Late-night crisp eaters comparing fat
If you want a small savoury snack, compare fat per 100g across products and then check how much is in the pack you expect to eat. A reduced-fat claim describes a comparison, not the whole supper.
Who is this choice for?
Shoppers checking more than fat
If salt, saturated fat or energy also matters to your choice, read those values on the same pack. A lower-fat option can still have other nutritional trade-offs.
Shoppers with dietary requirements
Check the exact flavour’s ingredients, dietary declarations and allergen warnings. A statement about one crisp in a brand’s range does not necessarily apply to another.
What should you compare?
Start with fat on a common per-100g basis, then assess the portion you would actually eat and the other information on that pack.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fat comparison | Compare fat per 100g, fat in your intended portion and the product used as the basis of any reduced-fat claim. The NHS low-fat guide for solid food is 3g fat or less per 100g; a relative reduction is a different measure. | I want to know how much fat is in the crisps I will eat, not rely on a claim on the front of the bag. |
| Salt and energy | Read salt and saturated fat per 100g, then check energy and salt for the portion you intend to eat. Use traffic-light information where it appears on the pack. | I compare salt as well as fat. In a Food Standards Agency and Ipsos Northern Ireland survey of 611 people interviewed from September to November 2024, 49% said they actively used traffic-light labelling when shopping for food. That measures food-label use in Northern Ireland, not demand for reduced-fat crisps. |
| Portion and supper | Check the weight of an individual pack or decide how much to serve from a sharing bag. If you need a more substantial supper, consider what else you will eat. | A defined small pack suits me when I want a crisp snack; a larger bag means deciding on a portion myself. |
| Dietary suitability | Read the current flavour’s ingredients, allergen and “may contain” statements. Check vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free wording on that exact product if you rely on it. | I need the pack I choose to fit my dietary requirements, rather than assuming every flavour in a range is alike. |
Common buying mistakes
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Treating reduced fat as low fat
A comparison claim does not tell you whether a food meets an absolute low-fat guide. Walkers UK lists 13g fat per 100g for Oven Baked Sea Salt, while the NHS low-fat guide for solid food is 3g or less per 100g.
Use the claim to identify the comparison, then read fat, salt and energy on the nutrition panel for the portion you plan to eat.
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Assuming a lentil or vegetable base settles the comparison
The base ingredient does not establish the finished crisp’s fat, salt or sugars. REAL Hand Cooked Crisps lists 28g fat and 26g sugars per 100g for its Veg Crisps.
Compare nutrition values for the exact flavour with the potato crisps you are considering.
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Counting a sharing bag as one serving
Values stated for a manufacturer’s serving may not describe the amount you eat from a larger bag.
Choose an individual pack if a defined portion matters to you, or serve the amount you want from a sharing bag before eating.
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Assuming plain flavours have no allergen warnings
Ingredients and cross-contact statements can differ between flavours. Walkers Oven Baked Sea Salt, for example, carries “may contain” warnings for several allergens.
Read the current pack’s ingredient and allergen information before buying or serving it to someone with an allergy.
Brand and product-line references
These examples describe particular crisps and manufacturer-stated figures, not every product made by each brand.
Walkers
Walkers Oven Baked Sea Salt is a baked crisp with a manufacturer-stated 50% less fat than regular potato crisps.
- Walkers UK lists 13g fat and 0.85g salt per 100g for Oven Baked Sea Salt.
- Walkers Lightly Salted is a different product: its listed 31g fat per 100g shows why a salt-focused name should not be read as a fat claim.
Tyrrells
Tyrrells states that its lentil crisps contain 30% less fat than standard potato crisps on average; this is the manufacturer’s comparison.
- The lentil range offers a different crisp base for shoppers comparing it with potato crisps.
- Tyrrells Naked No Salt is a separate salt-focused potato crisp; Tyrrells lists 0.06g salt but 29.5g fat per 100g for it.
KETTLE Chips
KETTLE describes its Lightly Salted crisps as gluten-free and suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
- The manufacturer lists 0.7g salt per 100g for Lightly Salted.
- It also lists 29.5g fat per 100g; the product name does not indicate reduced fat.
Seabrook
Seabrook describes its Sea Salted crinkle-cut crisps as gluten-free and suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
- Seabrook lists 1.3g salt per 100g for this flavour.
- It lists 30.4g fat per 100g, so compare it with a reduced-fat option on the same per-100g basis.
McCoy’s
McCoy’s Salted is a ridged potato crisp option for shoppers choosing that format and flavour.
- McCoy’s lists 32g fat and 1.3g salt per 100g for Salted.
- The product information warns that it may contain milk, soya, gluten and mustard; check the current pack if these matter to you.
REAL Hand Cooked Crisps
REAL’s Veg Crisps provide a vegetable-based comparison with potato and lentil crisps.
- REAL lists 1.0g salt per 100g for Veg Crisps.
- The same product lists 28g fat and 26g sugars per 100g; a vegetable base alone does not establish lower values.
Joybuy crisp options
These options include baked crisp multipacks and other crisp-style snacks in individual packs or sharing bags. Compare the exact flavour’s label and the amount you would eat before choosing on the basis of reduced fat.
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Walkers Oven Baked Variety Pack Crisps 6 x 22g
The 6 x 22g format lets you choose one pack for a late-night crisp portion. Check the nutrition and allergen information for each flavour in the variety pack.
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Walkers Oven Baked Cheese & Onion Crisps 6 x 22g
This Cheese & Onion option also comes as six individual 22g packs. Check this flavour’s fat and salt values and read its ingredient and allergen statements, particularly if milk is a concern.
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PopChips Sour Cream & Onion 85g
The 85g bag gives you room to choose your own late-night portion rather than taking an individual pack. Compare its fat and salt per 100g and check the flavour’s ingredient and allergen list.
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Frula GreenBean Vegetable Crisps 30g
A 30g pack provides a defined portion if you want a vegetable-based crisp snack. Compare fat, salt and sugars per 100g with the other crisps you are considering rather than judging it by its vegetable base.
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Eat Real Sea Salt Lentil Chips 95g
This 95g lentil-based option suits a shopper willing to portion a sharing bag. Compare its fat and salt per 100g with the potato crisps you have in mind, and check the exact pack’s dietary and allergen information.
Questions about reduced-fat crisps
Does “reduced fat” mean crisps are low fat?
No. Reduced fat compares one product with another, while the NHS low-fat guide for solid food is 3g fat or less per 100g. Walkers UK lists 13g fat per 100g for Oven Baked Sea Salt despite its manufacturer-stated 50% less-fat comparison with regular potato crisps.
What should I compare for a late-night portion?
Compare fat, salt and energy per 100g across the crisps you are considering, then check the amount you expect to eat. An individual pack states a defined weight; with a sharing bag, decide on your portion rather than assuming its serving information describes the whole bag.
Are no-salt crisps necessarily reduced fat?
No. Salt and fat are separate comparisons. Tyrrells lists 0.06g salt but 29.5g fat per 100g for Naked No Salt, so check both values on the product you choose.
Can a reduced-fat crisp pack serve as a full supper?
A reduced-fat claim describes fat relative to another product; it does not assess the rest of your supper. If you want something more substantial than a crisp snack, plan what else you will eat rather than relying on that claim alone.
How do I check allergens and dietary suitability?
Read the current pack for the exact flavour, including its ingredients, dietary declarations and “may contain” wording. For example, Walkers Oven Baked Sea Salt carries possible cross-contact warnings, whereas KETTLE describes its Lightly Salted crisps as gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian; neither statement should be transferred to another flavour.