Shared biscuit-tin buyers
If colleagues regularly use an office biscuit tin, choose a pack with a stated quantity that suits demand. Tesco, Asda and Morrisons instruct buyers to keep their custard creams airtight once opened.
Who is buying?
Small-meeting organisers
For an occasional meeting, a smaller packet may leave fewer biscuits to store afterwards. Sainsbury’s lists approximately 16 servings in its 200g pack, compared with 34 servings in the 400g packs listed by Asda and Morrisons.
Allergen-conscious organisers
The examined supermarket custard creams contain wheat and milk, and their additional allergy warnings differ. Keep the supplied packaging available so colleagues can check the ingredients and warnings for themselves.
What to check before choosing
Start with how many biscuits the office is likely to use, then check the exact pack’s ingredients and what needs to happen after it is opened.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Pack quantity | Check whether the listing gives servings or a biscuit count: Asda and Morrisons state 34 servings for 400g; Bestway Wholesale lists approximately 26 biscuits for McVitie’s 300g; Sainsbury’s states approximately 16 servings for 200g. | For a busy shared tin, I need enough for regular use. For one meeting, I would rather match the packet to the expected number of people. |
| Ingredients | Read the supplied pack for wheat, milk and any product-specific allergy warnings. Do not assume similar-looking recipes carry the same warnings. | Colleagues need access to the ingredient information before taking a biscuit, especially when dietary requirements differ. |
| Storage and handling | Check the instructions for opened packets; Tesco, Morrisons and Bestway Wholesale specify airtight storage. If considering individually wrapped portions, confirm the exact biscuit assortment. | If biscuits stay in the kitchen for several days, I need a way to store an open pack. Portions passed between meeting rooms call for a different packaging choice. |
| Recipe variation | Compare the exact variants’ ingredient and per-100g nutrition labels. Marks & Spencer lists 40.2g sugars per 100g for its 165g Extra Cream Custard Creams. | When choosing an extra-cream version, I want to compare its actual label rather than treat it as a different pack size of the standard recipe. |
Common buying mistakes
-
Choosing by pack weight alone
A serving count and a biscuit count are not automatically the same measure. The examined packs range from approximately 16 stated servings at 200g to 34 at 400g.
Estimate how many colleagues will take biscuits, then check the particular pack’s stated count and instructions for storing what remains.
An opened packet may leave more biscuits to store than an occasional meeting needs.
-
Using an online ingredient list as the final allergy check
The examined recipes contain wheat and milk, while other warnings vary by product. An online description should not replace the information on the supplied packaging.
Keep the packaging with the biscuits and ask colleagues with relevant dietary requirements to check its ingredients and warnings before sharing.
-
Treating extra cream as only a pack-size difference
Marks & Spencer’s 165g Extra Cream Custard Creams are a distinct variant; its listing states 40.2g sugars per 100g.
If recipe or nutrition matters to the choice, compare the exact packs using their ingredients and the same per-100g basis.
Brand and pack references
Morrisons
Morrisons lists a 400g standard custard-cream pack for a shared biscuit tin.
- Its listing states 34 servings and instructs buyers to store the biscuits airtight once opened.
- Check the supplied pack for its milk, wheat and additional allergy warnings.
Tesco
Tesco lists a 400g standard custard-cream pack with per-biscuit nutrition information.
- The listing gives ingredients and directions for airtight storage after opening.
- Tesco advises checking the supplied food information because product details can change.
Asda
Asda lists a 400g standard pack with 34 stated servings.
- The listing identifies wheat and milk and gives airtight-storage instructions.
- Check the supplied pack for its full allergy warnings before putting it in a shared tin.
McVitie’s
Bestway Wholesale describes a 300g McVitie’s custard-cream pack containing approximately 26 biscuits.
- The stated biscuit count helps distinguish this pack from the 400g options with 34 stated servings.
- Its listed ingredients include wheat and milk; check the supplied pack for all warnings.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s lists a 200g custard-cream pack for a smaller meeting.
- The listing states approximately 16 servings.
- Its ingredient information identifies milk and wheat and includes a barley-allergy warning.
M&S
Marks & Spencer lists a 165g Extra Cream Custard Creams variant with vanilla cream and custard powder.
- The listing identifies the filling as a feature of this particular variant.
- Its listed 40.2g sugars per 100g applies to this variant, not to every M&S custard cream.
Custard creams on Joybuy
This 125g gluten-free custard-cream pack is an option to consider for a smaller office occasion rather than a large, regularly replenished biscuit tin.
No image available
Schar Gluten Free Custard Creams 125g
The 125g pack offers a smaller quantity for occasional office snacks. It is labelled gluten-free; check the supplied ingredients and allergy information against colleagues’ requirements before sharing.
Questions about office sharing
How many custard creams should I plan for a meeting?
Start with the number of attendees and how many biscuits you intend to offer each person, then check the particular pack’s count. Asda and Morrisons state 34 servings for their 400g packs, Bestway Wholesale lists approximately 26 biscuits in McVitie’s 300g pack, and Sainsbury’s states approximately 16 servings for its 200g pack. A stated serving does not mean every colleague will take exactly one.
How should I store an opened packet?
Follow the directions on the supplied pack. The examined Tesco, Morrisons and McVitie’s listings instruct buyers to keep biscuits airtight once opened; Tesco also specifies a cool, dry place.
Can I offer the same custard creams to every colleague?
Do not assume one recipe meets everyone’s dietary requirements. The examined supermarket products contain wheat and milk, and additional allergy warnings vary. Keep the supplied packaging available so colleagues can check the exact product before taking one.
Do less-healthy-food advertising rules ban custard creams from an ordinary UK office?
No general ban on adults sharing biscuits at work follows from the UK Department of Health and Social Care’s guidance on specified less-healthy-food advertising restrictions. Whether a particular biscuit falls within the regulatory definition requires the applicable nutrient-profile assessment; its product name alone does not establish that classification.
Can office biscuits also be offered as snacks to pupils at school?
Do not apply an office-snack choice directly to food provided to pupils. The Department for Education’s school food standards apply to state-funded schools in England; its practical guide allows biscuits at lunchtime, not as an unrestricted snack throughout the school day. Updated standards proposed for September 2027 remained subject to Parliamentary approval in the Department’s September 2026 guidance.