Who each format suits

One-piece treat shoppers

If you mean one substantial custard-cream-shaped treat to put out with tea, M&S describes its 270g chocolate-coated giant biscuit as made for sharing.

Portion-pack tea drinkers

If you prefer to open a small pack for a tea break, Schär’s 125g outer pack contains five inner packs of two biscuits each, according to Sainsbury’s.

Biscuit-tin buyers

If you want biscuits for several tea breaks, conventional packets offer multiple custard creams. Tesco and Asda both instruct buyers to use an airtight container after opening.

What to check before choosing

Decide whether “single” describes the biscuit or the portion you want to open, then check the particular pack’s ingredients and storage directions.

Priority What to check Your needs
Pack format Check whether the pack holds one biscuit, separately packed portions or loose biscuits. M&S lists one 270g giant item; Sainsbury’s lists five two-biscuit packs inside Schär’s 125g outer pack. For tea with others, I might want one large treat to share. For a break on my own, I may prefer to open one small inner pack.
Type of treat M&S describes its chocolate-coated giant as more chocolate than biscuit. Ocado lists M&S Extra Cream as a separate 165g packet of 12 biscuits with 33% vanilla-flavour filling. Am I looking for a chocolate-coated variation, or for individual sandwich biscuits to put alongside tea?
Ingredients Read the exact pack’s ingredient and allergen information, including any “may contain” statement. Tesco and Asda list wheat and milk in their conventional custard creams; Schär labels its product gluten and wheat free. If an ingredient matters to me or someone I’m serving, I need to check the current label rather than rely on the words “custard creams”.
After opening Check the storage instructions and how much of the outer pack you will open. Tesco and Asda direct buyers to keep their biscuits in an airtight container after opening. For occasional tea breaks, I want a format I can open and store as the pack directs.

Common buying mistakes

  • Equating one giant biscuit with one small serving

    M&S lists its giant custard cream at 270g and describes it as made for sharing.

    Check the weight and decide how many people you intend to serve before choosing it for a tea break.

  • Assuming every custard cream has the same ingredients

    Formats and recipes differ: Tesco and Asda list wheat and milk in their conventional biscuits, while Schär labels its custard creams gluten and wheat free.

    Check the current label of the exact product, including its ingredient list and any “may contain” statement.

  • Opening a large packet without planning how to store it

    Tesco and Asda instruct buyers to keep their conventional custard creams in an airtight container after opening.

    If you only want to open a little at once, compare a portion-packed format with the storage instructions on an ordinary packet.

Brand and product-line references

M&S

M&S describes a 270g chocolate-coated giant custard cream. Its Extra Cream custard creams are a separate 165g packet of 12 biscuits, listed by Ocado.

  • The giant is one physical treat that M&S describes as made for sharing.
  • The Extra Cream packet is not the giant item; its filling and pack details should not be applied to the giant biscuit.

Schär

Schär labels its 125g custard creams gluten and wheat free and describes them as portion packed.

  • Sainsbury’s lists five inner packs containing two biscuits each.
  • An inner pack is not one physical biscuit bar; check the current label for ingredient details.

Tesco

Tesco lists a 400g packet of conventional custard cream biscuits.

  • Its listing provides per-biscuit nutrition information and storage directions.
  • The packet contains multiple biscuits, lists wheat and milk ingredients, and calls for airtight storage after opening.

Asda

Asda lists a 400g packet of conventional custard creams.

  • Its listing provides per-biscuit nutrition information and instructions for storage after opening.
  • It is not a single bar. Asda lists wheat and milk and says the biscuits may also contain sesame, rye, barley and oats.

Crawford's

Iceland Foods identifies a 300g packet of Crawford's vanilla-cream sandwich biscuits.

  • The listing identifies a conventional multi-biscuit format.
  • It lists wheat and milk and marks that particular listing unavailable; this says nothing about other sellers.

McVitie's

A Joybuy UK listing identifies McVitie's Tasties Custard Creams as a 300g biscuit packet rather than a giant single-biscuit format.

  • The listed pack size distinguishes this packet from a one-piece giant biscuit.
  • That particular Joybuy listing is marked no longer available.

Joybuy product options

This Joybuy option is for opening a small pack of custard creams at a time, rather than choosing one oversized biscuit.

Schär Gluten Free Custard Creams 125g pack

Schär Gluten Free Custard Creams 125g

For a tea break where you want to open one small pack, Sainsbury’s lists five inner packs of two biscuits in this 125g product. Schär labels its custard creams gluten and wheat free. It is a pack of biscuits, not one large biscuit bar; check the current pack’s ingredients for your requirements.

Joybuy

Questions about custard creams

Is one Schär portion pack a single custard cream?

No. Sainsbury’s describes the 125g outer pack as five inner packs containing two biscuits each.

Do custard creams need heating before serving with tea?

No preparation is specified for the listed ready-made biscuits or the M&S giant custard cream. Serve them as packaged and follow the particular pack’s storage directions if you keep any after opening.

What should I check if someone has a food allergy?

Read the delivered product’s current ingredient and allergen information, including any “may contain” statement. Tesco and Asda list wheat and milk in their conventional custard creams; do not assume a different format has the same ingredients.

Are biscuits unsafe as soon as their best-before date passes?

A best-before date concerns quality, not the same safety deadline as a use-by date. Food Standards Agency research published in 2021 explains that food past its best-before date should be safe to eat, although its quality may have deteriorated. Follow the pack’s storage instructions and check its condition.

What if a delivered packet is damaged or differs from its online description?

Check the delivered pack before serving the biscuits and contact the seller about the discrepancy or damage. Use the pack’s current ingredient information when deciding whether it meets your requirements.