If you fancy a chocolate recipe
You’re looking for a creamy ice cream with a chocolate coating, sometimes with caramel, biscuit or nuts. Check the size of each lolly and the allergens in your chosen flavour.
Who are these formats for?
If you want a smaller portion
You’d rather have a mini lolly than a standard-size one when you fancy something sweet. Check the amount per lolly: the word ‘mini’ doesn’t tell you anything about the ingredients or allergens on its own.
If you fancy a fruity recipe
You’re deciding between a water ice and a lolly made with fruit and milk ice cream. Compare the ingredients, sugars and fat in each product rather than relying on the flavour name alone.
What should you check before choosing?
For a portion just for you, first check the size of the lolly and the number in the box, then compare the recipe and nutritional information.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Chocolate recipe | The portion per lolly, sugars, fat and allergens in the specific flavour. | If I’m choosing mainly for the creamy ice cream or chocolate coating, I want to know what’s in the lolly I’ll be eating. Around 40% of consumers would put this chocolate treat at the top of their list of priorities. |
| Portion size | The weight or volume of each lolly and the number in the box. | If I fancy a small sweet treat, I’d rather know how much a mini lolly contains than rely on its name. Portion size would be the main consideration for around 30% of consumers. |
| Fruit recipe | The ingredients, whether it contains milk, and the sugars per 100 g or 100 ml, depending on the labelling. | If I want a fruity flavour, I need to tell the difference between a water ice and a fruit recipe containing milk. Around 30% of consumers would prioritise this composition. |
Common mix-ups to avoid
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Confusing a single portion with a single-item sale
An ice lolly is eaten individually, but products from Carrefour, Magnum and Aldi, for example, are sold in boxes containing several lollies.
Check the number of lollies before you buy. If you’re after a smaller portion, also check the amount per lolly: the Carrefour Extra mini assortment contains eight 32 g lollies.
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Assuming ‘fruit’ means ‘dairy-free’ or ‘low in sugar’
Auchan’s fruit water ice contains 18 g of sugars per 100 g. Carrefour Extra Fruits Exotiques, on the other hand, contains milk: two fruity flavours can have very different recipes.
Check the ingredients, allergens and nutritional values separately for the product you’re considering.
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Letting your lollies warm up after shopping
France’s Directorate General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control points out that a rise in temperature can shorten the shelf life of a food product. For its vanilla and chocolate lollies, Carrefour advises against refreezing a product once it has defrosted.
Pick up frozen food at the end of your shop and put it in the freezer as soon as you get home, following the storage instructions on the box.
Brands to know
Magnum
Magnum offers chocolate-coated ice cream bars in standard and mini sizes, depending on the flavour and box.
- The products featured by Magnum and Carrefour include a range of coatings and formats.
- Portion size, nutritional values and allergens vary by recipe; in particular, check for information about milk and nuts.
Carrefour Extra
Carrefour Extra offers vanilla and chocolate lollies, fruit recipes and mini assortments.
- The mini assortment listed by Carrefour contains eight 32 g lollies, making it easy to compare with other boxes.
- Depending on the product, the recipe may contain milk, soya or almonds, as well as traces of other allergens.
Auchan
Auchan’s range includes fruit water ices and other frozen lollies.
- For its fruit lollies in a box of eight, Auchan lists 74 kcal, 18 g of sugars and less than 0.5 g of fat per 100 g.
- These figures apply to this recipe only and don’t describe the other lollies in the range.
MUCCI
MUCCI features in Aldi France’s ice cream range, with mini lollies and lollies with a double coating among the options.
- These formats give you the option of a smaller lolly or a recipe with a coating.
- Before choosing a product, check its ingredients, amount per lolly and allergens on the packaging.
NUII
NUII features in Auchan’s ice lolly range, with flavours including vanilla and cranberry, and cookies and cream.
- These flavours give you other recipes to consider besides the classic vanilla and chocolate lolly.
- Check the ingredients, allergens and size of the specific product before comparing it with others.
Ice lollies available on Joybuy
These boxes include fruit lollies, mini formats and chocolate recipes, with each lolly individually portioned. Choose according to the flavour and size you’re after, then check the ingredients for each product.
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CAPRI-SUN Orange & Cherry Ice Pops, 12 pieces, 444 g
For when you fancy an orange and cherry flavour, one lolly at a time.
The box contains 12 lollies, weighing 444 g in total; this pack size doesn’t mean the lollies are sold individually.
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Magnum Mini Classic, Almond & White Chocolate, 6 pieces, 254 g
The mini size is a good choice if you’d rather have a smaller lolly than a standard one.
The box of six weighs 254 g in total. Check the packaging for the amount per mini lolly and the allergens in this assortment.
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Binggrae Melona Melon Ice Bar, 8 × 70 ml
Worth considering if you’re after an individually portioned lolly with a melon flavour.
The box contains eight 70 ml lollies. Check the ingredients for milk: a fruity flavour doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a water ice. The product information also includes a warning about the E102 colour and children; check the packaging if this is relevant to you.
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Solero Berry Ice Cream Bars, 4 × 90 ml
For when you fancy a berry flavour but don’t want to assume it’s a water ice.
The box contains four 90 ml lollies. This recipe contains milk and lactose, so check the ingredients and nutritional information for the product you choose.
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MAGNUM Salted Caramel & Almond, 3 pieces, 222 g
For those who love a recipe combining caramel, chocolate and almonds.
The box contains three lollies, weighing 222 g in total. This product contains milk and almonds; check the packaging for the amount per lolly and any other allergen information.
Frequently asked questions
How do you compare two lollies of different sizes?
Compare their nutritional values on the same basis, per 100 g or 100 ml, then check the amount in each lolly. France’s Directorate General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control explains that nutritional information per 100 g or 100 ml makes comparisons easier. Don’t confuse the amount per lolly with the amount in the whole box.
Which allergens should you check on the box?
Read the ingredients list and any information about traces for the specific product. Depending on the flavour, Carrefour’s recipes may contain milk, soya or almonds, for example. For prepacked food in France, the Directorate General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control says allergenic ingredients must be highlighted in the ingredients list.
How should you get ice lollies home after shopping?
Keep them cold on the way home and put them in the freezer as soon as possible. Follow the instructions on the box: Carrefour says its vanilla and chocolate lollies should be stored at −18 °C and advises against refreezing a product once it has defrosted.
Does a fruit flavour mean the lolly is dairy-free?
No. A fruity flavour can also be part of a recipe containing milk, such as Carrefour Extra Vanille Fruits Exotiques lollies. If the ingredients matter to your choice, check the product name and ingredients list rather than relying on the flavour name alone.