Choose plain custard creams if you want a familiar biscuit to put out for Bonfire Night, but serving Fairtrade chocolate alongside them does not certify the biscuits. If the chocolate matters most, check the FAIRTRADE Mark on that product; if the biscuits themselves must be certified, check the mark and its wording on the exact biscuit pack. Compare pack sizes and ingredients before serving guests.
You want to know whether a claim applies to the custard creams, an ingredient in them or a separate chocolate product. The Fairtrade Foundation distinguishes finished-product marks from its Sourced Ingredient Mark, so the wording on each pack matters.
You need to check the biscuits each guest will actually eat. The checked ordinary McVitie's custard creams list wheat and milk, while ASDA labels its separate Free From custard creams gluten-free and milk-free.
Decide which product needs to carry the Fairtrade claim, then compare biscuit styles, guest requirements and pack sizes.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade claim | Check the mark and accompanying wording on the exact product. The Fairtrade Foundation says its Sourced Ingredient Mark can apply to an ingredient in a multi-ingredient product, rather than the whole product. | I want to know whether the claim belongs to the biscuits or to chocolate served alongside them. |
| Biscuit style | Compare a plain vanilla-filled biscuit with a chocolate-coated one. Marks & Spencer lists milk chocolate as 52% of its 191 g coated custard cream; chocolate content does not establish Fairtrade certification. | Chocolate on the biscuit matters to me, or I would rather put out plain custard creams with a separate chocolate choice. |
| Guest requirements | Read the delivered pack's ingredients and allergen information. The checked ordinary McVitie's and ASDA products list wheat and milk; ASDA labels its separate 125 g Free From product gluten-free and milk-free. | One of my guests needs a biscuit with particular stated exclusions, so I cannot rely on the flavour name or a vegetarian description. |
| Quantity and storage | Compare pack weights rather than assuming equal quantities. Tesco's checked 400 g custard creams call for cool, dry storage and an airtight container after opening. | I am putting biscuits out for a group and may open the packs before everyone arrives. |
A chocolate-coated custard cream and a separately served Fairtrade chocolate carry different claims. The checked M&S coated-biscuit information does not establish a FAIRTRADE Mark.
Check the mark and sourcing wording on the exact pack before describing either product as certified.
Ordinary custard creams checked from McVitie's and ASDA list wheat and milk. ASDA's Free From custard creams are a different formulation, not an interchangeable pack.
Ask guests about relevant allergies, then read the ingredients and allergen information on every pack you intend to serve.
Co-op's checked Fairtrade Fortnight offer ended on 4 October 2026, before Bonfire Night on 5 November. The inspected Joybuy listing for McVitie's Tasties 300 g also states that the product is no longer available there.
Check the exact products and delivery options again when you plan your Bonfire Night shop.
These references concern the particular packs described, not every product made by each brand.
Tasties Custard Cream Biscuits come in a 300 g pack for a plain-biscuit option.
Tesco's checked 400 g custard creams are vanilla-filled sandwich biscuits.
The checked own-label custard creams come in a 200 g pack.
The checked range includes ordinary 400 g custard creams and a distinct 125 g Free From product.
The checked 191 g custard cream has a milk-chocolate coating.
This custard cream option is for a Bonfire Night table where a gluten-free biscuit is wanted. Check any Fairtrade claim on the separate chocolate or biscuit product that carries it.
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A gluten-free custard cream option for guests who need that stated formulation. The pack is 125 g; check how many packs you need and read the actual label for other ingredients and allergens before serving.
No. A claim on the chocolate applies to that product, not automatically to the biscuits beside it. The Fairtrade Foundation distinguishes finished-product claims from its Sourced Ingredient Mark, so read the mark and wording on each pack.
Yes. Co-op publishes a custard-cream recipe using Fairtrade icing sugar. Using that ingredient does not, by itself, certify the finished biscuits or make a claim about cocoa; check every ingredient if you are baking for guests with allergies.
Read the ingredients and allergen information on the pack you will serve. UK government food-labelling guidance requires ingredients, including allergens, on prepacked food labels. The checked ordinary McVitie's and Tesco custard creams list wheat and milk, while ASDA labels its separate Free From product gluten-free and milk-free.
Follow the instructions on your particular pack. The checked Tesco and ASDA ordinary custard creams specify cool, dry storage and an airtight container after opening.