Who needs to take care when choosing?

Hosts dealing with specific allergen questions

If a guest has told you they have an allergy or coeliac disease, the labelling on the variety you actually serve is what matters. Even with plain salted crisps, precautionary warnings may be relevant.

Guests who need to avoid gluten

If someone needs a variety explicitly labelled gluten-free, don’t rely on potatoes being the main ingredient or on a vegan claim alone.

Guests who eat a plant-based diet

If you’re looking for a vegan option for the buffet, check the information for the specific variety. However, this doesn’t answer the separate question of possible accidental contact with milk.

What should you look for when buying?

First, find out which ingredients or traces your guests need to avoid. Then choose suitable varieties with clear labelling, and check their packaging again before serving.

Dietary concern What to check when buying Who it matters to
Specific allergens and traces Check the ingredients, highlighted allergens and precautionary warnings on the current pack against the needs your guests have told you about. If I’m shopping for a guest with a known allergy, I also need to consider possible accidental contact. This allergen question is likely to be a priority for around 42% of consumers.
Gluten-free labelling Look for “gluten-free” on the current pack, and check for any other relevant allergens separately. If someone with coeliac disease is joining us, I don’t want to rely on crisps being made from potatoes. An explicit gluten-free claim would be the top priority for around 33% of consumers.
Vegan ingredients Check the vegan claim, ingredients and any precautionary warnings for the specific variety. For plant-based guests, I’m looking for a vegan variety, but I won’t assume that it’s free from milk where cross-contact is possible. This would be the top priority for around 17% of consumers.
Plain salted variety Compare the ingredients list and precautionary warnings, even if the recipe looks simple. If no specific dietary restrictions are the main concern, I’d like to offer a plain option alongside the varieties chosen for particular needs. Around 8% of consumers are likely to prioritise this straightforward choice.

Common buffet mistakes

  • Assuming potato crisps are free from allergens

    Seasonings and other ingredients vary from one variety to another. For example, the GUT&GÜNSTIG ridged paprika crisps described by EDEKA contain wheat flour; REWE says its ja! Salted Chips may contain traces of gluten, dairy products, soya and celery.

    Carefully read the ingredients, allergen information and precautionary warnings on the exact pack you’re serving.

  • Assuming “vegan” means there are no traces of milk

    A vegan recipe doesn’t rule out a warning about possible accidental contact with milk. funny-frisch labels its popchips Red Paprika Style as “vegan” and also includes a warning about traces of milk.

    If someone has a milk allergy, ask them which information matters when choosing, rather than relying on the vegan claim alone.

  • Relying on online information instead of the pack you’re serving

    Manufacturers and retailers point out that recipes or packaging information may change. So don’t put a variety that was suitable before back on the buffet without checking it again.

    Check the pack you’ve bought before serving and keep it next to the corresponding bowl.

  • Mixing different varieties in one bowl

    Once the crisps are mixed, guests can no longer reliably tell which ingredients and allergen information apply to each variety.

    Serve each variety separately, use a separate serving utensil for each, and make sure the packaging information is clearly matched to the right bowl.

Brands and varieties to consider

The information below relates to specific varieties, not every product from each brand. When choosing for your buffet, the labelling on the pack you buy is what matters.

Lorenz

Lorenz describes Crunchips Salted as gluten-free and vegan. This variety may therefore be suitable for guests who need an option explicitly labelled gluten-free.

  • According to Lorenz, the ingredients in Crunchips Salted include potatoes, vegetable oils and salt.
  • Lorenz warns of possible contact with milk. If someone has a milk allergy, the gluten-free or vegan claim alone isn’t enough to make a decision.

funny-frisch

funny-frisch labels its popchips Red Paprika Style as gluten-free and vegan.

  • Both claims relate to the variety described and may help you choose a buffet option with the relevant labelling.
  • The manufacturer warns of possible traces of milk. This warning needs to be considered separately for guests with a milk allergy.

Chio

Chio describes Chips Red Paprika as vegan and gluten-free.

  • Both claims are relevant when choosing this specific paprika variety.
  • These claims don’t automatically answer every other allergen question. Chio advises checking the ingredients list on the packaging in case the recipe has changed.

ja! (REWE)

REWE lists potatoes, sunflower oil and salt as ingredients in ja! Salted Chips.

  • This salted variety has a short ingredients list, making it an option for guests who haven’t mentioned any particular dietary restrictions.
  • REWE warns that it may contain traces of gluten, dairy products, soya and celery. So a short ingredients list doesn’t replace an individual allergen check.

GUT&GÜNSTIG (EDEKA)

For the ridged crisps described by EDEKA, the ingredients and allergen warnings differ significantly between the salted and paprika varieties.

  • For its salted ridged crisps, EDEKA lists potatoes, vegetable oils and salt as ingredients.
  • The salted variety may contain traces of milk; the paprika ridged crisps contain wheat flour and may contain traces of milk, celery and soya. If someone needs to avoid these ingredients, the varieties aren’t interchangeable.

Crisps on Joybuy for your buffet

These two Lorenz varieties give you a salted option and a Western Style BBQ option for your buffet. Before serving, check whether the labelling on each pack meets your guests’ needs.

Lorenz Crunchips Salted, 200 g

Lorenz Crunchips Salted, 200 g

A salted variety for your buffet, if the labelling on the specific pack suits your guests. Lorenz describes Crunchips Salted as gluten-free and vegan, but warns of possible contact with milk. Check this information on the pack you’ve bought, especially if a guest has a milk allergy.

View on Joybuy
Lorenz Crunchips Western Style BBQ, 150 g

Lorenz Crunchips Western Style BBQ, 150 g

A Western Style BBQ variety for guests who would like another flavour alongside salted crisps. If anyone needs to avoid gluten or other allergens, check the relevant labelling, ingredients and precautionary warnings on the specific pack.

View on Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

What does “gluten-free” mean on a pack of crisps?

In the EU, this claim means the gluten content must not exceed 20 mg/kg at the point of sale, as set out in Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014. If a guest needs to avoid gluten because they have coeliac disease, look for an explicit claim on the current pack rather than relying on potatoes being the main ingredient.

Are vegan crisps automatically free from traces of milk?

No. A vegan claim about the recipe doesn’t answer the question of accidental contact: funny-frisch labels its popchips Red Paprika Style as vegan and also warns of possible traces of milk. If someone has a milk allergy, check the precautionary warning on the pack you’ve bought.

Is a plain salted variety enough for guests with allergies?

Not without checking the specific pack. REWE warns that ja! Salted Chips may contain traces of gluten, dairy products, soya and celery; EDEKA warns that GUT&GÜNSTIG ridged salted crisps may contain traces of milk.

What does “may contain traces of …” mean?

This warning is about possible accidental contact, not an ingredient that has been deliberately added. According to Lebensmittelklarheit, you can’t reliably tell how much of a potential trace there may be from differences in wording or emphasis. If someone has a severe allergy, discuss with them which information on the packaging matters when choosing.

How should I serve different crisps for guests with different needs?

Serve each variety in its own bowl with its own serving utensil, and leave the corresponding pack or clearly readable ingredients and allergen information beside it. This helps guests match the information to each variety, but keeping the crisps separate doesn’t replace checking for individual allergies.