Who is buying for?

Gluten-free group hosts

If someone in the group needs gluten-free food, identify labelled packs they can eat before calculating how many cakes to order.

Mixed-diet bulk buyers

If you are serving both gluten-free and gluten-eating guests, plan separate suitable packs and consider other allergens and how the cakes will be served.

What should you check?

Decide which recipients need gluten-free cakes first. Then check the quantity, allergen information and storage details for each suitable pack.

Labelled gluten-free cakes

Choose when: A recipient needs gluten-free food; Schär's UK Jaffa Cakes are a labelled 150 g option.

Bear in mind: The checked product contains egg and soya, may contain hazelnuts and milk, and comes as a 150 g pack rather than a bulk case.

Conventional larger packs

Choose when: The intended recipients can eat gluten and you can use the quantity before its best-before date; Ocado lists a McVitie's case of 80 cakes in eight cartons.

Bear in mind: That McVitie's case contains wheat flour and cannot replace gluten-free packs for recipients who need them.

Priority What to check Your needs
Gluten-free suitability Look for an explicit gluten-free label on the exact pack. Check its ingredients rather than assuming that all Jaffa-style cakes have the same recipe. Someone I am buying for needs gluten-free cakes, so a wheat-containing conventional pack will not cover their portion.
Usable quantity Compare pack counts or net weights only after identifying suitable products. Check best-before dates and storage instructions when ordering several packs ahead. I want enough cakes for the group without ordering more suitable packs than we can use while they are at their intended quality.
Other allergens and serving Read the full allergen information on each pack. For mixed-diet serving, keep products identifiable and use clean surfaces and utensils for gluten-free portions, in line with Coeliac UK's cross-contamination guidance. Gluten is not the only consideration for my guests, and I need to serve their portions without mixing up the packs.
Suitable pack format Confirm the label and quantity of each product you order. A retailer listing for Schär's gluten-free cakes does not make that retailer's own-label Jaffa Cakes gluten-free. If I need several gluten-free packs, I will check each chosen product rather than substitute a larger conventional format.

Bulk-buying mistakes to avoid

  • Choosing one conventional case for a mixed-diet group

    Ocado's listing for the McVitie's 80-cake case includes wheat flour, so those cakes cannot serve guests who need gluten-free food.

    Work out the gluten-free portion requirement separately; reserve conventional cakes for recipients who can eat them.

    You will still need separate suitable packs for gluten-free recipients.

  • Assuming gluten-free means free from every allergen

    Schär's checked Jaffa Cakes contain egg and soya and carry may-contain advice for hazelnuts and milk.

    Check the full allergen information against each recipient's needs, including the label on the delivered pack.

  • Ordering more cakes than the group can use

    Schär's checked gluten-free product is a 150 g pack, while the checked McVitie's case contains 80 wheat-containing cakes. The two formats do not meet the same dietary need.

    Plan quantities within each suitable product type and check best-before dates before ordering several packs.

Relevant brand and retailer products

Schär

Schär identifies its UK Jaffa Cakes as gluten-free and wheat-free. The checked product is a 150 g pack, not a bulk case.

  • A labelled gluten-free Jaffa-style option.
  • The checked product contains egg and soya and may contain hazelnuts and milk.

McVitie's

Ocado lists a McVitie's Original Jaffa Cakes case containing 80 cakes in eight cartons.

  • The checked case provides a larger quantity for recipients who can eat its ingredients.
  • Its ingredient list includes wheat flour, so this case is not a gluten-free option.

Sainsbury's

Sainsbury's checked own-label Jaffa Cakes come in a 24-cake pack, distinct from the Schär product listed by the retailer.

  • The checked own-label pack states a count of 24 cakes.
  • It contains fortified wheat flour and wheat bran, so its larger count does not meet a gluten-free need.

Asda

Asda lists both its own-label Jaffa Cakes and a separate Schär gluten-free product.

  • The separately listed Schär 150 g product is labelled gluten-free.
  • The checked Asda own-label 150 g Jaffa Cakes contain wheat; the Schär label does not apply to them.

M&S

The checked M&S Mini Jaffa Cakes provide a mini format.

  • A smaller cake format for recipients who can eat the listed ingredients.
  • The checked product lists wheat flour and wheat starch containing gluten.

Waitrose

The checked Waitrose Mini Jaffa Cakes are a 125 g own-label product.

  • A mini format to consider for recipients who can eat its ingredients.
  • The checked product lists wheat flour and may contain milk.

Joybuy product options

For groups whose recipients can eat gluten, this conventional larger pack offers a stated quantity of 80 cakes. Plan separate labelled gluten-free cakes for anyone who needs them.

McVitie's 80 Jaffa Cakes 1.07kg pack

McVitie's 80 Jaffa Cakes 1.07kg

This 80-cake pack can cover the conventional portion of a mixed-diet order. Its ingredients include wheat flour, so it is not suitable for recipients who need gluten-free cakes. The listed allergens also include milk, soya and egg; check the pack against recipients' needs.

View on Joybuy

Common questions

Can I serve a large pack of original Jaffa Cakes to a gluten-free guest?

Not the checked McVitie's 80-cake case: Ocado's ingredient listing includes wheat flour. Choose a product explicitly labelled gluten-free for a guest who needs it.

Does a gluten-free label also mean free from egg, soya, milk and nuts?

No. The checked Schär Jaffa Cakes contain egg and soya and say they may contain hazelnuts and milk. Read the delivered pack for each recipient's allergens.

How should I serve gluten-free and conventional cakes together?

Keep the packs identifiable and use clean surfaces and utensils for the gluten-free portions. Coeliac UK's cross-contamination guidance recommends cleaning shared surfaces and equipment.

How should I store several packs before an event?

Follow each pack's storage instructions and check its best-before date. Tesco's Schär listing specifies a cool, dry place and says the best-before date is on the side of the pack.

Will a larger pack cover everyone in a mixed-diet group?

Only if everyone can eat that product's ingredients. The checked 80-cake McVitie's case contains wheat flour, so calculate the gluten-free portions separately before deciding how many conventional cakes to order.