Choose custard creams by the eater’s specific allergens before comparing pack sizes. The standard packs listed by ASDA Groceries, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Lewis Food Wholesalers contain wheat and milk; ASDA Groceries also lists a smaller pack labelled free from milk and cereals containing gluten, while its Schär listing identifies a gluten-free and wheat-free option without calling it milk-free. A larger sharing pack is an option only when its current ingredients and precautionary warnings are compatible with everyone who will eat it.
Look for claims that address both requirements, not simply a larger pack to share. ASDA Groceries labels its 125g Free From Custard Creams as free from milk and cereals containing gluten. Check the current pack for every other allergen relevant to the people eating it.
ASDA Groceries lists Schär Custard Creams as gluten-free and wheat-free in a 125g pack of five portions. Its lactose-free wording does not establish that the biscuits are milk-free, so check the full label if milk is also a concern.
ASDA Groceries lists a 400g conventional pack containing wheat and milk, with may-contain warnings for rye, barley, oats and sesame. Its size is useful to compare only after those declarations have been checked against the needs of everyone sharing it.
Check the specific allergy and the current pack label before deciding whether its size works for the group.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Declared allergens | Read the current ingredients and allergen declaration for each relevant ingredient. Check that any free-from claim names the allergen you need to avoid. | Someone sharing these biscuits needs to avoid milk, wheat or another specific allergen; I need a pack whose full declaration addresses that requirement. |
| Precautionary warnings | Read may-contain statements and manufacturing warnings as well as the ingredients. ASDA Groceries lists rye, barley, oats and sesame as may contain on its standard 400g pack. | An ingredient may be absent from the recipe but still appear in a warning that matters to the person eating the biscuits. |
| Meaning of the claim | Keep lactose-free distinct from milk-free. A gluten-free or wheat-free claim does not address every other allergen on the pack. | If milk is the concern, I need an explicit milk declaration rather than relying on lactose-free wording. Other allergies still need separate checks. |
| Sharing quantity | Compare pack weight and stated servings after checking allergens. ASDA Groceries suggests approximately 34 servings for its 400g standard pack and nine for its 125g Free From pack; its Schär listing describes five 25g portions. | There are several people to serve, but a bigger bag is useful only if everyone eating from it can have that particular product. |
| Pack at serving time | Read the physical label after delivery or a substitution. Retailers including ASDA Groceries and Morrisons warn that ingredients and allergen information can change. | A familiar name or a saved listing is not enough when I am serving a newly supplied pack. |
ASDA Groceries suggests approximately 34 servings from its 400g custard creams, but that product contains wheat and milk and carries further may-contain warnings.
Check whether each person can have the product first. Then compare the sizes of packs that meet their requirements.
ASDA Groceries describes Schär Custard Creams as lactose-free, whereas its own Free From Custard Creams explicitly state that they are free from milk. Those claims answer different questions.
If milk is the allergen, read the current milk declaration and any relevant free-from wording; do not use lactose-free wording alone.
A warning can matter even when an allergen is not listed as an ingredient. For example, Sainsbury’s says its 200g Custard Creams are not suitable for customers with a barley allergy because of manufacturing methods.
Read the ingredients and all precautionary wording on each pack, then follow the affected person’s allergy-management plan.
ASDA Groceries, Morrisons and Marks & Spencer warn that product information can change. A previous order or familiar package does not settle what is in a new pack.
Check the physical label before serving, particularly if an item has been substituted.
These product references show why a brand name alone cannot establish whether a particular custard cream suits an allergy.
ASDA Groceries lists both a 400g conventional custard cream and a 125g Free From alternative.
ASDA Groceries lists Schär Custard Creams in a 125g pack divided into five 25g portions.
Morrisons lists McVitie’s Tasties Custard Creams in a 300g pack.
Lewis Food Wholesalers lists Crawford’s Custard Creams as a 300g conventional pack.
Sainsbury’s lists a 200g conventional custard cream containing wheat flour and whey powder from cows’ milk.
Marks & Spencer lists Extra Cream Custard Creams in a 165g pack.
Tesco Groceries lists Tesco Free From Custard Creams Biscuits in a 125g pack.
This 125g Schar option is relevant when checking custard creams for gluten or wheat avoidance; its smaller, portioned format is not equivalent to a large sharing bag. Check the current pack for any other allergens that matter to the people eating it.
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For gluten or wheat avoidance, this pack is described as gluten-free and wheat-free. ASDA Groceries lists five 25g portions; its lactose-free wording does not establish that the product is milk-free. Check the current pack for every other relevant allergen before sharing.
No. The conventional custard creams listed by ASDA Groceries, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Lewis Food Wholesalers and Marks & Spencer contain wheat and milk. Check the particular pack for any further ingredients or precautionary warnings that matter to the person eating it.
No. A lactose-free claim is not a milk-free allergy claim. ASDA Groceries describes Schär Custard Creams as lactose-free, but explicitly labels its own Free From Custard Creams as free from milk and cereals containing gluten. Read the full current declaration whichever product you choose.
Treat it as information relevant to the specific allergy, not as a free-from assurance. Food Standards Agency technical guidance says precautionary allergen wording should be used where an unavoidable cross-contact risk exists. Check the wording on the pack and follow the affected person’s allergy-management plan.
No. Retailers including ASDA Groceries and Morrisons warn that ingredients and allergen information can change. Read the supplied pack before serving, including when an ordered product has been substituted.
No. Food Standards Scotland states that cooking at high temperatures cannot remove food allergens. Choose a pack compatible with the eater’s requirements and keep shared serving equipment from coming into contact with foods containing their allergen.