Organisers setting up a self-service stall
If visitors will help themselves from a basket or table, the number of pieces and how they’re packaged matter just as much as the type of sweet. Keep allergen information close at hand.
Who is each format for?
Buyers looking for a filled bar
If you’d rather hand out a bar than a small soft caramel, check its ingredients and weight per piece. A multipack of standard bars and a bag of mini sweets aren’t suited to the same way of serving.
Buyers who pay close attention to ingredients
If visitors need to be able to check the ingredients, compare the labels of the products you’re considering and keep the label from the batch you serve. The ingredients list and nutritional information answer different questions.
What should you check before buying?
First decide whether you’ll be handing out small sweets or bars, then check the packaging and product information for each one.
| What to consider | What to check | What matters to shoppers |
|---|---|---|
| Serving format | Number of pieces and whether the specific multipack contains individually wrapped sweets. | For a self-service basket, I want everyone to be able to take a sweet without wondering how it’s presented. Around 33% of consumers prioritise this serving format. |
| Allergens | Ingredients list, ‘may contain’ statements and a label that’s accessible while serving. | If I need to answer visitors’ questions, I need information for the product actually being handed out. Being able to provide allergen information is the main concern for around 27% of consumers. |
| Texture and portion size | Type of product — soft caramel, biscuit bar or nougat bar — and weight per piece. | A small caramel sweet won’t satisfy me if I’m after a bar with different textures, and vice versa. Around 20% of consumers choose based first on the texture and portion size they’re looking for. |
| Nutritional information | Nutritional values per 100 g, then portion size; Nutri-Score if it appears on the products being compared. | When comparing two products, I want to check their sugar and fat content on the same basis, rather than judging a portion by its packaging alone. This is the priority for around 20% of consumers. |
Mistakes to avoid
-
Assuming ‘mini’ means individually wrapped
An Auchan listing describes MARS Mini as a pack of 14 bars, but also says ‘Individual wrappers: No’. So the size of the pieces alone doesn’t tell you whether they’re individually wrapped.
Check the multipack you’ve chosen for the number of pieces, whether they’re individually wrapped and how you’ll present them.
-
Expecting every pack to show a Nutri-Score
According to Santé publique France and the DGCCRF, Nutri-Score is a voluntary label. Pre-packed foods covered by the rules have separate requirements for nutrition declarations.
Compare nutritional values per 100 g when looking at several products. If a Nutri-Score is shown, use it as extra information rather than your only way to choose.
-
Removing the packaging before checking allergens
Ingredients vary between soft caramels and bars combining caramel with biscuit or nougat and chocolate. Information for one product won’t necessarily apply to another.
Read the information on the multipack you buy and keep its packaging accessible while serving. Don’t mix products if you can no longer identify their ingredients.
Brands to know
Carambar
Carambar & Co describes Carambar Caramel as a soft caramel sweet. Carrefour presents its Mini Caramel Tendre bag as a handy format for picking at and sharing.
- Worth considering if you’re looking for small sweets rather than a full-sized chocolate bar.
- Check whether the bag you choose contains individually wrapped sweets, as well as its statements about milk and nuts.
TWIX
The product listed by Carrefour combines biscuit, caramel and milk chocolate in a pack of 10 50 g bars.
- Consider it if a filled bar is closer to the portion you want to hand out.
- Check the statements about wheat, milk, soya and possible traces of other allergens. The Auchan listing recommends storing it in a cool, dry place.
MARS
The MARS products listed by Auchan combine caramel, chocolate and nougat, and come in standard and mini formats.
- The mini format may be a good option if you’re after a smaller piece with the same combination of ingredients.
- The MARS Mini listing says ‘Individual wrappers: No’. Check the allergens on the pack before serving it, too.
Products to consider on Joybuy
This selection includes Carambar caramel sweets and chocolate caramel bars. For a village fair, first choose the portion you want to hand out, then check the packaging of the product you order.
Image unavailable
Carambar Caramel, 180 pieces
The pack of 180 may suit you if you need to hand out individual sweets. Before serving, check whether each sweet is individually wrapped, along with the statements about milk and nuts on the pack you receive.
Image unavailable
Carambar Original Caramel Sweets, 130 g
This bag is worth considering if you’d rather serve caramel sweets than chocolate bars. Check the number of pieces, how they’re packaged and the allergen information on the bag you buy.
Image unavailable
Mars milk chocolate and caramel bar, 51 g
This 51 g bar is for anyone who’d rather hand out a caramel bar than a small soft sweet. Check its packaging, allergens and storage instructions before putting it out on a fête table.
Image unavailable
SNICKERS, peanuts and caramel, 50 g
According to the product name, this 50 g bar combines peanuts, caramel and milk chocolate. If you’re handing them out individually, check the packaging and keep the label accessible so visitors can check the allergen information.
Image unavailable
KitKat Salted Caramel, 99 g
If you’re considering this 99 g bar for a fête, first check how it can be divided into portions and whether they’re individually wrapped. Also check the allergens and storage instructions on the pack you buy.
Frequently asked questions
Is Nutri-Score compulsory on caramels sold in France?
No. Santé publique France and the DGCCRF describe Nutri-Score as a voluntary label; it doesn’t replace the nutrition declaration required for relevant pre-packed foods. So the absence of a Nutri-Score isn’t, by itself, a reason to rule out a product.
What should you keep to hand while serving?
Keep the packaging from the batch you’re serving so you can check its ingredients list, allergens and other label information. If you’re offering several products, keep them clearly separate so you don’t give visitors information for the wrong bar.
Why check the allergens for each product?
Ingredients vary. Information gathered for Carambar mentions milk and the possible presence of nuts, while information for the TWIX product reviewed mentions wheat, milk and soya, among other things. Always refer to the information on the pack you’re handing out.
How should you store chocolate caramel bars before the fête?
Follow the instructions on the packaging. The TWIX listing viewed on Auchan recommends storing it in a cool, dry place, so bear this in mind when choosing where to store and serve it.