Supermarkets and manufacturers are misleading the public in the way they advertise some products as being ‘wholemeal’, the Dutch advertising standards authority said on Friday.

Some biscuits, crisp bakes, noodles and crackers sold by Albert Heijn, Jumbo, Dirk and made by companies such as Bolletje are branded as ‘wholemeal’ but in fact contain white processed flour as well, the agency said.

This is not only misleading, but sometimes the white flour is not mentioned in the list of ingredients either, according to the complaint by lobby group Food Watch.

All 10 companies are breaking European laws on food information, the authority said in its ruling.

‘People expect that a product sold as ‘wholemeal’ is entirely ‘wholemeal,’ because many products are just that,’ the authority said. Manufacturers and supermarkets can appeal.