Who is this choice for?

Walkers packing a sweet biscuit

Custard creams may be one part of the food you carry. Mountain Rescue England and Wales advises taking ample food and drink for the day, including water even in cool weather.

Shoppers checking Fairtrade sourcing

If certification affects your choice, look for the applicable mark on the exact pack and check which ingredient any sourcing claim covers. Do not transfer a claim from another biscuit or chocolate product.

School-food purchasers in England

Food provided to pupils in state-funded schools raises a different question from a personal hiking purchase. The Department for Education says those schools must comply with England’s school food standards.

What should you check?

Start with the claim on the pack, then check whether the biscuit fits your route and the people who will eat it.

Priority What to check Your needs
Fairtrade claim Look for a FAIRTRADE Mark or a Fairtrade Sourced Ingredient claim on the exact pack. Read which ingredient the claim covers, particularly on a chocolate-coated variant. I want the biscuit I buy to carry the sourcing claim, rather than relying on a claim made for another product.
Food for the route Consider the route and what other food you are carrying. Pack water as well as snacks; Mountain Rescue England and Wales advises ample food and drink for the day. A few biscuits would be one snack, not all the food and drink I take on a hike.
Ingredients and allergens Read the current pack for the product you are buying. The Morrisons listing for McVitie's Tasties Custard Creams declares wheat and milk and says it may contain sesame. If I am avoiding an ingredient or allergen, I need to check this pack rather than assume every custard cream has the same recipe.
School provision For food provided to pupils in England’s state-funded schools, check the applicable school food standards. Assess any HFSS claim for the exact product using the relevant Nutrient Profiling Model. Buying a personal hiking snack is different from deciding what a school may provide to pupils.

Common buying mistakes

  • Assuming chocolate means Fairtrade

    A chocolate coating can make cocoa sourcing relevant, but it does not establish certification for that biscuit or for every ingredient.

    Check the exact pack for the applicable mark and read any statement naming the certified ingredient.

  • Taking biscuits as the only food for a hike

    A packet of custard creams does not replace planning food and drink for the route. Mountain Rescue England and Wales advises carrying ample food and water, including in cool weather.

    Pack biscuits, if you want them, alongside enough other food and water for the day.

  • Relying on an old allergen listing

    The Morrisons listing for McVitie's Tasties Custard Creams declares wheat and milk and warns that the product may contain sesame. Ingredients and allergen information can change.

    Read the label on the pack supplied, especially when buying for someone who must avoid an allergen.

  • Applying school rules to a personal snack

    The Department for Education’s school food standards concern food provided to pupils in England’s state-funded schools, not an individual’s hiking purchase. The Department of Health and Social Care describes HFSS classification as a nutrient-profiling assessment, so a category name alone does not establish an individual biscuit’s status.

    If purchasing for a school, check the rules for its UK nation and assess the exact product under the applicable requirements.

Brand and retailer references

These examples show why the label on a particular product matters more than an assumption about a whole range.

McVitie's

Morrisons lists McVitie's Tasties Custard Creams as vanilla-flavour cream sandwich biscuits.

  • The listing provides an ingredient and allergen declaration for this product.
  • Check the pack itself before treating this biscuit as a Fairtrade purchase.

Tesco

Tesco Groceries lists Tesco Custard Cream Biscuits 400G in its custard search results.

  • The listing identifies a specific pack size to check when shopping.
  • Use the product label to check its ingredients, allergens and any Fairtrade claim.

M&S

Marks & Spencer describes a milk-chocolate-coated custard cream with a vanilla cream filling.

  • The chocolate coating makes the ingredient covered by any cocoa-sourcing claim worth checking.
  • Chocolate in the description does not, by itself, establish Fairtrade certification.

Custard creams on Joybuy

This gluten-free custard cream is an option to consider if you want biscuits to carry as part of your hiking food. Check its exact pack for any Fairtrade claim.

Schar Gluten Free Custard Creams 125g pack

Schar Gluten Free Custard Creams 125g

For a hike, carry these custard creams alongside other food and water suited to your route. The product name specifies a 125g gluten-free pack; check the pack’s ingredient and allergen information and any Fairtrade claim before buying.

View on Joybuy

Questions about hiking and Fairtrade

Does Fairtrade chocolate make an ordinary custard cream Fairtrade?

No: a claim for another chocolate product does not apply to the custard cream in your hand. Check its exact pack for a FAIRTRADE Mark or a claim naming a Fairtrade-sourced ingredient. The Morrisons ingredient listing for McVitie's Tasties Custard Creams does not list cocoa.

Can I take custard creams on a hike?

Yes, they can be one biscuit snack in your pack. Plan the rest of your food and water around the route: Mountain Rescue England and Wales advises carrying ample food and drink for the day and water even in cool weather.

Can I tell whether a custard cream is HFSS just from its name?

No. The Department of Health and Social Care’s Nutrient Profiling Model classifies foods using their nutritional composition; an HFSS conclusion needs an assessment of the exact product under the applicable model, not an assumption about all custard creams.

Do school food standards apply when I buy hiking snacks?

England’s school food standards concern food and drink provided to pupils in state-funded schools, according to the Department for Education. They do not turn a personal hiking purchase into school food provision; school purchasers elsewhere in the UK need to check their nation’s requirements separately.

Which allergens are listed for McVitie's Tasties Custard Creams?

The Morrisons listing declares wheat and milk and says the biscuits may contain sesame. Read the label on the pack you receive, as ingredients and allergen information can change.