Who is choosing?

Shoppers checking Fairtrade claims

If sourcing matters to your choice, distinguish a mark covering eligible ingredients in a biscuit from a mark naming just one ingredient. Chocolate-coated custard creams also give you cocoa ingredients to check.

Classic-or-chocolate shoppers

A vanilla-filled biscuit and a chocolate-coated one offer different formats for tea. Check the serving size as well as the coating: the examined Tesco products list different amounts per biscuit.

Shoppers checking dietary suitability

Do not infer ingredients from the name “custard cream”. The examined standard biscuits list wheat and milk ingredients, while a separately labelled gluten-free format offers another option to assess against the current pack.

What should you check?

Decide which biscuit format you want, then assess any Fairtrade claim, ingredients and portions on that particular pack.

Priority What to check Your needs
Fairtrade claim Look for an applicable FAIRTRADE Mark on the exact pack. The Fairtrade Foundation says a white Fairtrade Sourced Ingredient mark identifies the named ingredient; for a multi-ingredient product, follow any arrow to the sourcing explanation on the back. If I am choosing for Fairtrade reasons, I want to know which ingredients the claim covers, rather than treating cocoa or another sourcing logo as proof.
Biscuit format Check whether the biscuit is a vanilla-filled sandwich, has extra filling or is chocolate-coated. The examined Tesco coated version lists cocoa mass and cocoa butter in its chocolate; M&S describes extra filling in its Extra Cream version. For an everyday biscuit with tea, I may prefer the classic format. If I specifically want chocolate or more filling, I can compare those versions without assuming their sourcing claims are the same.
Ingredients and allergens Read the current ingredients and allergen information for the exact variant. The examined Tesco classic lists wheat and milk ingredients; its coated version also lists soya lecithins. Assess a specifically labelled gluten-free biscuit if that format is needed. When buying for someone avoiding particular ingredients, I need to check their allergens against the current pack, even if a different version of the biscuit was suitable.
Pack and portion Compare pack size and nutrition on the same basis. Tesco lists 59 kcal per classic biscuit and 139 kcal for one larger, 27 g coated biscuit; those per-biscuit figures describe different portions. Check storage directions if a pack will stay open. I might use a larger pack across several tea breaks or prefer smaller portions. The amount in the biscuit I would actually serve matters more than a per-biscuit comparison alone.

Common buying mistakes

  • Assuming chocolate means Fairtrade cocoa

    Cocoa in an ingredients list tells you what the coating contains, not whether that cocoa was certified.

    Check the exact pack for an applicable FAIRTRADE Mark, any named Fairtrade ingredient and its sourcing explanation.

  • Reading a palm-oil claim as a Fairtrade claim

    The examined Crawford’s and Sainsbury’s listings discuss segregated palm oil. Those statements do not establish a Fairtrade claim for sugar or cocoa.

    Match each sourcing statement to the ingredient and certification it actually names.

  • Comparing biscuits without comparing portions

    Tesco lists 59 kcal per biscuit for its classic custard creams and 139 kcal for one 27 g chocolate-coated biscuit. The figures are for different-sized biscuits.

    Compare the portion you expect to serve, or use the same per-100 g basis when comparing nutrition labels.

Brand and product-line references

These product examples show differences in format and labelling; inclusion does not establish Fairtrade certification or indicate which products are available on Joybuy.

Tesco

The examined range includes a 400 g vanilla-filled custard cream and a separate 162 g milk-chocolate-coated version.

  • Tesco provides ingredients and per-biscuit nutrition for both versions.
  • The coated biscuit is a larger listed portion; neither examined listing establishes a Fairtrade claim.

Crawford’s

The examined 300 g product is a vanilla-filled custard cream.

  • Its Tesco listing identifies wheat and milk ingredients.
  • The listing’s RSPO-segregated palm-oil statement is not a Fairtrade certification claim.

Sainsbury’s

The examined own-label classic custard creams come in a 200 g pack.

  • The product page provides ingredients and per-biscuit nutrition.
  • Its palm-oil statement does not establish Fairtrade certification; Sainsbury’s advises reading the current label because ingredients can change.

ASDA

The examined own-label 400 g pack contains vanilla-filled custard creams.

  • The listing includes ingredients, allergens and storage directions.
  • It lists wheat and milk but does not establish Fairtrade certification; check the current label.

M&S

The examined products are a 165 g Extra Cream classic biscuit and a separate 270 g giant chocolate-coated custard cream.

  • M&S describes more vanilla filling in the Extra Cream product and lists cocoa-containing chocolate in the coated version.
  • Those product descriptions do not establish Fairtrade certification for either version.

McVitie’s

Joybuy’s listing for Tasties Custard Creams 300 g describes a vanilla-filled biscuit.

  • The listing identifies wheat and milk allergens.
  • Joybuy marks that particular listing as no longer available, and its description does not establish Fairtrade certification.

A gluten-free option on Joybuy

This custard-cream option addresses the gluten-free format. Assess its current ingredients and any Fairtrade claim separately before choosing it for a tea break.

Schär Gluten Free Custard Creams 125 g pack

Schär Gluten Free Custard Creams 125 g

A labelled gluten-free custard cream to consider when a standard wheat-based version is unsuitable. The 125 g pack is described as five portions; check the current pack for other ingredients and for any Fairtrade claim.

View on Joybuy

Questions about custard creams

Does “custard cream” mean the biscuit contains chocolate?

No. Tesco describes its examined classic custard cream as a vanilla-flavour sandwich biscuit; its separately listed chocolate-coated version contains cocoa ingredients. Read the ingredients for the particular version you are buying.

What do an arrow and a white Fairtrade ingredient mark mean?

The Fairtrade Foundation says an arrow on a multi-ingredient product directs you to information about ingredients and sourcing on the back of the pack. A white Fairtrade Sourced Ingredient mark identifies the named Fairtrade ingredient. Read that explanation rather than assuming every ingredient has the same certification or sourcing arrangement.

How should I store custard creams after opening?

Follow the directions on the pack you buy. The examined Tesco, Sainsbury’s and ASDA classic custard creams direct shoppers to use an airtight container after opening.

How do I check allergens when buying biscuits for someone else?

Check the current pack’s ingredients, allergen information and precautionary statements against that person’s requirements. The examined Tesco classic lists wheat and milk ingredients, while its chocolate-coated version also lists soya lecithins; do not rely on one variant’s label for another.