar comparison does not compare those measures.
Tesco
Its orange Jaffa cake twin pack contains 2 × 150g.
- Tesco lists 51.2g sugars per 100g for this pack.
- Its label says to consume the cakes within two days of opening.
Waitrose
Its Mini Jaffa Cakes are a different portion format in a 125g pack.
- Waitrose lists 12.8g sugars per 25g serving.
- That serving is not identified as one mini cake, and the mini format does not establish a reduced-sugar product.
Joybuy Jaffa cake pack formats
These McVitie’s options offer a large pack and packs divided into three-cake snacks. Compare the nutrition label on the exact pack and choose a quantity that fits how you will use it.
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McVitie’s 80 Jaffa Cakes, 1.07kg
This larger pack is worth considering if you expect to use 80 cakes. Check its per-100g sugars and after-opening instructions on the pack when deciding whether the quantity suits you.
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McVitie’s The Original Jaffa Cakes Snack Pack, 6 × 3, 198g
The six three-cake packs provide a defined pack portion. If you are comparing sugar for one cake rather than three, check which portion the nutrition figure on this pack describes.
Questions about choosing a pack
Does reduced sugar mean Jaffa cakes are low in sugar?
No. NHS Scotland’s food-label guidance describes reduced sugar as a comparison with a standard equivalent product, not a guarantee that the product is low in sugar. Compare the sugars per 100g on the exact pack rather than relying on its cake size or a comparison with other biscuits.
How should I store an opened pack?
Follow the instructions on that pack. Tesco’s orange twin-pack listing says to use an airtight container after opening and consume the cakes within two days.
What should I check if someone eating the cakes has a food allergy?
Read the ingredients and precautionary statements on the exact pack before serving it. UK government food-labelling guidance says specified allergens must be listed and highlighted in the ingredients.