Sugar-conscious tea-break snackers
If custard creams are part of elevenses, compare total sugars per 100g to assess the biscuits on the same weight basis. Then use the per-biscuit figure to consider the portion you intend to eat.
Who is comparing these biscuits?
Free-from biscuit shoppers
If you need to avoid a particular allergen, check the exact pack’s ingredients and free-from statement. Compare its sugar figure separately: free-from does not mean lower sugar.
What should you check before choosing?
Start with the dietary requirements the biscuit must meet, then compare sugar on a consistent basis and consider your intended portion.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar by weight | Compare total sugars in g per 100g on the exact packs. Treat a lower listed figure as a comparison, not as proof of a reduced-sugars claim. | I want to compare different custard creams without letting biscuit size change the basis of comparison. |
| Elevenses portion | Check sugars per biscuit and the biscuit weight. Use the figure for the number of biscuits you intend to eat, rather than assuming the pack’s suggested serving matches your portion. | How many biscuits am I likely to have with tea? A per-biscuit figure helps me assess that portion. |
| Allergen requirements | Read the supplied pack’s ingredients, allergen information and any relevant free-from statement. Check its sugar figure separately. | I need a biscuit that meets a specified dietary restriction; a lower sugar figure cannot answer that question for me. |
| Other nutrition figures | If energy or saturates matter to your choice, compare their per-100g figures alongside sugars. Check the exact variant, especially where similarly named listings differ. | Focusing on sugar alone would leave out other figures I want to compare. |
Common comparison mistakes
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Calling the lowest figure “reduced sugar”
A lower total-sugars figure than another biscuit does not, by itself, establish a regulated reduced-sugars claim. The NHS also classifies foods with more than 22.5g total sugars per 100g as high in sugar.
Use the exact per-100g figure when comparing packs, and do not treat a relative position in a small selection as a claim printed on the product.
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Comparing only sugar per biscuit
Biscuits can differ in weight, so the per-biscuit figure and the per-100g figure answer different questions.
Compare per 100g to assess the biscuits on the same weight basis, then use the exact pack’s per-biscuit figure for your intended portion.
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Assuming free-from means lower sugar
Free-from information concerns specified ingredients or allergens. Sainsbury’s lists 24.9g sugars per 100g for its Free From Custard Creams, which is above the NHS high-sugar threshold.
Check the allergen information you need, then compare sugars, energy and saturates separately.
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Relying on a similarly named listing
Two Tesco Free From Custard Creams 125g listings give different sugar figures. A name and pack weight alone do not identify which nutrition figures apply to the biscuit you receive.
Match the product listing to the supplied pack and read its label before relying on a particular figure.
Brand and product-line references
These figures describe the named retailer listings, not every biscuit sold under each brand.
Schär
A gluten-free custard cream with both per-100g and per-biscuit sugar figures on the Sainsbury’s listing.
- Sainsbury’s lists 23g sugars per 100g, 2.8g per biscuit and five portion packs for the 125g product.
- Those figures do not establish a reduced-sugars claim. Check the supplied pack’s ingredients for your dietary requirements.
Sainsbury’s
Its conventional and Free From custard creams are distinct products to compare.
- Sainsbury’s lists 26.5g sugars per 100g and 3.3g per biscuit for its conventional 200g pack; its Free From 125g pack lists 24.9g and 3.5g respectively.
- Check allergen suitability and sugar content as separate questions.
Asda
Conventional and Free From listings offer different ingredient requirements and sugar figures.
- Asda lists 29g sugars per 100g and 3.4g per biscuit for its conventional 400g pack; its Free From 125g pack lists 25g and 3.5g respectively.
- Compare the exact variant rather than applying one pack’s figures to the other.
Crawford’s
A conventional custard cream for comparison with other familiar biscuits.
- Tesco’s 300g listing gives 30.7g sugars per 100g and 3.6g per biscuit.
- That listing does not establish a reduced-sugars claim.
M&S
Extra Cream Custard Creams place emphasis on the filling rather than a lower listed sugar figure.
- Ocado describes a 33% vanilla-flavour filling and lists 40.2g sugars per 100g for this product.
- Those details apply to Extra Cream Custard Creams, not every M&S biscuit.
McVitie’s
Tasties Custard Creams are another conventional biscuit to assess by their exact pack details.
- Morrisons describes the 300g Tasties product as custard-flavoured cream between two biscuits.
- The Morrisons listing identifies wheat and milk allergens; its description does not establish a reduced-sugars claim.
Tesco
Free From Custard Creams require an exact-pack check before using a nutrition figure.
- Two Tesco 125g Free From listings give different figures: 19.9g and 25.2g sugars per 100g.
- Do not assign either figure to an unspecified pack. Check its product details and supplied label.
Custard creams on Joybuy
This Schär option is relevant if you want to compare listed sugar figures for an elevenses custard cream and also need a gluten-free product. Check the supplied pack against any other dietary requirements.
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Schär Gluten Free Custard Creams 125g
For an elevenses comparison, the Sainsbury’s listing for this 125g product gives 23g total sugars per 100g and 2.8g per biscuit, with five portion packs. Its gluten-free description does not establish suitability for every allergen requirement; check the supplied pack’s ingredients. The listed 23g per 100g is above the NHS high-sugar threshold of more than 22.5g per 100g.
Frequently asked questions
Does a lower sugar figure make a custard cream “reduced sugar”?
No. Comparing total sugars on two labels does not establish that either product qualifies for a regulated reduced-sugars claim. Compare the exact per-100g figures for your own choice, but do not attach that claim to a biscuit solely because its figure is lower in this selection.
Does “free from” mean low in sugar?
No. Free-from information addresses specified ingredients or allergens, not sugar content. Sainsbury’s lists 24.9g sugars per 100g for its Free From Custard Creams, above the NHS high-sugar threshold of more than 22.5g per 100g.
Do custard creams need preparing for elevenses?
The Crawford’s and Sainsbury’s custard creams described in the retailer listings are biscuits that do not need preparation. Both listings advise using an airtight container after opening; follow the storage instructions on the pack you receive.
What should I check before serving custard creams to someone with a food allergy?
Check the supplied pack’s ingredient list, highlighted allergens and any precautionary statement for the specific allergen in question. GOV.UK explains that specified allergens in prepacked food must be clearly labelled in the ingredient list; sugar figures cannot establish allergen suitability.
What if two listings for similarly named biscuits show different sugar figures?
Identify the exact product and use the supplied pack’s label for the biscuit you receive. Two Tesco Free From Custard Creams 125g listings give different sugar figures, so neither should be applied to an unspecified pack.