For a guest who needs a sugar-free biscuit, choose one that carries a sugar-free claim rather than assuming a free-from bourbon qualifies. Sainsbury's and Asda declare 24.3g and 18g sugars per 100g respectively for their free-from bourbons. A conventional bourbon is an option when its ingredients and allergen information meet your guests' needs; a milk- and gluten-free bourbon addresses those stated exclusions, not a sugar-free requirement.
Start with the requirement the biscuit must meet: sugar-free, a stated ingredient exclusion, or simply a conventional pack to share.
Look for a biscuit carrying a sugar-free claim and read its current nutrition panel. A free-from bourbon is not automatically sugar-free: Sainsbury's and Asda declare 24.3g and 18g sugars per 100g respectively for the free-from products described here.
Choose a product labelled for the particular exclusion and check its current pack. Sainsbury's and Asda describe their respective Free From bourbons as milk- and gluten-free, but neither is a sugar-free choice.
When guests do not need a sugar-free or relevant free-from option, compare pack sizes and check the ingredients and allergen statements. A familiar biscuit name does not make different brands or variants interchangeable for guests with dietary restrictions.
Choose when: You want bourbon creams to share and the selected pack meets every guest's ingredient and allergen requirements.
Bear in mind: The conventional Asda, McVitie's and Waitrose examples declare 27g, 30.3g and 27.8g sugars per 100g respectively, according to their retailer listings.
Choose when: A guest needs the exclusions explicitly stated on a particular free-from bourbon's pack.
Bear in mind: The Sainsbury's and Asda free-from products still declare 24.3g and 18g sugars per 100g respectively.
Choose when: The requirement is specifically sugar-free, even if that means offering a biscuit other than a bourbon.
Bear in mind: Check the current claim, nutrition panel and allergens; a different biscuit format may not meet a guest's other dietary needs.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar-free claim | Read the exact claim and sugars per 100g on the current pack. The sugar-free claim criterion in the annex published by legislation.gov.uk is no more than 0.5g of sugars per 100g or 100ml. | A guest needs a sugar-free biscuit, so I cannot use a free-from label as a substitute for checking sugar content. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the stated milk and gluten exclusions, ingredient list and any may-contain warnings for the exact product. A vegan label alone does not establish that a biscuit is milk-free, gluten-free or sugar-free. | I am serving guests with different requirements and need to know which packet, if any, meets each one. |
| Pack and storage | Compare net weights and any stated biscuit counts with the guest list. Follow the chosen pack's storage instructions after opening. | Will there be enough to share, and how should I keep any opened biscuits afterwards? |
Free-from wording identifies stated exclusions, not a blanket exclusion of sugar. Sainsbury's lists 24.3g sugars per 100g for its Free From Bourbon Creams, while Asda lists 18g per 100g for its Free From Bourbon Biscuits.
For a sugar-free requirement, check for an actual sugar-free claim and read the current nutrition declaration rather than substituting a milk-free, gluten-free or vegan bourbon.
The conventional Asda and McVitie's examples list wheat; McVitie's also carries may-contain warnings for sesame and milk. A free-from label applies only to the exclusions stated for that product.
Ask what each guest needs, check every relevant packet before serving and keep its ingredient and allergen information available.
These named products illustrate different label and pack choices; the figures apply to the specified variants, not every biscuit sold under each name.
McVitie's Tasties Bourbon Creams are a conventional 300g chocolate-cream sandwich biscuit.
Asda lists both a conventional 300g bourbon and a separate 160g Free From Bourbon Biscuits product.
Sainsbury's Free From Bourbon Creams are a 150g option labelled milk- and gluten-free.
Essential Bourbon Creams are a conventional 400g sharing-pack option.
Extra Cream Bourbon Creams are an M&S variant described by the retailer as containing extra chocolate cream.
These are sugar-free-labelled biscuit formats to consider when a bourbon does not meet the requirement: a sandwich cookie and a digestive biscuit. Neither is a bourbon biscuit, and the current pack should still be checked for nutrition and allergens.
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A sugar-free-labelled sandwich cookie to consider when the guest does not specifically need a bourbon. The 97g pack is smaller than the 400g digestive option shown here; check the current nutrition and allergen information before serving.
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A sugar-free-labelled digestive option in a 400g pack for hosts serving a group. It is not a bourbon biscuit; check the current pack for nutrition, allergens and any consumption advice before putting it out for guests.
No: free-from wording refers to the exclusions stated for that product. Sainsbury's Free From Bourbon Creams declare 24.3g sugars per 100g, and Asda Free From Bourbon Biscuits declare 18g per 100g. The sugar-free claim criterion in the annex published by legislation.gov.uk is no more than 0.5g of sugars per 100g or 100ml.
Choose according to the exact product's current ingredient and allergen information. Sainsbury's and Asda label the free-from bourbons described here as milk- and gluten-free; that does not make them sugar-free or establish that every product in either range has the same exclusions.
Use the listing to narrow your choices, then check the physical pack before serving. Ingredients, nutrition details and allergen statements can change, and guests' requirements may differ.