If a sugar-free claim is essential, be prepared to change biscuit format: Gullón labels its Zero Cookies & Cream sugar-free, while custard creams listed by Schär, Tesco, Sainsbury's and Asda contain 23g to 25.2g sugars per 100g. If the custard-cream format or a particular free-from declaration matters more, check the exact product label and plan the portion rather than treating “free from” as another name for sugar-free.
If the sugar-free claim matters more than the familiar vanilla custard-cream format, compare biscuits in other formats as well. Gullón labels Zero Cookies & Cream sugar-free; the custard creams listed by Schär, Tesco, Sainsbury's and Asda have substantially more sugars per 100g.
A custard-cream-style biscuit may still suit someone looking for a specific gluten-free, milk-free, lactose-free or vegan declaration. Check the declaration that applies to you: these terms describe different requirements, and none means sugar-free.
For a mid-morning biscuit, the sugars line is only part of the label. Diabetes UK advises considering carbohydrate, calories and sweeteners in sugar-free snack products; compare these alongside the portion you intend to have.
Decide whether the sugar-free claim or the custard-cream format is the firmer requirement, then check the label details that matter for your snack.
Choose this route: when a sugar-free label matters more than a traditional custard cream. Gullón labels Zero Cookies & Cream sugar-free, but it is a different biscuit format.
Trade-off: sugar-free does not mean carbohydrate-free; Diabetes UK notes that polyol sweeteners contribute carbohydrate and calories.
Choose this route: when the filled custard-cream style and a relevant free-from declaration matter more than a sugar-free claim.
Trade-off: Schär, Tesco, Sainsbury's and Asda list 23g to 25.2g sugars per 100g for their respective custard creams, so check the sugars in your portion.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar-free claim | Check for the claim and read sugars per 100g. The sugar-free claim threshold published on legislation.gov.uk is no more than 0.5g sugars per 100g for a food. | If sugar-free is my firm requirement, I cannot use a gluten-free, milk-free or vegan declaration as a substitute. |
| Dietary declarations | Check the exact gluten, wheat, milk or lactose declaration and the ingredients on the pack. Schär describes its custard creams as gluten-, wheat- and lactose-free; Sainsbury's and Asda list gluten- and milk-free products. | I want a custard-cream-style biscuit, but I need to confirm the particular ingredient or declaration relevant to me. |
| Snack portion | Compare sugars per biscuit as well as per 100g: Tesco, Sainsbury's and Asda each list 3.5g sugars per biscuit for these free-from custard creams. Check the portion you plan to eat. | For a mid-morning biscuit, I want to know what my chosen number of biscuits adds up to, not just what the pack says per 100g. |
| Sweeteners and carbohydrate | Read the sweetener ingredients and total carbohydrate alongside sugars. Diabetes UK notes that polyols contain carbohydrate and calories. | A sugar-free label alone does not answer my questions about carbohydrate or how a sweetener suits me. |
| School snack rules | If a school is providing the snack, check the nation, school type and serving occasion. Gateshead Council's explanation of England's school food standards distinguishes ordinary snacks from biscuits served at lunchtime. | For a school mid-morning break, I need the applicable school-food rules rather than assuming lunch rules apply. |
Schär, Tesco, Sainsbury's and Asda list 23g to 25.2g sugars per 100g for the custard creams discussed here. That is well above the 0.5g-per-100g sugar-free claim threshold published on legislation.gov.uk.
If sugar-free is essential, look for that specific claim and check the sugars figure; choose free-from declarations separately according to the ingredients you need to avoid.
Diabetes UK explains that polyol sweeteners contain carbohydrate and calories. It also cautions that sugar-free-style snack products may still affect blood glucose.
Check total carbohydrate, sweetener ingredients and serving size. If you use an individual diabetes management plan, follow advice from your healthcare team rather than relying on the front-of-pack claim.
Tesco, Sainsbury's and Asda each list 3.5g sugars per biscuit for their free-from custard creams; the amount in a snack changes with the number eaten.
Use the per-biscuit figure to compare the portion you intend to have with other snack options.
School-food frameworks differ across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Gateshead Council's explanation of the England standards distinguishes ordinary snacks from biscuits served at lunchtime.
For food supplied at a school mid-morning break, confirm the rules for its nation, school type and serving occasion before choosing a biscuit.
These examples illustrate the difference between a sugar-free biscuit in another format and custard creams with specific free-from declarations.
An option to examine when a sugar-free claim matters more than the traditional custard-cream format.
A custard-cream-style option for shoppers checking gluten, wheat or lactose declarations.
A custard-cream-style biscuit with vegan suitability listed by Tesco.
A custard-cream-style biscuit for shoppers checking gluten-free and milk-free declarations.
A custard-cream-style biscuit with gluten-free and milk-free declarations listed by Asda.
These Joybuy options are biscuits for shoppers willing to move away from the traditional custard-cream format. Check each current pack label for the sugar-free claim, nutrition and ingredients relevant to your mid-morning snack.
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A sandwich-cookie option if you want a filled biscuit but do not require the traditional custard-cream format. Check the current pack's sugars, total carbohydrate, sweeteners and ingredients for your intended portion.
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A digestive biscuit rather than a filled custard cream. If the format change works for your mid-morning snack, compare the current pack's sugars, total carbohydrate, sweeteners and serving information.
Not necessarily. The sugar-free claim threshold published on legislation.gov.uk is no more than 0.5g sugars per 100g for a food, while the custard creams listed by Schär, Tesco, Sainsbury's and Asda contain 23g to 25.2g sugars per 100g. Check the sugars panel rather than relying on a free-from declaration.
Gullón labels Zero Cookies & Cream sugar-free, but it is a cookies-and-cream biscuit rather than a vanilla custard cream. Gullón lists maltitol and polydextrose in its ingredients; check the carbohydrate information and portion as well as the sugar-free claim.
No. Diabetes UK explains that polyol sweeteners contain carbohydrate and calories, and cautions that sugar-free-style snacks may still affect blood glucose. Read total carbohydrate, ingredients and serving size alongside sugars; seek individual advice from your healthcare team if you manage diabetes.
Check the rules for the school's nation and serving occasion rather than assuming there is one UK-wide answer. The Department for Education identifies school-food requirements for state-funded schools in England, and Gateshead Council's explanation of the England standards distinguishes ordinary snacks from biscuits served at lunchtime. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have separate frameworks.
Check the declaration for the ingredient you need to avoid, then read the current pack ingredients. Schär describes its Custard Creams as gluten-, wheat- and lactose-free; Sainsbury's and Asda list gluten- and milk-free custard creams. These declarations are not interchangeable and do not establish that a biscuit is sugar-free.