Who is this decision for?

Buyers managing a sugar-related brief

Compare labels on the same basis, and establish whether the brief calls for smaller servings of conventional custard creams or a substantiated ‘reduced sugar’ claim.

Organisers serving guests with allergies

Keep the delivered packs’ ingredient and allergen details available, particularly if biscuits will be taken out of their wrappers before service. A sugar-related label does not answer an allergen question.

Organisers portioning biscuits at seats

Plan the number of biscuits per guest and how they will be distributed. An individual catering pack can simplify distribution, but its format says nothing about reduced sugar.

What should you check?

Set the sugar requirement before choosing a pack, then check the serving quantity, allergen details and supply needed for the event.

Priority What to check Your needs
Sugar and claims Compare sugars per 100 g across the same type of biscuit. For a ‘reduced sugar’ claim, check the comparison with a similar product and its energy figure; a lower figure among ordinary packs is not enough to substantiate the claim. I need to know whether the catering brief permits conventional custard creams in planned portions or requires a substantiated sugar claim.
Portions and format Tesco and Asda each declare 3.4 g sugars per biscuit for their checked packs; use the figure for the pack supplied and the number served. UK Catering Supplies lists Crawford’s assorted catering packs with three biscuits per pack, across several varieties. If biscuits are going on seats, I want a predictable quantity and to know whether guests will receive custard creams or a mixed assortment.
Allergen information Read the ingredient and precautionary allergen information on the delivered packs. Tesco’s and Asda’s checked custard creams declare wheat and milk; check each variety separately in an assortment. Guests need information for the biscuits actually served, even when the wrappers are removed.
Event supply Confirm the required pack count and availability before ordering; Sainsbury’s checked 200 g listing said it was out of stock. Check the delivered packs’ storage instructions if biscuits will be held before service. I need enough biscuits for the planned serving, without relying on an earlier listing being available on the event date.

What can go wrong?

  • Calling the lowest figure ‘reduced sugar’

    Sainsbury’s declared the lowest sugars per 100 g among the five conventional packs compared here, but that order alone does not substantiate a claim against a similar product.

    Use the labels to compare packs. Before describing a biscuit as ‘reduced sugar’, obtain evidence for the relevant sugar comparison and energy condition set out on legislation.gov.uk.

  • Assuming an individual pack contains only custard creams

    UK Catering Supplies lists Crawford’s three-biscuit packs as an assortment of varieties, not an exclusively custard-cream or reduced-sugar serving.

    Check the varieties and the number of biscuits guests will receive before choosing this format for seat service.

  • Removing wrappers before recording allergen details

    Tesco’s and Asda’s checked custard creams declare wheat and milk. Once biscuits are served loose, guests cannot consult their individual wrappers.

    Use the delivered packs to prepare accurate information for every biscuit served and establish how guests can obtain it at the event.

Which brand references are useful?

These figures describe the named packs, not every biscuit made by each brand; compare the current label for the product you intend to serve.

Sainsbury’s

Its conventional Custard Creams 200 g pack provides a per-100-g and per-biscuit comparison.

  • Sainsbury’s declares 26.5 g sugars per 100 g and 3.3 g per biscuit for this pack.
  • The checked listing said it was out of stock. Its figures do not establish a ‘reduced sugar’ claim.

Tesco

Its conventional Custard Cream Biscuits 400 g pack lists figures for comparing packs and planning servings.

  • Tesco declares 28.3 g sugars per 100 g and 3.4 g per biscuit.
  • The ingredient list includes wheat and milk; check the delivered pack before serving.

Asda

Its conventional Custard Creams 400 g pack includes per-biscuit nutrition and a suggested serving count.

  • Asda declares 29 g sugars per 100 g and 3.4 g per biscuit, and suggests 34 servings per pack.
  • The pack declares wheat and milk and carries precautionary allergen information. Its figures do not establish a ‘reduced sugar’ claim.

McVitie’s

A UK wholesale listing for McVitie’s Custard Creams 300 g provides another conventional-pack comparison.

  • Bestway Wholesale declares 30.7 g sugars per 100 g and 3.6 g per biscuit for the listed pack.
  • These figures describe the listed biscuit, not a substantiated ‘reduced sugar’ option.

Crawford’s

A listed catering assortment includes custard creams in individual three-biscuit packs alongside other varieties.

  • UK Catering Supplies lists 100 assorted packs, each containing three biscuits, for distribution in individual portions.
  • The assortment is not exclusively custard creams and does not establish a reduced-sugar claim; check ingredients for each variety.

M&S

Extra Cream Custard Creams 165 g are a distinct, extra-filling conventional product.

  • M&S describes extra vanilla cream in this product.
  • M&S declares 40.2 g sugars per 100 g for this pack; the figure should not be applied to other M&S biscuits.

A Joybuy biscuit alternative

This cookies-and-cream sandwich biscuit offers a different flavour when custard creams are not essential. Its ‘No Added Sugar’ wording should not be treated as a ‘reduced sugar’ claim.

Gullon Zero No Added Sugar Cookies and Cream 210g pack

Gullon Zero No Added Sugar Cookies and Cream 210g

For a biscuit break where custard flavour is optional, this is a cookies-and-cream sandwich biscuit rather than a custard cream. The 210g pack is labelled ‘No Added Sugar’; check its current nutrition and allergen information for the biscuits delivered. The product information warns that excessive consumption may produce a laxative effect, which matters when planning how many to serve.

View on Joybuy

Questions about conference service

Can I describe a lower-sugar custard cream as ‘reduced sugar’?

Not on the basis of a lower figure in this small pack comparison alone. The reduced-sugars conditions set out on legislation.gov.uk involve comparison with a similar product and an energy condition, so obtain substantiation for the product and claim before using that wording.

Should I compare sugars per pack or per biscuit?

Start with sugars per 100 g to compare products on a common basis, as the NHS explains in its food-label guidance. Then check the chosen pack’s per-biscuit figure against the number you plan to serve; the manufacturer’s stated portion may not match your serving.

How should I store biscuits before the event?

Follow the instructions on the packs delivered for your event. Tesco and Asda direct buyers to store their checked custard creams in a cool, dry place and use an airtight container after opening.

What if custard creams are served without their wrappers?

Keep the delivered packs’ ingredient and allergen details available and arrange for guests to receive accurate information about the biscuits served. Tesco’s and Asda’s checked custard creams declare wheat and milk; the Food Standards Agency notes that allergen information for non-prepacked food may be provided in writing or verbally.