Custard-cream shoppers comparing sugar
If you want the familiar biscuit with tea or coffee, use the declared sugars per 100g to compare products. Treat a reduced-sugar claim as a separate question that needs a comparison with a similar product.
Who is this choice for?
The useful comparison depends on whether keeping the custard-cream format, checking a sugar claim or meeting a dietary requirement matters most for your tea break.
Shoppers looking for a wheat-free biscuit
Asda Groceries describes Schär Gluten-Free Custard Creams as gluten free and free from wheat. Its listed 23g sugars per 100g does not, by itself, make it a reduced-sugar product.
People checking biscuits for a shared break
Check the exact pack before serving biscuits to someone with an allergy or dietary requirement. Sainsbury's lists wheat and milk for its Custard Creams; Asda Groceries describes the Schär product as wheat-free and suitable for vegans. Vegan suitability is not a substitute for checking a milk-allergen statement.
What should you check?
Start with what you mean by “less sugar”: a comparison between custard creams, or a substantiated reduced-sugar claim. Then check the serving and any dietary requirements.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Reduced-sugar claim | Look for an explicit claim and its comparison with a similar product. A lower figure on another pack is not enough to establish the claim. | I want a product whose reduced-sugar description is backed by a like-for-like comparison, not just a biscuit with a smaller number on its label. |
| Declared sugars | Compare sugars per 100g on the same basis. Asda Groceries lists Schär at 23g, Sainsbury's lists its Custard Creams at 26.5g, and Marks & Spencer lists Extra Cream Custard Creams at 40.2g per 100g. These three figures do not cover every custard cream. | If I am keeping custard creams on the menu, I want to compare their labels without mistaking a lower declared figure for a reduced-sugar claim. |
| Dietary suitability | Read the current ingredients and allergen statement. Asda Groceries describes Schär as gluten free, wheat-free and suitable for vegans; Sainsbury's lists wheat and milk in its Custard Creams. | For a shared tea break, I need a biscuit that meets each guest's requirements, independently of its sugar figure. |
| Serving size | After comparing per 100g, check the amount in a biscuit or portion pack. Asda Groceries lists 2.8g sugars per 12.5g Schär biscuit; Sainsbury's lists 3.3g per biscuit. | I usually have a biscuit rather than 100g of them, so the per-biscuit figure helps me understand the serving I am considering. |
| Biscuit type | If a substantiated sugar claim matters more than the custard-cream filling, compare the nutrition and ingredients of other biscuit types. Do not assume that “no added sugar”, “sugar free” and “reduced sugar” mean the same thing. | I could change biscuit type for my morning break, but I would check the particular pack rather than assume an alternative meets my requirements. |
Common mistakes to avoid
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Calling any lower figure “reduced sugar”
A comparison of two nutrition panels shows their declared values; it does not establish the basis for a reduced-sugar claim. The reduced-nutrient provision published on legislation.gov.uk describes a reduction measured against a similar product.
Check what the product actually claims and which similar product is used for the comparison before relying on that description.
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Comparing biscuits without checking their size
A per-biscuit figure is affected by the size of that biscuit. Asda Groceries gives Schär's figure as 2.8g sugars per 12.5g biscuit, while Sainsbury's lists 3.3g sugars per biscuit for its product.
Use the per-100g figures for the product comparison, then check the per-biscuit figures for the serving you plan to have.
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Assuming gluten free means reduced sugar
Gluten-free suitability and sugar content answer different questions. Asda Groceries lists Schär Gluten-Free Custard Creams at 23g sugars per 100g without that figure establishing a reduced-sugar claim.
Check dietary suitability and the sugar information separately on the current pack.
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Overlooking allergens when sharing biscuits
Sainsbury's lists wheat and milk in its Custard Creams. A different biscuit's vegan or wheat-free description should not replace a check for every allergen that matters to your guests.
Read the current pack's ingredients and allergen statement before serving it.
Brand and product references
These examples show why the exact product and its label matter more than a brand name alone; they are not a list of products available from Joybuy.
Schär
Asda Groceries describes Schär Gluten-Free Custard Creams as gluten free, wheat-free and suitable for vegans.
- The listing declares 23g sugars per 100g and 2.8g per 12.5g biscuit.
- Its dietary descriptions do not establish a reduced-sugar claim.
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's Custard Creams are a standard own-label example for comparing nutrition panels.
- Sainsbury's lists 26.5g sugars per 100g and 3.3g per biscuit.
- Its ingredients identify wheat and milk; check the pack if either matters to you.
M&S
Marks & Spencer describes Extra Cream Custard Creams as containing more vanilla cream and real custard powder.
- Its published nutrition panel gives a per-100g figure for comparison.
- At 40.2g sugars per 100g, its declared figure is above the Schär and Sainsbury's products compared here.
McVitie's
Morrisons describes McVitie's Tasties Custard Creams as a 300g pack of custard-flavoured sandwich biscuits.
- Check its current nutrition panel before comparing its sugars per 100g with the products above.
Crawford's
Crawford's describes its Custard Creams as vanilla cream between embossed biscuit shells.
- Iceland Foods lists wheat and milk in the ingredients of its Crawford's Custard Creams listing. Check the current pack and nutrition panel for your requirements.
Joybuy biscuit options
The first option keeps the custard-cream format. The other three are different types of biscuit to consider if changing the format works for your morning break; check each pack's sugar information and ingredients before choosing.
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Schär Gluten Free Custard Creams 125g
This is the custard-cream option in this selection. The 125g product is identified as gluten free; Asda Groceries lists the same Schär product format at 23g sugars per 100g and 2.8g per 12.5g biscuit. That figure alone does not establish a reduced-sugar claim.
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Oreo Zero Sugar Sandwich Cookies 97g
A 97g pack of sandwich cookies rather than custard creams. “Zero Sugar” is part of the product name; check the pack's nutrition and ingredients if its sugar content or dietary suitability will determine your choice.
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Gullon Zero Sugar Free Original Digestives 400g
These 400g digestives change the biscuit type rather than offering a custard cream. Check the current nutrition panel and ingredients when comparing them with the biscuit you would otherwise buy.
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Gullon Zero No Added Sugar Cookies and Cream 210g
A 210g pack of cookies-and-cream biscuits, not custard creams. “No Added Sugar” is part of its name; compare the sugars per 100g on the current pack rather than treating that wording as a per-100g value.
Questions about sugar and custard creams
Does a lower sugar figure make a custard cream “reduced sugar”?
No. A lower declared figure than another biscuit is a product comparison, not proof of a reduced-sugar claim. Check for the claim itself and the comparison with a similar product; the reduced-nutrient provision published on legislation.gov.uk describes that comparison as part of the claim's basis.
Which of these custard creams lists the least sugar per 100g?
Of the three UK listings compared here, Asda Groceries lists Schär Gluten-Free Custard Creams at 23g sugars per 100g, Sainsbury's lists its Custard Creams at 26.5g, and Marks & Spencer lists Extra Cream Custard Creams at 40.2g. This is a comparison of those declared figures, not a reduced-sugar claim or a ranking of all custard creams.
Are gluten-free custard creams necessarily lower in sugar?
No. Gluten-free suitability does not tell you the sugar content. Asda Groceries lists Schär Gluten-Free Custard Creams at 23g sugars per 100g; compare the nutrition panels of the particular biscuits you are considering.
What should I check before sharing custard creams?
Read the ingredients and allergen statement on the exact current pack. Sainsbury's lists wheat and milk for its Custard Creams, while Asda Groceries describes Schär Gluten-Free Custard Creams as wheat-free and suitable for vegans. Check every relevant allergen rather than assuming one dietary description covers them all.