Who needs to take particular care when choosing?

Households that need to avoid gluten

For your store cupboard, choose pretzel snacks explicitly labelled gluten-free rather than standard wheat pretzels. According to Lorenz Snacks, Lorenz Saltletts Brezel contain wheat flour and barley malt extract.

Consumers who need to avoid another allergen

If you also need to avoid soya, sesame, egg or milk, for example, check each variety individually. Ingredients and warnings about possible traces vary between the gluten-free snacks listed by REWE.

Households looking to stock up on pretzel snacks

If there are no specific ingredients you need to avoid, pack size, preparation method and storage instructions can help you plan how much to buy. The Verbraucherzentrale explains that the best-before date applies to unopened food stored correctly.

What should you look for when stocking up?

First, work out which ingredients you need to avoid. Then you can choose between ready-to-eat pretzel sticks and mini pretzels or pretzels that need baking, and decide how much to stock up on.

What to consider What to check Who it matters to
Gluten labelling Check that the current pack is explicitly labelled gluten-free; a vegan recipe isn’t enough. If I need to avoid gluten, I don’t want to rely on the snack’s shape or product image alone. This is the main concern for around 34% of consumers.
Other allergens Compare the ingredients list and any precautionary allergen information with the specific allergen you need to avoid. If I have another allergy, I need to check a gluten-free variety for that ingredient too. This is the main concern for around 33% of consumers.
Shelf life and storage Check the best-before date and storage instructions on the pack; plan how much to buy based on unopened packs. I want to be able to use up my stock while storing the packs as instructed. Stock planning is the priority for around 20% of consumers.
Snack type and quantity Choose between a ready-to-eat snack and pretzels that need baking, then compare pack sizes and preparation requirements. For guests or several occasions, I want to plan the quantity and preparation to suit my needs, once I’ve checked for any ingredients I need to avoid. This comes first for around 13% of consumers.

Which mistakes should you avoid?

  • Assuming gluten-free means free from all allergens

    Gluten-free pretzels may still contain soya or carry warnings about possible traces of sesame, egg and other allergens. For example, according to the REWE product page, Schär Salinis contain soya lecithin.

    Work out which ingredient you need to avoid, then check both the ingredients list and any precautionary allergen information on the current pack for every variety.

  • Assuming vegan pretzels are gluten-free

    Vegan describes the recipe, not its gluten content. According to Lorenz Snacks, Lorenz Saltletts Brezel contain wheat flour and barley malt extract; EDEKA lists wheat in its GUT&GÜNSTIG pretzels.

    If you need to avoid gluten, look for an explicit ‘gluten-free’ claim, regardless of any other labels.

  • Planning how much to buy without checking storage instructions

    According to the Verbraucherzentrale, the best-before date applies to unopened food stored correctly. REWE says its REWE frei von organic pretzel sticks should be stored in a dry place, away from heat and light.

    Before buying in larger quantities, compare the date with how quickly you expect to use the snacks and follow the instructions on each pack.

  • Stocking up on gluten-free oat pretzels without checking further

    Hammermühle points out that people with coeliac disease may tolerate gluten-free oats differently. A gluten-free label doesn’t answer this individual question.

    If you’re unsure whether gluten-free oats are suitable for you if you have coeliac disease, follow Hammermühle’s advice to seek medical advice before eating them.

Brands and product ranges to help you choose

REWE frei von

REWE sells its organic pretzel sticks as a gluten-free, ready-to-eat snack in a 100-g pack.

  • The REWE product page describes the pretzel sticks as gluten-free, vegan and lactose-free, and lists gluten-free oat flour and rice flour as the main flours.
  • According to REWE, they may contain traces of egg, sesame and soya.

Schär

Schär Salinis are small, ready-to-eat salted pretzels labelled gluten-free.

  • The REWE product page describes Salinis as gluten-free, lactose-free, wheat-free and vegan.
  • They contain soya lecithin; REWE also warns that they may contain traces of sesame.

Hammermühle

Hammermühle offers organic oat pretzels described as gluten-free and vegan.

  • The ingredients list shown by REWE includes 36% gluten-free oat flour.
  • According to the product page, they may contain traces of soya. Hammermühle also points out that people with coeliac disease may tolerate gluten-free oats differently.

Lorenz

Lorenz Saltletts Brezel are standard salted pretzels, not a gluten-free option.

  • Lorenz Snacks describes Saltletts Brezel as vegan.
  • They contain wheat flour and barley malt extract; according to Lorenz Snacks, they may also contain milk, egg and sesame.

EDEKA GUT&GÜNSTIG

These frozen pretzels come in an 868-g pack of ten and need to be baked before eating.

  • This format makes it easier to plan quantities if you’re looking for pretzels to bake at home.
  • EDEKA lists wheat and soya, as well as possible traces of egg, milk, nuts and sesame. This variety is not a gluten-free alternative.

Suitable products at Joybuy

Suitable products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

What does ‘gluten-free’ mean for pretzel snacks?

EU Implementing Regulation No 828/2014 allows the claim ‘gluten-free’ for foods containing no more than 20 mg of gluten per kg when sold to consumers. The claim relates to gluten and doesn’t tell you whether other allergens may be present.

Are gluten-free salted pretzels also free from soya or sesame?

Not necessarily: according to the REWE product page, Schär Salinis contain soya lecithin and may contain traces of sesame. Check the allergen you need to avoid against the ingredients list and any precautionary allergen information on the current pack.

How should I store pretzel snacks for my store cupboard?

Follow the storage instructions on the pack. REWE says its REWE frei von organic pretzel sticks should be stored in a dry place, away from heat and light. According to the Verbraucherzentrale, the best-before date applies to unopened food stored correctly.

Are frozen pretzels a gluten-free option to stock up on?

You can’t tell from the fact that they’re frozen. EDEKA’s GUT&GÜNSTIG pretzels contain wheat and soya, so they’re not a gluten-free alternative. Check the packaging of other varieties individually.