Snackers comparing fat content
If you want crisps in the afternoon but are looking at a reduced-fat claim, compare the stated reference product with the fat, calories and salt in the pack you intend to eat.
Who is this choice for?
Shoppers focusing on salt
A lower-salt crisp addresses a different priority from a reduced-fat crisp. Check both figures if each matters to your choice.
Shoppers checking dietary suitability
Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and allergen statements can differ between flavours. Read the ingredients and advisory information on the exact pack.
What should you compare?
Start with the type of crisp you want, then compare labels on the same per-100g basis before looking at your intended afternoon portion.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fat comparison | Read what a reduced-fat claim is compared with. Check fat per 100g and for the amount you plan to eat; a percentage reduction does not mean the product is low fat. | I want a stated comparison I can understand, as well as the actual fat figure for my snack. |
| Salt and calories | Compare salt and calories separately from fat, using per-100g figures for different products and pack or serving figures for your portion. | Less fat is not my only consideration; I also want to see the salt and calorie figures on the pack. |
| Portion size | Check the weight of an individual pack against the stated serving size. For a larger bag, use the amount you actually intend to eat. | A small pack is convenient for one snack, while a larger bag means I need to decide on a portion myself. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredients, allergen advisory and any dietary declaration for the exact flavour and pack. | Before choosing a flavour, I need to know whether its own label meets my dietary requirements. |
Common buying mistakes
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Reading “reduced fat” as “low fat”
Walkers lists 13g fat per 100g for Oven Baked Sea Salt. The NHS describes 3g fat or less per 100g as low fat, so the two descriptions mean different things.
Check the comparison behind the claim, then read the nutrition panel for fat, saturates, salt and calories.
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Choosing “lightly salted” to reduce fat
Walkers says its Lightly Salted crisps have 45% less salt than the average regular potato crisp, but lists 31g fat per 100g for that product.
Decide whether fat or salt is your priority, and check both values on the product you choose.
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Comparing unequal portions
Walkers reports nutrition for a 22g Oven Baked Sea Salt pack, while the Tyrrells lentil-crisp figures cover a 30g serving. Per-serving numbers alone are not a like-for-like product comparison.
Compare per 100g first, then look at the nutrition for the amount you expect to eat.
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Applying one flavour’s dietary label to a whole brand
Ingredients and allergen advisories can differ between products and flavours. A declaration on one pack does not describe every crisp from that brand.
Check the exact current pack before buying or eating it.
Brand and product-line references
These examples illustrate different label claims and product formats; a brand name alone does not establish the nutrition or suitability of every flavour.
Walkers
Walkers Oven Baked Sea Salt and Walkers Lightly Salted address different comparisons: fat for the former, salt for the latter.
- Walkers states that Oven Baked Sea Salt has 50% less fat than regular potato crisps; it lists 2.8g fat, 96kcal and 0.19g salt per 22g pack.
- Oven Baked Sea Salt lists 13g fat per 100g, above the NHS low-fat guide of 3g or less per 100g. Walkers Lightly Salted lists 31g fat per 100g despite its lower-salt claim.
Tyrrells
Tyrrells presents its lentil crisps as an alternative to standard potato crisps, with a manufacturer-stated fat comparison.
- Tyrrells says its lentil-crisp range has 30% less fat than standard potato crisps on average. Its listed Sour Cream & Onion and Sweet Chilli & Red Pepper variants contain 19g and 20g fat per 100g respectively.
- Those variants list 2.0g and 2.1g salt per 100g respectively. Tyrrells Naked (no salt) addresses a different priority: it lists 0.06g salt and 29.5g fat per 100g.
Kettle Chips
KETTLE Lightly Salted is a conventional crisp to consider when its stated dietary declarations matter more to you than a reduced-fat claim.
- The product is labelled gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian.
- It lists 29.5g fat per 100g; it should not be treated as a reduced-fat option on the basis of its name.
McCoy’s
McCoy’s Salted is a ridged potato crisp for shoppers choosing that format rather than seeking a stated fat reduction.
- The brand’s Salted product provides a per-100g nutrition panel for comparison.
- It lists 32g fat per 100g and advises that it may contain milk, soya, gluten and mustard.
REAL Hand Cooked Crisps
REAL describes its range as vegetarian and gluten-free, with no added MSG.
- Those brand-stated attributes offer dietary information to check against the exact pack.
- Do not assume an individual REAL product is reduced fat without comparing its own nutrition panel and any stated claim.
Seabrook
Seabrook is another crisp brand to assess by individual flavour rather than by brand name.
- Seabrook says its Beefy crisps are considered gluten-free.
- That statement does not establish a reduced-fat claim or describe the fat content of other Seabrook products; check the chosen pack.
Joybuy product options
These Joybuy options include Walkers Oven Baked crisps, PopChips, green-bean crisps and Ryvita Snack It Thins. They cover different snack formats, so compare each pack’s nutrition and serving information rather than treating them as interchangeable reduced-fat crisps.
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PopChips Sour Cream & Onion 85g
For an afternoon portion from this 85g bag, compare the nutrition for the amount you intend to serve as well as per 100g. Check the current ingredients and allergen statement for this flavour.
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Walkers Oven Baked Variety Pack Crisps 6 x 22g
The individual 22g bags provide a defined pack size for an afternoon snack. Compare the nutrition and ingredients for each flavour in the variety pack rather than applying the figures for Walkers Oven Baked Sea Salt to all of them.
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Walkers Oven Baked Cheese & Onion Crisps 6 x 22g
This Cheese & Onion multipack contains six 22g bags. If you are comparing it with another Oven Baked flavour, use this flavour’s own fat, salt and calorie figures and check its allergen statement.
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Frula Green Bean Vegetable Crisps 30g
This 30g green-bean crisp pack is an alternative to a potato crisp for an afternoon snack. Compare its fat, salt and sugar figures with the potato crisps you are considering; the ingredient and nutrition labels determine whether it fits your priorities.
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Ryvita Snack It Thins Smoky BBQ Flavour 125g
Consider this 125g Ryvita snack if you are open to a different format from crisps. Check its per-100g nutrition alongside the crisps on your shortlist, then use the amount you intend to eat for a portion comparison.
Frequently asked questions
Does “reduced fat” mean crisps are low fat?
No. A reduced-fat claim compares a product with a reference product or category. Walkers Oven Baked Sea Salt lists 13g fat per 100g, while the NHS describes 3g or less per 100g as low fat. Read the comparison claim and the nutrition panel separately.
Should I compare crisps per 100g or per pack?
Use both: per 100g lets you compare products with different pack sizes, while per-pack or per-serving figures help you assess the amount you expect to eat. Check whether the stated serving matches your actual portion.
Is a lower-salt crisp also lower in fat?
Not necessarily. Walkers says Lightly Salted has 45% less salt than the average regular potato crisp, but that product lists 31g fat per 100g. Check fat and salt separately on the exact pack.
How do I check allergens or dietary suitability?
Read the ingredients, allergen advisory and dietary declarations for the exact current flavour and pack. For example, McCoy’s Salted advises that it may contain milk, soya, gluten and mustard, while KETTLE Lightly Salted is labelled gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian; neither statement covers every product from those brands.