People looking to limit added sugars
You’re looking first for a recipe labelled “no added sugar”, without assuming it contains no sugar at all. The “of which sugars” line then lets you compare ice lollies per portion.
Who are these criteria for?
People comparing energy per portion
You want to know what’s in a whole ice lolly, rather than stopping at a value per 100 g. Portion weight matters when interpreting nutrition information.
People who pay attention to sweeteners
You prefer to check the full recipe before choosing a sweetened product to manage your weight. Anses has found no proven benefit of intense sweeteners for weight control.
Which criteria should you compare?
Start with the portion you plan to eat, then distinguish between the sugars declared, the “no added sugar” claim and any sweeteners present.
| Criteria | What to check | Which consumers is this for? |
|---|---|---|
| Energy and portion | Check the energy in the whole ice lolly and its weight or volume. A value per 100 g or 100 ml doesn’t, by itself, tell you about the portion you’ll eat. | If I’m comparing ice lollies in different sizes, I want to know the energy in the one I’ll eat. Around 42% of consumers would put energy per portion at the top of their list of criteria. |
| Sugars and ingredients | Distinguish “no added sugar” from the “of which sugars” line, then read the ingredients list for your chosen flavour. | I want to avoid added sugars without mistaking a fruit recipe for a sugar-free product. For around 33% of consumers, understanding this distinction would be the priority. |
| Sweeteners | Check whether they’re listed in the ingredients of the exact product, and compare its energy, sugars and portion too. | Before choosing a sweetened ice lolly to manage my weight, I want to know what’s in the recipe without expecting an automatic effect. This caution would be a priority for around 25% of consumers. |
Common misconceptions to avoid
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Mistaking “no added sugar” for “sugar-free”
According to Auchan’s product pages, its strawberry and mango-passion fruit ice lollies are labelled “no added sugar”, but contain 10 and 11 g of sugars respectively per 60 g lolly.
As well as checking the claim on the packaging, compare the “of which sugars” and energy figures for the whole ice lolly.
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Expecting a sweetened product to control your weight on its own
The World Health Organization conditionally recommends against using non-sugar sweeteners for weight control. Anses has found no proven benefit of intense sweeteners for this purpose.
Check the portion and nutrition information for the product you choose, rather than assuming that sweeteners will have an effect.
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Overlooking allergen information and storage instructions
Auchan’s product pages for the two fruit flavours warn that traces of allergens may be present and give storage instructions specific to these products.
Check the packaging for the flavour you buy, particularly the traces information and instructions on defrosting.
Brands and retailers to consider
Auchan
Auchan offers two 100% fruit ice lollies labelled “no added sugar”: strawberry and mango-passion fruit, sold in boxes of four 240 g lollies.
- The product pages list 57 kcal and 10 g of sugars per 60 g strawberry lolly, compared with 56 kcal and 11 g of sugars per mango-passion fruit lolly.
- These figures show that “no added sugar” doesn’t mean “sugar-free”. Check the information for the flavour and packaging you buy.
Carrefour
Carrefour offers a “No added sugar” filter in its search results for frozen products.
- The retailer explains that standard nutrition declarations don’t distinguish between naturally occurring and added sugars.
- A category filter isn’t enough to tell you about each ice lolly. Check the recipe and nutrition values for the product you choose.
E.Leclerc
E.Leclerc offers a range of own-brand ice creams and frozen desserts.
- You can compare the sizes on offer and the information shown on each pack.
- Don’t assume that a range or flavour is labelled “no added sugar”: check the exact product.
ALDI / MUCCI
ALDI offers ice creams and sorbets under the MUCCI brand, including mini ice lollies and double-coated lollies.
- The different sizes make it easier to compare the portion sizes listed on the packaging.
- A mini size doesn’t tell you about the sugars or energy in a portion. Check the information for the product you choose.
Magnum
Magnum is a brand of ice lollies. Compare each recipe and size individually.
- Start with the packaging for the product you’ve chosen to check its portion size and nutrition information.
- Don’t assume that a Magnum ice lolly is labelled “no added sugar” or meets a particular nutrition goal without checking the label.
Ice lollies to compare on Joybuy
These ice lollies and sorbets let you compare different sizes and recipes as part of the same choice. Their inclusion here doesn’t mean they’re labelled “no added sugar”: check the claim and nutrition information for the product you’re interested in.
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POP FRUIT Sorbet Sticks 100% Mango, x4, 280 g
A sorbet ice lolly to consider if you’re comparing fruit-based recipes. The box contains four ice lollies, with a stated total weight of 280 g. Before choosing it to suit a “no added sugar” preference, check the sugars, energy and ingredients per portion.
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CAPRI-SUN Orange & Cherry Ice Pops, x12, 444 g
These twelve orange and cherry ice lollies give you a size to compare with other boxes. If you’re looking to limit added sugars, check the ingredients list and relate the nutrition information to the number of lollies you’ll eat.
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POP FRUIT Sorbet Sticks 100% Coconut, x4, 280 g
This coconut variant comes in a box of four ice lollies, weighing 280 g in total. Compare its recipe and values per lolly with the Mango variant: sharing a range name doesn’t guarantee the same ingredients or nutrition values.
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POP FRUIT Melon Flavour Sorbet Sticks, x4, 280 g
This melon-flavoured sorbet comes in a box of four ice lollies, weighing 280 g in total. To see if it suits your preferences around sugars, check the ingredients and values per portion. Also check the storage instructions on the packaging of the product you buy.
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Binggrae Melona Melon Ice Bar, 8 × 70 ml
The box contains eight melon-flavoured ice lollies, each measuring 70 ml. If the nutrition values are given per 100 ml, take the volume of each lolly into account before comparing them with another portion. Also check the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging.
Frequently asked questions
Does “no added sugar” mean “sugar-free”?
No. Auchan’s product pages list 10 g of sugars in a 60 g strawberry ice lolly and 11 g in a 60 g mango-passion fruit lolly, both labelled “no added sugar”. Check the “of which sugars” line and the ingredients for your chosen flavour.
Is a sweetened ice lolly enough to control your weight?
No. The World Health Organization conditionally recommends against using non-sugar sweeteners for weight control; Anses has found no proven benefit of intense sweeteners for this purpose. Compare the product and its portion without assuming that this ingredient alone will have an effect.
What should you check on the label if you have an allergy?
Read the ingredients list and any traces information on the packaging for the exact recipe. Auchan specifically warns that its two fruit ice lollies mentioned here may contain traces of cereals containing gluten, peanuts and nuts. This information doesn’t apply to other ice creams.
How should you store the Auchan fruit ice lollies mentioned here?
Their product pages say to store them in the freezer at −18 °C until the date shown on the packaging, and not to refreeze them once thawed. Follow the instructions for the product you’ve bought.