Households following a strict gluten-free diet
An explicit gluten-free label is essential. Neither a vegan label nor an ingredients list that looks suitable at first glance is a substitute for checking.
Who needs to take extra care when choosing?
People checking for multiple allergens
If you also need to avoid allergens such as soya, sesame, milk or egg, check the ingredients list and any precautionary allergen warnings separately against your own requirements.
Households stocking up on snacks for several people
For your weekly shop, the pack size and where you shop need to suit your needs. If people in your household have different dietary requirements, it’s also important to keep track of which packs are suitable for whom.
What should you look for when buying?
First, check your requirements around gluten and other allergens. Once you’ve found suitable products, pack size and availability can help you decide what to buy for your store cupboard.
| Criteria | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten and wheat | Look for an explicit ‘gluten-free’ label and check the ingredients on the specific pack. | If you need to avoid gluten when doing your weekly shop, make sure a vegan pretzel doesn’t accidentally end up in your suitable snack stash. Around 42% of consumers put avoiding gluten first. |
| Other allergens | Check the ingredients list and ‘may contain’ warnings separately against the allergens you need to avoid. | If a snack needs to meet several dietary requirements, I also need to check for soya and possible traces of sesame, even if the pretzels are gluten-free. Around 33% of consumers prioritise this more comprehensive check. |
| Stocking up and where you shop | Check the pack size, how much you need and availability at your chosen retailer. | For several snack occasions, I want to plan which suitable packs to buy without relying solely on the range shown online. After meeting their basic dietary requirements, around 25% of consumers prioritise planning their snack supplies. |
Common shopping mistakes
-
Assuming ‘vegan’ means ‘gluten-free’
According to the manufacturer, Lorenz Saltletts pretzels are vegan, but they contain wheat flour and barley malt extract. A vegan label also doesn’t tell you whether the product may contain traces of milk, egg or sesame.
If you need to avoid gluten or wheat, check the relevant label and ingredients list. Use ‘vegan’ only to answer the separate question of whether the product contains animal-derived ingredients.
-
Checking only the main claim on gluten-free pretzels
Schär Salinis are sold as gluten-free, but according to the product information they contain soya lecithin and may contain traces of sesame.
Even with snacks explicitly labelled gluten-free, check your personal list of allergens against the current pack, one item at a time.
-
Adding gluten-free oat pretzels to your shopping without checking further
Hammermühle Organic Oat Pretzels product information notes that people with coeliac disease may tolerate gluten-free oats differently.
If this is relevant to you, check the manufacturer’s advice on individual suitability before adding the product to your supplies.
-
Assuming the range shown will be available when you shop
Whether a particular variety is available may depend on where you shop. A product category also doesn’t tell you everything about the allergen labelling of an individual product.
Check availability at your chosen retailer and read the information on the specific pack you’ve selected before buying.
Brands to help guide your choice
Schär
Schär describes its Salinis as small, gluten-free and wheat-free salted pretzels.
- Schär describes Salinis as lactose-free and made without added egg or milk.
- The recipe contains soya lecithin; REWE also notes that the product may contain traces of sesame. If you need to avoid other allergens, check the current pack.
Hammermühle
The Organic Oat Pretzels are sold as gluten-free oat pretzels.
- REWE’s product information lists this variety as vegan and made without added wheat.
- Be aware that the product may contain traces of soya. For people with coeliac disease, the product information notes that tolerance of gluten-free oats varies from person to person.
Lorenz Saltletts
The classic pretzels and mini pretzels are options for a snack stash if you don’t need to avoid gluten.
- Lorenz lists its Mini Pretzels in 150 g, 40 g and 3 × 40 g packs.
- According to Lorenz, the classic Saltletts pretzels contain wheat flour and barley malt extract. The manufacturer also notes that they may contain traces of milk, egg and sesame.
REWE frei von
REWE lists its gluten-free organic pretzel sticks in its range of gluten-free snacks.
- REWE’s range listings also include Schär Salinis and Hammermühle Organic Oat Pretzels as other options to consider when planning your shop.
- If you need to avoid other allergens, check the ingredients and precautionary allergen labelling on the specific pretzel sticks you choose.
Salted pretzels at Joybuy
These salted pretzels may be suitable for your weekly shop if you don’t need to avoid gluten. If you have other dietary requirements, check the labelling on the pack you buy.
No image available
Alnatura Organic Wholegrain Salted Pretzels, 125 g
A 125-g pack for your snack stash if you don’t need to avoid gluten. The product information lists wheat gluten, barley gluten and sesame as ingredients. If you need to avoid anything else, check the labelling on the current pack.
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell if pretzel snacks are gluten-free?
Look for an explicit ‘gluten-free’ label on the product you choose. If you need to avoid other ingredients, also check the ingredients list and any precautionary allergen warnings on the pack.
Are vegan pretzels gluten-free too?
No. ‘Vegan’ doesn’t mean ‘gluten-free’. The manufacturer describes Lorenz Saltletts pretzels as vegan, but they contain wheat flour and barley malt extract.
What does a warning about possible allergen traces mean for my choice?
Read the warning alongside the ingredients list: it refers to possible accidental traces, not ingredients listed in the product. If you have an allergy, seek individual advice from a qualified professional to understand which warnings are relevant to you.
Are gluten-free oat pretzels suitable for people with coeliac disease?
A gluten-free label alone doesn’t answer every individual question about oats. The product information for Hammermühle Organic Oat Pretzels notes that people with coeliac disease may tolerate gluten-free oats differently and recommends seeking medical advice before eating them.