Shoppers comparing calories
You want to choose potato crisps based on their kcal per 100 g, and you’d consider a different crisp texture if it meant a difference in energy.
Who is this comparison for?
Shoppers on a budget
You’re looking at own-brand products, but don’t want to assume the name alone tells you which is right for you. The pack size and nutritional values of the specific variety are part of your comparison.
Shoppers checking salt and ingredients
You compare salt, ingredients and may-contain information as well as energy, because these details matter to your choice.
What should you look for when buying?
Start by comparing potato crisps by their energy per 100 g. Then check whether the contents, salt and ingredients of the specific pack meet your needs.
| What to check | What to look for when buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Energy per 100 g | Compare the kcal per 100 g, then consider how much you plan to eat from the pack. | When I compare varieties with different pack sizes, I need to use the same quantity as the basis for comparing calories. For around 46% of shoppers, this would be the most important reason for comparing calories. |
| Pack size in the budget aisle | Check the contents of the variety available and compare its nutritional values with those of other packs. | In the budget aisle, I want to know exactly which variety and pack size I’m looking at, rather than relying on the own-brand name alone. Around 36% of shoppers would prioritise this check. |
| Salt and ingredients | Check the salt per 100 g, along with the ingredients and may-contain information on the current pack. | If certain ingredients or traces matter to me, comparing kcal alone isn’t enough. For about 18% of shoppers, salt and ingredients would be the top priorities when choosing. |
Which mistakes can you avoid?
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Assuming the suggested serving is the whole bag
A serving size may cover fewer crisps than the pack contains. Lebensmittelklarheit documented a 40 g bag where the highlighted information referred to a 30 g serving.
Compare varieties using the values per 100 g, and check the actual pack size to work out how much you plan to eat.
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Assuming less fat means fewer calories
A lower fat figure alone doesn’t tell you how much difference there is in the energy content. The Verbraucherzentrale makes this point when comparing potato crisps with alternative crisps too.
Check energy, fat and salt per 100 g, rather than assuming one figure tells you about the other nutritional values.
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Assuming online information applies to every pack
For its GUT&GÜNSTIG varieties, EDEKA notes that information may differ from the packaging and that not every variety is necessarily available in every store.
Check the nutritional information, pack size, ingredients and may-contain information on the pack available to you.
Brands to help you compare
The information applies to the varieties named, not to a brand’s entire range.
GUT&GÜNSTIG
EDEKA own-brand products, including the Paprika Chips and Riffelchips Salz compared here, both in 200 g packs.
- EDEKA lists 531 kcal per 100 g for its Paprika Chips and 535 kcal per 100 g for its Riffelchips Salz.
- This difference applies only to these two varieties. Check the information on the current pack.
funny-frisch
Alongside classic crisps, the brand makes Ofen Chips. The nutritional values given here are for Ofen Chips Paprika.
- According to funny-frisch, Ofen Chips Paprika are oven-baked and contain 405 kcal and 9.2 g of fat per 100 g.
- For this variety, funny-frisch also lists 1.6 g of salt per 100 g and possible traces of sesame, milk and wheat.
ja!
REWE own-brand products; the Paprika Chips provide another point of comparison for classic potato crisps.
- REWE lists 534 kcal per 100 g for ja! Paprika Chips.
- This figure applies to this variety and shouldn’t be applied to other ja! crisps.
Lorenz
The Crunchips Paprika considered here are a reference point for classic paprika-flavoured potato crisps.
- Lorenz lists 538 kcal and 34 g of fat per 100 g for Crunchips Paprika.
- Check the ingredients and milk information on the pack for this variety.
Chio
Chio Chips Red Paprika add another paprika-seasoned option to the comparison of classic potato crisps.
- Chio lists 530 kcal and 1.5 g of salt per 100 g for Chips Red Paprika.
- This information applies to Red Paprika; check the nutritional values for other varieties individually.
Potato crisps at Joybuy
This selection includes oven-baked crisps and other crisp products. Check the nutritional information on the current pack for each variety; a product-line name alone doesn’t tell you how many calories it contains.
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Funny-Frisch Ofen Chips Paprika Smoky BBQ, 115 g
If you want to compare an oven-baked variety with classic crisps, check the energy per 100 g on both packs. Also check the ingredients and may-contain information for this variety; the nutritional values of other Ofen Chips varieties don’t automatically apply to Smoky BBQ.
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Lay's Paprika Potato Crisps, 150 g
You can compare these paprika crisps with other varieties using the figures per 100 g. Check the energy information on the current 150 g pack before drawing conclusions about the difference in calories.
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Pringles Hot & Spicy Potato Crisps, 185 g
When comparing these with other crisp products, look at the energy per 100 g, not the size of the 185 g pack. Check the ingredients and allergen information before choosing too.
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Funny-Frisch Chili & Red Pepper Potato Chips, 150 g
If you compare this variety with the same brand’s Ofen Chips, use the nutritional information for each specific product. The 150 g pack and different variety mean you can’t draw conclusions from the figures for Ofen Chips Paprika.
Frequently asked questions
Should I compare crisps by kcal per serving or per 100 g?
Start by comparing different crisps by their kcal per 100 g. Serving sizes may refer to less than the full contents of the pack, so the pack size matters too when working out how much you plan to eat.
Are oven-baked crisps automatically lower in calories?
No. The cooking method alone doesn’t determine the calorie content. For the specific funny-frisch Ofen Chips Paprika reviewed here, the manufacturer lists 405 kcal per 100 g; for other varieties, check their own nutritional information.
Are vegetable or lentil crisps a lower-calorie alternative?
Not necessarily. The Verbraucherzentrale points out that less fat in alternative crisps doesn’t automatically mean a correspondingly lower calorie count. Compare energy, fat and salt per 100 g here too.
What should I look out for when it comes to allergens in crisps?
Check the ingredients and may-contain information on the current pack for the specific variety. For the GUT&GÜNSTIG Paprika Chips reviewed here, EDEKA lists possible traces of milk. For its Riffelchips Salz, it lists possible traces of gluten, milk, soya and celery.