Shoppers who want a traditional bourbon
If the chocolate biscuit and cream filling are the point, compare conventional bourbons by both sugars per 100g and sugars per biscuit. Tesco, Sainsbury's and Waitrose list different values for each measure.
Who is this choice for?
People packing a biscuit with lunch
A per-biscuit value helps you plan how many to take. If you prefer a pre-portioned pack, Diablo says its 136g chocolate cream cookies come in four individually wrapped packs of two.
Shoppers considering a different recipe
A no-added-sugar chocolate cream cookie may be worth comparing if the bourbon format is less important to you. Diablo lists maltitol, 31g polyols per 100g, and wheat, milk and soya allergens, so check whether its ingredients suit your requirements.
What should you compare?
Start with sugars per 100g to compare products on the same basis, then use the per-biscuit figure and pack format to plan what you will carry.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars and labels | Compare sugars per 100g, then check the per-biscuit value and the number you intend to pack. Tesco Groceries lists 25.2g per 100g and 3.5g per biscuit; Sainsbury's lists 25.8g and 3.4g; Waitrose & Partners lists 27.8g and 3.9g. | I want to compare biscuits without mistaking a smaller serving for a lower per-100g value. In 611 Northern Ireland interviews conducted from September to November 2024, 49% said they actively used traffic-light labelling when shopping for food, according to the Food Standards Agency and Ipsos Northern Ireland; that figure does not measure bourbon-biscuit preferences. |
| Biscuit style | Check whether the product is a bourbon cream or a different chocolate biscuit. Diablo describes its no-added-sugar product as a coated cream cookie and lists 4g sugars per 100g, rather than identifying it as a bourbon. | The traditional chocolate biscuit and cream filling might matter more to me than switching recipes. Otherwise, I can compare a different cookie on its own nutrition and ingredient label. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredient and allergen declarations. Diablo lists maltitol, 31g polyols per 100g, and wheat, milk and soya; Sainsbury's says its bourbon is not suitable for customers with a milk or barley allergy because of manufacturing methods. | If I need to avoid an ingredient or prefer not to choose a maltitol-sweetened biscuit, the sugars figure alone will not settle my choice. |
| Lunch portions | Check the pack size, wrapping and available per-biscuit information. Diablo says its 136g pack contains four wrapped two-cookie packs; the listed Tesco, Sainsbury's and Waitrose bourbons provide per-biscuit sugars values. | I would rather take a planned portion than work out how many biscuits to pack while leaving home. |
What is easy to overlook?
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Assuming an own-label bourbon has reduced sugar
The Tesco, Sainsbury's and Waitrose examples list 25.2g to 27.8g sugars per 100g. An own-label name does not establish a reduced-sugar claim.
Compare the sugars lines per 100g, then use the per-biscuit value to plan your lunch portion.
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Treating a no-added-sugar cookie as the same biscuit
Diablo's coated chocolate cream cookie is not a standard bourbon. Its label also lists 26g fat, 14g saturates and 31g polyols per 100g, according to Diablo.
Compare the full per-100g nutrition panel and ingredients, not just the sugars line or the wording on the front of the pack.
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Skipping the ingredient and allergen list
Diablo lists maltitol, wheat, milk and soya. The bourbon listings also carry allergen information that may affect which pack you choose.
Read the current pack, particularly when avoiding a specific allergen or choosing whether to eat a product containing polyols.
Relevant brand references
These named products provide points of comparison for the bourbon-versus-alternative decision; the figures describe those products, not every biscuit sold under each brand.
Tesco
Tesco Bourbon Creams Biscuits are a conventional own-label bourbon, rather than a stated reduced-sugar product.
- Tesco Groceries lists 25.2g sugars per 100g and 3.5g per biscuit, making both comparison measures available.
- Check the ingredient and allergen declaration if wheat or possible sesame matters to you.
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's Bourbon 200g is a conventional bourbon cream.
- Sainsbury's lists 25.8g sugars per 100g and 3.4g per biscuit.
- Sainsbury's states that this product is unsuitable for customers with a milk or barley allergy because of manufacturing methods.
Waitrose Essential
Essential Bourbon Creams Biscuits are a conventional bourbon option in a 400g pack.
- Waitrose & Partners lists 27.8g sugars per 100g and 3.9g per biscuit.
- Check the pack's wheat and possible sesame declarations against your requirements.
Diablo
Diablo No Added Sugar Choco Covered Cream Cookies offer a different chocolate cream cookie format, not a bourbon biscuit.
- Diablo lists 4g sugars per 100g and describes four individually wrapped two-cookie packs in its 136g product.
- The product lists maltitol, 31g polyols per 100g, and wheat, milk and soya.
Chocolate biscuit options on Joybuy
These options cover chocolate sandwich cookies and an oat-and-ginger chocolate biscuit for shoppers willing to consider something other than a traditional bourbon. Compare each current pack's nutrition, ingredients and portion format before choosing one for lunch.
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Oreo Zero Sugar Sandwich Cookies 97g
A chocolate sandwich cookie to consider if you are willing to move away from bourbon biscuits. Check the pack's sugars per 100g, ingredients and wrapping before deciding whether it suits your lunch.
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Gullon Zero No Added Sugar Cookies and Cream 210g
The cookies-and-cream format offers another biscuit to compare with a bourbon for lunch. The pack is 210g; check its current nutrition panel, ingredients and portion information rather than treating the no-added-sugar wording as the whole comparison.
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Gullon Zero Dark Chocolate Ginger Oaties 285g
This dark-chocolate oat-and-ginger biscuit is a different style from a bourbon or cream sandwich cookie. Its pack is 285g; check the nutrition and ingredients, and decide what portion you would take with lunch.
Frequently asked questions
Does ‘no added sugar’ mean a cookie is a reduced-sugar bourbon?
No. Diablo's no-added-sugar product is a coated chocolate cream cookie, not a bourbon biscuit. Diablo lists 4g sugars per 100g; compare that figure and the rest of its label with the particular bourbon you are considering, without assuming the recipes are otherwise alike.
How much sugar is in one standard bourbon biscuit?
The listed examples differ: Sainsbury's gives 3.4g sugars per biscuit, Tesco Groceries 3.5g and Waitrose & Partners 3.9g. Check both the per-biscuit and per-100g figures on the pack you buy, since biscuit sizes and recipes differ.
What should I check on a maltitol-sweetened cookie?
Read its ingredients, allergen statement, polyol information and any warning on the current pack. Diablo lists maltitol, 31g polyols per 100g, and wheat, milk and soya for its chocolate cream cookies.
Can I choose between these biscuits using the sugars figure alone?
No. Compare sugars on the same per-100g basis, but also check the number of biscuits you plan to eat, the ingredient and allergen declarations, and whether you want a traditional bourbon or a different chocolate biscuit.