Choose Tesco Dark Chocolate Digestives if a stated cocoa-solids minimum matters most: Tesco labels the chocolate component as at least 48% cocoa solids, while Sainsbury's states at least 35%. For a Christmas biscuit tin, M&S lists 32% chocolate and demerara sugar, while McVitie's offers several pack sizes. Check the physical pack before serving anyone with an allergy.
Tesco labels the chocolate in its dark digestives as at least 48% cocoa solids; Sainsbury's states at least 35%. Those figures describe the chocolate component, not the whole biscuit, and do not guarantee which flavour you will prefer.
Pack size and variety may matter when biscuits are being shared. McVitie's lists several dark digestive formats, while M&S lists a 300g version made with demerara sugar.
Read the exact pack before putting biscuits out for guests. The compared products list allergens including wheat, milk or soya, and some carry additional precautionary statements.
Start with the cocoa declaration if that is your deciding factor, then compare pack size, nutrition and the allergen information for the people you will serve.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Cocoa declaration | Look for a minimum cocoa-solids figure for the chocolate. Tesco states 48% and Sainsbury's 35%; chocolate as a percentage of the biscuit is a different measure. | I want a stated cocoa threshold rather than relying on the word “dark” alone. |
| Allergens | Read the ingredients and any precautionary statements on the current pack. Sainsbury's flags an oat-allergy concern; ASDA lists possible rye, barley and oat presence. | If guests have allergies, I need to check the biscuits I will actually serve, not a label from an earlier purchase. |
| Nutrition | Compare the same measures per 100g, then check the stated serving or biscuit size. Do not infer sugar or saturated-fat content from “dark chocolate”. | I want to compare portions on a like-for-like basis before adding biscuits to a shared spread. |
| Pack size | Match the quantity to the gathering. The compared Tesco, Sainsbury's, ASDA and M&S packs are 300g; McVitie's lists several formats. | For a mixed biscuit tin, a 300g pack may be enough; for repeat serving, I may want a larger format. |
Chocolate quantity and cocoa-solids percentage measure different things. Tesco states a 48% cocoa-solids minimum for its chocolate, while Sainsbury's states 35%.
If a stated cocoa threshold matters to you, check that figure on the current pack rather than choosing by the product name or coating percentage.
The word “dark” describes the chocolate type; it does not establish the biscuit's nutrition values.
Use the nutrition panel to compare sugars and saturated fat per 100g, then look at the serving information for the portion you plan to put out.
Wheat, milk and soya appear in the allergen information for the compared products, and some packs also warn about possible contact with other cereals.
Check each physical pack before serving. GOV.UK says regulated allergens used as ingredients in UK prepacked food must be clearly labelled in the ingredients list.
These details concern the named products and pack formats, rather than every biscuit made by each brand.
Tesco Dark Chocolate Digestives come in a 300g pack with a stated cocoa minimum for the chocolate.
Sainsbury's 300g dark digestives provide both a chocolate proportion and a cocoa-solids minimum.
ASDA lists a 300g dark digestive with 30% dark chocolate.
McVitie's Dark Chocolate Digestives offer several formats for different serving quantities.
M&S lists a 300g dark digestive made with demerara sugar.
These McVitie's dark chocolate digestive packs suit shoppers choosing a format for a Christmas biscuit tin. Compare the quantity you need and check the pack's allergen information before serving.
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The twin pack provides two 266g packs for a shared biscuit tin. McVitie's lists 30% dark chocolate for its Dark Chocolate Digestives; the product information lists wheat, milk and soya, so check the physical packs before serving.
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This single 400g pack is another quantity to consider for Christmas guests. McVitie's lists 30% dark chocolate for its Dark Chocolate Digestives; check the pack for cocoa details and for the listed wheat, milk and soya allergens.
Look for a cocoa-solids percentage for the chocolate on the pack. Tesco states a minimum of 48% and Sainsbury's a minimum of 35% for their respective chocolate components. The percentage of chocolate in the whole biscuit measures something different.
Do not assume they are suitable: the compared products identify wheat, milk or soya in their allergen information, with some also carrying precautionary statements. Check every physical pack against each guest's requirements before serving.
Choose the quantity that fits how many biscuits you expect to serve, especially if other biscuits will share the tin. The compared own-label and M&S products are listed in 300g packs, while McVitie's lists larger and twin-pack formats.
Yes, particularly when buying for someone with an allergy or comparing nutrition. Read the current pack rather than relying on an earlier purchase; GOV.UK says regulated allergens used as ingredients in UK prepacked food must be clearly labelled in the ingredients list.