For a coffee morning, compare sugars per 100g and check guests’ allergen needs rather than assuming an ordinary bourbon biscuit is labelled reduced sugar. Tesco Groceries, Sainsbury’s, ASDA Groceries and Waitrose & Partners list 25.2g to 30.3g sugars per 100g across the named standard biscuits, while ASDA’s Free From bourbon-style biscuit lists 18g per 100g; its free-from label does not establish a reduced-sugar claim.
If you want to serve biscuits with less sugar, compare the per-100g figures first, then check sugars per biscuit for the number you plan to put out. A free-from or no-added-sugar label answers a different question from a reduced-sugar claim.
Standard bourbon creams in the named retailer listings contain wheat. If a guest needs to avoid milk or cereals containing gluten, check the current pack for an explicit free-from label and any other relevant allergen statements.
Pack weight and the number of biscuits or servings help you plan how much to put out. If some guests need a separate free-from biscuit, keep its packaging available so they can check the label.
Consider when: You want a conventional bourbon cream and wheat or relevant precautionary allergen statements are not a restriction for your guests.
Keep in mind: The named standard listings do not establish a reduced-sugar claim; check each pack rather than assuming the biscuit type meets that aim.
Consider when: A guest needs a biscuit labelled free from milk and cereals containing gluten.
Keep in mind: The free-from label concerns those allergens; it does not establish a reduced-sugar or lower-energy claim.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar | Compare sugars per 100g across biscuits, then sugars per biscuit for the portion served. Tesco Groceries lists 25.2g per 100g for its standard bourbon; ASDA Groceries lists 18g per 100g for its Free From bourbon-style biscuit. | I want to compare the actual sugar figures, not assume that “free from”, vegan or a smaller biscuit means reduced sugar. |
| Allergens | Read the current ingredient list, explicit free-from wording and any “may contain” statement. The named standard bourbon listings contain wheat; ASDA Groceries labels its Free From biscuit free from milk and cereals containing gluten. | If someone needs to avoid an allergen, I need a pack whose label addresses that particular requirement before I serve it. |
| Portions | Check sugars and energy per biscuit or serving, as well as per 100g. Count the biscuits you intend to put out; a lower sugar figure alone does not establish a lower energy figure. | For a shared plate, I want to know what one biscuit contributes and how many each guest is likely to take. |
| Quantity | Check pack weight and the stated number of biscuits or servings where available. Plan separately for any guests who need a biscuit with a different allergen label. | There should be enough suitable biscuits for the group without assuming that one variety works for everyone. |
Those phrases describe different product characteristics. ASDA Groceries lists 18g sugars per 100g for its Free From bourbon-style biscuit, but its allergen label does not establish a reduced-sugar claim.
Compare sugars per 100g on the packs. If a reduced-sugar claim matters to your choice, check that the product itself makes that claim rather than inferring it from another label.
Vegan suitability does not mean gluten-free. The named standard bourbon listings contain wheat, and some carry precautionary statements for other allergens.
Ask guests about relevant allergens, then check the ingredients, free-from wording and “may contain” statements on the biscuit you will serve.
A pack’s ingredients and allergen statements are the details guests need for the biscuits actually on the table.
Recheck the physical pack before serving, particularly when someone has an allergy or intolerance, and keep different varieties identifiable.
These named retailer listings provide figures for specific biscuits, not a judgement about every product made by each brand.
Tesco Bourbon Creams Biscuits are a standard own-label option in a 296g pack.
Sainsbury’s Bourbon is a standard own-label biscuit in a 200g pack.
ASDA Groceries lists both a standard bourbon biscuit and a separate Free From bourbon-style biscuit.
Essential Bourbon Creams Biscuits come in a 400g pack.
McVitie’s Tasties Bourbon Cream Biscuits are a branded conventional bourbon cream.
This 210g cookies-and-cream biscuit is labelled “No Added Sugar”. It is an option to consider if you are willing to serve a different biscuit style rather than a bourbon cream; compare the current pack’s nutrition and allergen information for your guests.
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A cookies-and-cream alternative for a coffee morning where serving a bourbon cream is not essential.
The 210g pack is labelled “No Added Sugar”, which is not the same claim as “reduced sugar”. Contains wheat and soya; may contain milk and mustard. Contains maltitol, so check the pack’s consumption guidance before serving.
The named standard listings do not establish that claim. Tesco Groceries, Sainsbury’s, ASDA Groceries and Waitrose & Partners list between 25.2g and 30.3g sugars per 100g across the Tesco, Sainsbury’s, ASDA, Waitrose and McVitie’s biscuits described here. Check the current product’s own label if a reduced-sugar claim matters to you.
No. ASDA Groceries lists 18g sugars per 100g for its Free From bourbon-style biscuit, below the figures on the named standard listings, but a free-from label identifies specified excluded allergens rather than making a reduced-sugar claim. Compare the nutrition panels of the biscuits you are considering.
Check the actual pack’s ingredients, highlighted allergens and any “may contain” statement before serving. The named standard bourbon listings contain wheat, and some have additional precautionary allergen statements. Where a guest needs to avoid milk or cereals containing gluten, look for explicit labelling covering that requirement rather than relying on a vegan label.