Hosts comparing sugar figures
If you want to put out custard creams with less declared sugar, compare exact packs per 100g as well as per biscuit. A lower figure in this selection is not, by itself, a “reduced sugars” claim.
Who is this for?
Hosts buying for a larger group
Pack weight, inner packs and stated servings can help you judge how many biscuits to set out for the meeting.
Hosts checking guests’ dietary requirements
Check the current ingredients and allergen declaration for each affected guest. A gluten- or milk-free designation answers a different question from how much sugar a biscuit contains.
What should you compare?
Start with a like-for-like sugar comparison, then use the per-biscuit figure and pack contents to plan what to serve.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar comparison | Compare total sugars per 100g on exact-pack labels. Sainsbury’s lists 23g for Schär’s 125g pack and 26.5g for its 200g standard pack; Tesco lists 28.5g for its 750g multipack. Check sugars per biscuit separately: those listings state 2.8g, 3.3g and 3.6g respectively. | I want to compare biscuits on the same weight basis, then consider how many I might put on each plate. A lower number here does not tell me that a pack is labelled “reduced sugars”. |
| Quantity | Match pack contents and stated servings to attendance. Sainsbury’s describes approximately 16 servings in its standard 200g pack; ASDA suggests approximately 34 in its 400g pack. Tesco describes its 750g pack as five 150g packs. | For a smaller meeting, I may not need a large sharing pack. If more people are coming, I want to plan the portions rather than choose by pack weight alone. |
| Guest requirements | Read the current ingredient and allergen declaration for the exact pack. Sainsbury’s labels its 125g Free From custard creams gluten- and milk-free and lists 24.9g sugars per 100g; check dietary suitability and sugar separately. | I need to check what each guest can have, without assuming a Free From biscuit is also a lower-sugar choice. |
Common buying mistakes
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Calling the lowest figure “reduced sugars”
Ordering a few packs by their labelled sugar content does not establish that any one of them qualifies for a comparative nutrition claim. The NHS’s high-sugar labelling threshold is 22.5g of total sugars per 100g; even Schär’s listed 23g per 100g is above it.
Describe the exact pack and its declared figures instead of treating “lower in this comparison” as a claim on the product.
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Choosing a large pack without planning portions
Pack weights and stated servings differ, so a larger pack may leave biscuits after the meeting.
Estimate how many you intend to set out, compare that with the pack contents and check current availability before ordering.
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Treating Free From and lower sugar as the same need
A biscuit may be labelled for a particular dietary restriction while still declaring sugar on its nutrition label. Standard custard creams may contain ingredients a guest needs to avoid.
Check the current allergen declaration against each guest’s requirements, then compare the sugar figures as a separate step.
Brand and product-line references
These figures describe particular UK biscuit packs, not every custard cream made by each brand.
Sainsbury’s
Its standard 200g and Free From 125g custard creams serve different guest requirements.
- Sainsbury’s lists 26.5g sugars per 100g for the standard pack and 24.9g for the gluten- and milk-free pack.
- The Free From designation does not establish a “reduced sugars” claim; the packs also differ in size and stated sugars per biscuit.
Tesco
Its 750g custard creams multipack is divided into five 150g packs.
- Tesco lists 28.5g sugars per 100g and 3.6g per biscuit for this pack.
- Check whether the quantity fits the meeting and whether the exact pack is currently available.
ASDA
The 400g custard creams pack is described by ASDA as providing approximately 34 servings.
- Its listing states 29g sugars per 100g and 3.4g per biscuit.
- Check the packet’s current nutrition and allergen information before serving it to guests.
Crawford’s
The 300g custard creams pack offers another standard-biscuit comparison.
- Tesco’s listing gives approximately 26 biscuits per pack and 30.7g sugars per 100g.
- Those figures apply to this pack, not to other Crawford’s products.
McVitie’s
Tasties Custard Creams are a branded standard-biscuit option.
- Morrisons identifies the Tasties custard creams pack as 300g.
- The product name does not establish a “reduced sugars” claim; compare the current pack label if sugar is your deciding factor.
M&S
Extra Cream Custard Creams are positioned around additional vanilla filling, rather than sugar reduction.
- M&S identifies the exact pack as 165g.
- M&S lists 40.2g sugars per 100g for this Extra Cream product; that figure does not describe its entire biscuit range.
Joybuy product options
For a book club where a gluten-free custard cream is relevant, this Schär pack is one option to check against guests’ requirements and the current nutrition label.
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Schär Gluten Free Custard Creams 125g
Consider this pack if a guest needs gluten-free custard creams; Joybuy describes the product as gluten-free and lactose-free, so check the current packet against the guest’s specific requirements. Sainsbury’s listing for Schär’s 125g pack states 23g sugars per 100g and 2.8g per biscuit. Confirm the figures on the pack you receive before comparing it with other biscuits.
Questions about serving custard creams
Is a biscuit with less sugar per 100g automatically “reduced sugars”?
No. A lower figure among the packs you compare does not, on its own, establish a comparative nutrition claim. The UK Department of Health and Social Care’s nutrition-claims guidance treats such claims separately from simply reading the sugar declaration on a label.
Should I compare sugars per 100g or per biscuit?
Use sugars per 100g to compare packs on the same weight basis, then use sugars per biscuit when deciding how many to serve. The NHS explains that the total sugars shown on a food label are not the same measure as the free sugars discussed in its dietary guidance.
Does Free From mean a custard cream has less sugar?
No. Sainsbury’s labels its 125g Free From custard creams gluten- and milk-free, but the pack lists 24.9g sugars per 100g. Check the current packet for both the guest’s dietary requirement and its separate sugar declaration.
How should I keep custard creams left after book club?
Follow the storage directions on the pack you buy. Sainsbury’s advises keeping its standard 200g custard creams in an airtight container after opening.