Who are these options for?

Parents looking to avoid added sugars

You want to have individual portions ready for the start of the school year, and are looking for a recipe with no added sugar. Bear in mind that fruit ice lollies can still contain naturally occurring sugars.

Vanilla and chocolate ice cream lovers

You’d rather have a chocolate-coated ice cream than a fruit sorbet. For options with no added sugar, also check for sweeteners, allergens and nutritional information.

Those looking for a plant-based recipe

You’re comparing the ingredients in sorbets and checking whether they’re described as vegan. For your chosen product, check the allergens, sweeteners and the difference between ‘reduced sugar’ and ‘no added sugar’.

What should you check before buying?

When shopping for the new school year, start with the claim you’re looking for, then compare the ingredients, nutritional information and number of portions in each box.

What to consider What to check Who is it for?
Added sugars The exact wording, ingredients list and ‘of which sugars’ line per 100 g and per portion. I want to avoid added sugars, without assuming that a fruit ice lolly contains no sugar at all. Around 42% of consumers would make this their priority.
Fruit content Which fruits are used and whether agave or other sweetening ingredients have been added. I’m mainly looking for a fruit-based recipe with ingredients that are easy to understand. This would be the top priority for around 25% of consumers.
Dietary suitability The dietary claims on the product, declared allergens and traces, and any sweeteners it may contain. Before choosing between a sorbet and a chocolate-coated ice cream, I need to know whether the ingredients suit my household. Around 17% of consumers would put this at the top of their list.
Pack size and storage The number of ice lollies, their individual weight and the storage instructions on the packaging. I want a box that suits the snacks I’m planning and the space in my freezer. For around 16% of consumers, this would be their main concern.

Common misconceptions to avoid

  • Confusing ‘no added sugar’ with ‘sugar-free’

    Picard fruit ice lollies labelled as having no added sugar contain between 8.7 and 11 g of sugars per 100 g, depending on the flavour. So the first claim doesn’t mean they contain no sugar.

    Compare the claim on the front of the pack with the ‘of which sugars’ line, per 100 g and per portion, on the box you’re considering.

  • Assuming ‘no refined sugars’ means ‘no added sugar’

    Auchan’s Pop Fruit mini strawberry ice lollies, labelled as containing no refined sugars, include agave powder. These two claims don’t mean the same thing.

    Read the full ingredients list and then the nutritional information, rather than relying on the wording on the front of the pack alone.

  • Assuming sweeteners offer a health benefit

    A recipe containing sweeteners isn’t enough to establish a health benefit. In its 2015 assessment, Anses found no evidence that intense sweeteners benefit weight or blood glucose control in people with diabetes.

    Consider sweeteners as ingredients to take into account when choosing, not as a promise of a particular effect.

  • Forgetting about allergens and keeping food frozen

    Ingredients and allergens vary between fruit ice lollies and vanilla and chocolate ice cream. The Argel product described, for example, contains milk and soya. The frozen products consulted state that they should be stored at −18 °C.

    Check the packaging of the box you buy and follow its storage instructions. Do not refreeze a product once it has thawed.

Brands to compare

Picard

This six-pack of 45 g fruit ice lollies includes apple, peach and mango, and red berries, apple and banana flavours. They’re described as having no added sugar.

  • The ingredients listed include fruit purées and juices.
  • Depending on the flavour, the product information shows 8.7 to 11 g of sugars per 100 g. ‘No added sugar’ doesn’t mean ‘sugar-free’.

Argel

Argel offers, among other products, a box of six 55 g vanilla ice creams coated in milk chocolate, with no added sugar.

  • The ice-lolly format makes it easy to compare vanilla and chocolate ice cream with fruit-based options.
  • This product contains sweeteners, milk and soya. Its product information lists 19 g of fat and 13 g of saturated fat per 100 g.

Mes Petites Folies

The strawberry sorbet listed by Auchan is described as vegan and labelled ‘reduced sugar’.

  • The ingredients listed include strawberry purée and juice.
  • The recipe includes maltitol and erythritol, among other ingredients. ‘Reduced sugar’ shouldn’t be read as ‘sugar-free’.

Pop Fruit

Auchan’s six-pack of mini strawberry sorbet lollies is a fruit-based option to compare with products labelled as having no added sugar.

  • The ingredients listed include 60% strawberry purée.
  • It also contains agave powder, so the claim ‘no refined sugars’ doesn’t confirm that no sugars have been added. The four-pack of Pop Fruit lollies described by Joybuy is a different format.

Joybuy products related to this choice

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Does ‘no added sugar’ mean ‘sugar-free’?

No. A recipe with no added sugar can still contain naturally occurring sugars from fruit. Picard’s fruit ice lollies contain 8.7 to 11 g of sugars per 100 g, depending on the flavour, so be sure to check the ‘of which sugars’ line too.

Do sweeteners make an ice cream a healthier choice?

No, their presence isn’t enough to reach that conclusion. In 2015, Anses stated that its assessment had found no evidence that intense sweeteners benefit weight or blood glucose control in people with diabetes. Instead, compare the ingredients and nutritional information of the products you’re interested in.

How should you store ice lollies after shopping?

Follow the temperature and storage instructions on the box you buy. The frozen products consulted state that they should be stored at −18 °C and not refrozen once thawed. Make sure you get them back into the freezer promptly.

Is a ‘fruit’ or ‘no refined sugars’ claim enough?

No. Auchan’s Pop Fruit mini strawberry ice lollies contain agave powder despite being labelled ‘no refined sugars’. To find out what’s in the product you choose, read the ingredients list and check the ‘of which sugars’ line.