If Fairtrade chocolate matters, choose a custard cream that suits your recipe and add chocolate whose Fairtrade claim you can check; that claim does not certify the finished treat. Ready-coated biscuits avoid the coating step, but the examined ASDA product identifies Rainforest Alliance-certified cocoa, not Fairtrade cocoa. Check the exact pack for sourcing claims and allergens before choosing either route.
If the chocolate matters most, choose it by the claim on its own pack. Fairtrade International explains that its Marks can distinguish certified ingredients in a multi-ingredient product from a specifically named sourced ingredient.
A ready-coated custard cream removes the need to add your own coating. Check the finished biscuit’s pack rather than assuming its cocoa carries a particular certification.
Choose the biscuit and any added chocolate against the intended eaters’ requirements. A free-from description on one component does not describe the assembled treat.
Decide whether you want to choose the chocolate yourself or use an existing coating. Then check the sourcing claim and every component you plan to serve.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade claim | Identify whether the Mark applies to the finished biscuit or to a named ingredient. Fairtrade International advises checking the back of multi-ingredient packs bearing its Mark with an arrow for ingredient and sourcing details. | I want to know exactly which chocolate or ingredient carries the claim, without describing my assembled treat as certified. |
| Chocolate format | For a ready-coated option, read the coating and cocoa information on that biscuit. Tesco and ASDA each list a 52% milk-chocolate coating on the examined 162 g biscuits; that percentage does not establish Fairtrade status. | Would I rather choose chocolate separately for decorating, or start with a biscuit that already has a coating? |
| Dietary requirements | Read the current labels for both the biscuit and any added chocolate. Sainsbury’s describes its examined free-from custard creams as milk- and gluten-free; M&S warns that its examined 85% dark chocolate bar is unsuitable for people with milk or nut allergies. | If someone needs to avoid an ingredient, I need every component of the treat to suit them, not just the biscuit. |
| Planning ahead | Check the date and storage directions on the pack you buy. Tesco’s plain custard creams call for cool, dry storage and an airtight container once opened. | I’m buying before Christmas and want to follow the biscuit’s instructions until it is served. |
The cocoa certification and the amount of coating are separate questions. ASDA identifies Rainforest Alliance-certified cocoa in its examined coated custard creams; that is not a Fairtrade claim.
If Fairtrade cocoa is essential, check the exact finished pack for the relevant Fairtrade claim or choose separately identified Fairtrade chocolate.
Fairtrade International’s guidance distinguishes claims about a multi-ingredient product from claims about a particular sourced ingredient. Adding certified chocolate to a plain biscuit does not certify the result.
Describe the chocolate you used without extending its claim to the completed treat.
A separately chosen chocolate can have different allergy information. For example, M&S warns that its examined 85% dark bar is unsuitable for people with milk or nut allergies.
Check both current packs against the intended eaters’ requirements and consider how you will prepare the treats.
These product-specific examples show what to compare on packs; a brand name alone does not establish Fairtrade status or dietary suitability.
Tesco lists plain 400 g custard creams and a separate 162 g milk-chocolate-coated version.
ASDA lists both a chocolate-coated custard cream and a separate free-from biscuit.
Its examined free-from custard creams are described as milk- and gluten-free vanilla-filled biscuits.
Morrisons describes the examined McVitie’s Tasties Custard Creams as a 300 g vanilla-filled biscuit.
M&S describes its examined 85% dark chocolate bar as Fairtrade and says the cocoa in its examined 46% milk bar comes from Fairtrade growers.
These options cover two separate components of a Christmas custard-cream treat: a Fairtrade-labelled chocolate bar and a gluten-free custard cream. Check each component for your recipe and dietary requirements.
No image available
This is the separately chosen chocolate component, not a custard cream. Its Fairtrade-labelled title describes the bar; adding it to a biscuit does not certify the finished treat. Check the current allergen information before pairing it with a biscuit, particularly for anyone with dietary restrictions.
No image available
This gluten-free biscuit is a starting point when that restriction matters. Check its current pack for other relevant ingredients and assess any added chocolate separately; a claim on the chocolate does not certify the completed treat.
No. A claim on the chocolate does not certify the assembled treat. Fairtrade International distinguishes claims about certified ingredients in multi-ingredient products from claims naming a particular sourced ingredient, so describe the components you have checked.
No. ASDA identifies Rainforest Alliance-certified cocoa in its examined chocolate-coated custard creams. If Fairtrade cocoa is your requirement, check for the relevant Fairtrade claim on the exact product you intend to use.
Follow the date and storage instructions on the pack you buy. Tesco’s examined plain custard creams specify a cool, dry place and an airtight container after opening.
No. M&S describes its examined 85% dark chocolate bar as vegan but warns that it is unsuitable for people with milk or nut allergies. Check the specific chocolate and biscuit packs against the intended eater’s requirements.