Hosts looking for a sugar-free option
You want biscuits for a shared festival spread, but need to distinguish a sugar-free claim from Free From, vegan or lower-sugar wording.
Who is choosing the biscuits?
Hosts serving guests who avoid milk or gluten
You need a product labelled for the relevant exclusion. Check the current allergen statement as well as the nutrition panel: Free From does not mean sugar-free.
People checking carbohydrate as well as sugar
If carbohydrate intake is part of an individual diabetes-management plan, a sugar-free claim alone does not answer every question about a biscuit. Diabetes UK advises speaking to a healthcare team for individual advice when adjusting insulin around food.
What should you check?
Sugar-free biscuit alternative
Choose when: A sugar-free claim is essential and a Bourbon-style biscuit is not essential.
Bear in mind: Sugar-free does not mean carbohydrate-free; Diabetes UK notes that polyols contain carbohydrate and calories.
Free From Bourbon
Choose when: A guest needs a Bourbon-style biscuit labelled free from milk and gluten.
Bear in mind: The checked Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury’s Free From Bourbons all contain more sugar than the UK sugar-free claim condition allows, according to their product listings and legislation.gov.uk.
Standard Bourbon
Choose when: A conventional Bourbon suits the group and no sugar-free, milk-free or gluten-free requirement applies.
Bear in mind: The checked standard Asda and McVitie’s products contain wheat, and their listings give precautionary allergen information.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar-free claim | Check the current pack for the claim and compare sugars per 100g with the 0.5g-per-100g condition published on legislation.gov.uk. Do not substitute Free From or vegan wording for it. | If sugar-free is essential, I need a biscuit that meets that condition, even if it is not a Bourbon. |
| Nutrition figures | Compare sugars and total carbohydrate per 100g, then check the stated per-biscuit serving. Keep the same measurement basis when comparing products. | I want to compare different pack sizes fairly and know what a serving of the chosen biscuit contains. |
| Milk and gluten | Read the exact product’s current ingredients, Free From statements and precautionary allergen information. Keep its pack available when serving. | For a guest avoiding milk or gluten, I need the particular biscuit on the table to match their requirements. |
| Sweeteners | For a sugar-free alternative, check the ingredients and total carbohydrate rather than relying on the claim alone. Diabetes UK notes that polyols contain carbohydrate and calories. | If carbohydrate counting matters to me, the sugars figure is only part of the label I need to read. |
| Shared serving | Check the nutrition information for the number of biscuits you intend to put out, and keep different variants identifiable alongside their packs. | I want guests to tell a standard Bourbon from a Free From or sugar-free alternative before taking one. |
Mistakes to avoid
-
Reading “Free From” as “sugar-free”
Free From describes particular exclusions, not the sugar content. Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury’s list 18g, 21.9g and 24.3g sugars per 100g respectively for the checked Free From Bourbons.
If sugar-free is essential, check the current pack’s claim and per-100g sugars figure against the condition published on legislation.gov.uk.
-
Comparing only the per-biscuit number
Biscuits can have different stated serving sizes, so their per-biscuit figures do not provide the same basis for comparing packs.
Compare nutrition per 100g first, then use each pack’s per-biscuit information for the serving you intend to offer.
-
Assuming sugar-free means carbohydrate-free
Diabetes UK notes that polyols contain carbohydrate and calories. A sugar-free claim therefore does not replace a check of total carbohydrate.
Read the ingredients and nutrition panel; seek individual advice from a diabetes healthcare team if adjusting insulin around food.
-
Serving different biscuits without their allergen details
The checked standard Bourbon listings include wheat, while Free From products specify particular exclusions. Guests need to identify which information belongs to the biscuit they are taking.
Keep the current packs beside clearly separated variants, and check the replacement pack before substituting a product for someone with an allergy.
Bourbon brand references
These figures refer to the named products, not every biscuit made or sold by each brand. Check the current pack before serving.
Asda
Asda lists both a standard Bourbon and a Free From Bourbon-style biscuit.
- Asda Groceries labels its Free From product free from milk and cereals containing gluten; it lists 18g sugars per 100g.
- That is below the checked standard Asda Bourbon’s 27g per 100g, but above the UK sugar-free claim condition. The standard product contains wheat.
Tesco
Tesco lists Free From Bourbon Creams as a Bourbon-style alternative.
- Tesco Groceries lists 21.9g sugars per 100g and 3.1g per biscuit.
- It is not sugar-free. Check current availability if planning to serve this particular product.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s lists Free From Bourbon Creams labelled milk-free and gluten-free.
- Its listing also identifies the product as suitable for coeliacs and vegans.
- Sainsbury’s lists 24.3g sugars per 100g and 3.4g per biscuit, so this is not a sugar-free option.
McVitie’s
McVitie’s Tasties Bourbon Cream Biscuits are a conventional Bourbon-style product.
- The Asda Groceries listing gives a per-100g sugars figure for comparison: 30.3g.
- The same listing says the product contains wheat and may contain sesame and milk; it is not a sugar-free or milk- and gluten-free choice.
Waitrose
Waitrose Essential Bourbon Creams are a conventional Bourbon option.
- Waitrose & Partners lists 27.8g sugars per 100g.
- The listing identifies cereals containing gluten in its allergy advice and says the biscuits may contain sesame. They are not sugar-free.
M&S
M&S lists Giant Bourbon Biscuits and Extra Cream Bourbon Creams as distinct variants.
- Marks & Spencer lists 24.7g sugars per 100g for Giant Bourbon Biscuits and 36.7g per 100g for Extra Cream Bourbon Creams.
- Neither figure meets the sugar-free claim condition. The Giant variant lists milk ingredients; the Extra Cream variant lists milk and soya ingredients.
Joybuy biscuit alternatives
These Joybuy options are alternatives to Bourbon biscuits for a festival spread: one is a chocolate sandwich cookie and the other is a digestive. Check each current pack’s sugar claim, nutrition panel and allergens against your guests’ needs.
No image available
Oreo Zero Sugar Sandwich Cookies 97g
The chocolate sandwich format is an alternative when you want something closer in style to a Bourbon, rather than a Bourbon biscuit itself. Check the pack’s per-100g sugars and total carbohydrate, and its current allergen information, before serving.
No image available
Gullon Zero Sugar Free Original Digestives 400g
This is a digestive biscuit, not a Bourbon-style sandwich biscuit. If that change in style works for your spread, check the current pack’s per-100g sugars, total carbohydrate, sweetener ingredients and allergen advice.
Questions about festival biscuits
What does “sugar-free” mean on a biscuit in the UK?
The sugar-free claim condition published on legislation.gov.uk allows no more than 0.5g sugars per 100g of food. Free From and vegan labels describe different characteristics, so check the current biscuit pack for the claim and its per-100g figure.
Are the checked Free From Bourbon biscuits sugar-free?
No. Asda Groceries lists 18g sugars per 100g for its checked Free From Bourbon, Tesco Groceries lists 21.9g, and Sainsbury’s lists 24.3g. Each exceeds the sugar-free claim condition published on legislation.gov.uk, although their other labels may address particular dietary exclusions.
Is a sugar-free biscuit automatically suitable for someone managing diabetes?
No: the sugar-free claim does not tell you the total carbohydrate content. Check the nutrition panel and ingredients; Diabetes UK notes that polyols contain carbohydrate and calories and advises individual healthcare-team guidance for people adjusting insulin around food.
How can guests check allergens at a festival table?
Keep each biscuit variant identifiable and its current packaging available. The checked standard Bourbon listings include wheat and some precautionary allergen statements, so guests with allergies should check the information for the exact product being served rather than relying on its style or brand.
How should opened Bourbon biscuits be stored?
Follow the instructions on the chosen pack. Waitrose & Partners advises storing its Essential Bourbon Creams in a cool, dry place and using an airtight container once opened; instructions for another product may differ.