Choose a custard cream by checking the current pack against the specific allergens you need to avoid, rather than relying on its name or size. Tesco and Sainsbury’s label their Free From custard creams as milk-free and gluten-free, while the standard Tesco and Crawford’s examples list wheat and milk ingredients. A smaller snack pack does not establish allergy suitability or confirm that its contents are individually wrapped.
Look for claims covering both exclusions on the exact product. Tesco and Sainsbury’s describe their respective Free From custard creams as milk-free and gluten-free; those claims should not be transferred to their standard ranges.
Check ingredients and precautionary statements for every relevant allergen. Tesco’s and Crawford’s standard custard creams carry “may contain sesame” information, while a milk-free or gluten-free claim alone does not answer a sesame-allergy question.
Check the product as well as the portion format. The M&S 64 g chocolate-coated custard-cream product lists milk, wheat and soya ingredients; its smaller pack does not establish allergy suitability or individually wrapped portions.
Start with the allergen you must avoid, then check precautionary wording and pack format separately.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Declared allergens | Read the current pack’s ingredients and allergen information for the exact variety. Tesco and Sainsbury’s label their Free From custard creams milk-free and gluten-free; Tesco’s standard biscuits list wheat flour and whey powder (milk). | I need the label to address every allergen I avoid, not just one named in a Free From claim. |
| Precautionary wording | Check “may contain” statements separately from ingredients. Tesco and Crawford’s standard custard creams carry sesame precautions. The Food Standards Agency explains that such labelling concerns possible unintended allergen presence. | If sesame or another possible cross-contact allergen matters to me, I need to consider the precautionary statement as well as the recipe. |
| Pack format | Distinguish total pack weight from the number and wrapping of portions. The M&S chocolate-coated product is a 64 g pack; its size alone does not confirm individual wrapping. | For a snack to carry separately, I want to check how it is packed without treating a small pack as an allergy claim. |
| Current information | Compare the physical pack with your requirements each time you buy. Tesco and M&S advise reading the label because product information can change. | On a repeat purchase, I still want to check the pack rather than rely on an older listing. |
Tesco’s standard custard creams list wheat and milk ingredients, whereas its separately labelled Free From product makes milk-free and gluten-free claims.
Check the ingredient list and allergen information on the exact variety and pack you intend to buy.
Tesco’s and Crawford’s standard products carry “may contain sesame” statements. As the Food Standards Agency explains, a precaution can refer to possible unintended presence rather than a recipe ingredient.
If sesame is relevant to your allergy plan, consider the current statement alongside the advice you have been given for managing your allergy.
The M&S 64 g chocolate-coated product lists milk, wheat and soya ingredients. Pack weight alone does not tell you whether portions are individually wrapped.
Check both the allergens and the wrapping on the actual pack if separate portions matter.
Ingredients and allergen information can change, as Tesco and M&S caution in their product information.
Read the label on each new pack, including repeat purchases.
These examples illustrate why the exact product line matters more than the brand name alone.
Its standard and Free From custard creams have different allergen information.
Its Free From custard creams offer a product-specific milk-free and gluten-free option.
Its chocolate-coated snack and Extra Cream biscuits are distinct products with their own ingredient lists.
Its standard custard creams provide another example of a conventional recipe.
These options include a gluten-free custard cream biscuit and a six-pack custard-flavoured pie. The pie is not a custard cream biscuit; assess each product against the allergens and portion format you need.
Image unavailableA custard cream biscuit option for shoppers looking for a gluten-free product. Its product information also describes it as lactose-free, which is not the same as a milk-free claim; check the current pack if milk is an allergen you avoid. Confirm any other relevant ingredients, precautions and individual wrapping on the pack.
Image unavailableThis custard-flavoured pie is an alternative when small packs matter, not a substitute for a custard cream biscuit or a free-from product. Its product information identifies wheat, egg and milk ingredients and possible soya and peanut traces; check the current pack against your own allergen requirements.
Do not assume they are suitable. Tesco’s and Crawford’s standard custard creams list wheat and milk ingredients; check the current pack of any other product against the specific allergen you avoid.
No. Tesco and Sainsbury’s make those claims for their respective Free From custard creams, but the claims do not answer questions about other allergens. Read the current ingredients and any precautionary statement for the exact pack.
Use the physical pack as the final product-specific check. Tesco and M&S advise that ingredients and allergen information can change, so an older listing should not replace the current label.
Not necessarily. The Food Standards Agency describes precautionary allergen labelling as indicating that an allergen could be unintentionally present. If sesame is relevant to your allergy, consider that statement using the allergy-management advice you have been given.