Choose an uncoated custard cream if you want a vanilla-filled biscuit: the Tesco and M&S plain recipes examined list no cocoa, so Fairtrade cocoa does not distinguish those products. If you want chocolate coating and a product-specific cocoa sourcing claim, Ocado describes the 191 g M&S coated custard cream as using a Fairtrade cocoa quantity under mass balance; that does not guarantee physically separate certified cocoa in each biscuit.
If you want a chocolate-coated custard cream, check whether the sourcing statement names cocoa on that exact product. A chocolate coating or a retailer-wide commitment does not, by itself, establish what the biscuit’s claim covers.
If vanilla filling matters more to you than chocolate coating, compare uncoated recipes and pack sizes. Tesco’s 400 g custard creams and M&S Extra Cream Custard Creams are two distinct examples.
If someone eating the biscuits has an allergy, check the current pack rather than relying on another custard cream’s recipe. The examined product listings include wheat and milk ingredients, with recipes differing by product.
Decide whether you want an uncoated or chocolate-coated biscuit first; then assess any cocoa-sourcing claim on the specific product you would buy.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade cocoa | Read the exact product’s mark and sourcing statement to see which ingredient is covered. Fairtrade International distinguishes ingredient-specific sourcing marks from marks with different ingredient coverage; a mass-balance statement does not promise physically separate cocoa in each biscuit. | I care about how the cocoa is sourced, so I need a claim for the coated biscuit I’m choosing. Ocado’s listing makes a Fairtrade cocoa mass-balance claim for the 191 g M&S coated custard cream. |
| Biscuit format | Check whether the biscuit is uncoated or chocolate-coated and compare the ingredients. M&S lists milk chocolate as 52% of its examined 191 g coated biscuit; Tesco lists 52% for its examined 162 g coated biscuit. | For a vanilla-filled biscuit without chocolate coating, I’d compare classic recipes. If the coating is what I want, I’d compare coated products without assuming they share a cocoa-sourcing claim. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current pack’s ingredient and allergen information for the exact recipe. Check storage directions and the date on the pack if you plan to keep the biscuits. | Someone eating these biscuits needs me to check the ingredients, so another flavour or pack from the same brand is not enough to go on. |
| Pack size | Compare the stated weight in grams for the formats you want. The examined Tesco uncoated pack is 400 g, while its chocolate-coated pack is 162 g. | I want to know how much biscuit is in the pack, particularly when comparing a classic biscuit with a coated version. |
The examined Tesco and M&S uncoated ingredient lists contain no cocoa, while their coated alternatives list milk chocolate. A cocoa-sourcing claim is therefore not a useful way to compare those plain recipes.
Choose the biscuit format first, then assess cocoa claims only for products containing cocoa.
Fairtrade marks can identify particular ingredients. Ocado’s claim for the examined M&S coated custard cream also specifies mass balance, so it does not promise physically separate certified cocoa in each biscuit.
Read the mark alongside the product-specific wording, especially if physical traceability matters to you.
Tesco’s examined uncoated and chocolate-coated packs weigh 400 g and 162 g respectively, and they are different recipes.
Check the weight as well as the format before deciding how many packs you need.
The examined range includes Extra Cream Custard Creams and a 191 g milk-chocolate-coated custard cream.
Tesco lists an uncoated 400 g custard cream and a milk-chocolate-coated 162 g version.
Its examined 200 g own-label custard creams are an uncoated alternative.
A Joybuy listing identifies McVitie’s Tasties Custard Creams Biscuits 300g as a classic-biscuit reference.
This option is for shoppers considering a classic gluten-free custard cream, rather than choosing a chocolate-coated biscuit for its cocoa-sourcing claim.
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A 125 g gluten-free custard cream option for the classic-biscuit route. Check the current pack for its ingredients, allergens and any sourcing claims relevant to your choice.
No. Fairtrade International distinguishes marks identifying a sourced ingredient from marks with different ingredient coverage. Read the wording on the exact custard-cream pack to establish what its claim covers.
No. Ocado’s listing for the examined 191 g M&S coated custard cream says the required cocoa quantity is sourced, traded and audited as Fairtrade under mass balance. That sourcing claim does not guarantee physically separate certified cocoa in each biscuit.
No. A coating tells you that the biscuit contains chocolate, not how its cocoa was sourced. Check the exact product’s mark or sourcing statement; Tesco’s examined chocolate-coated listing describes its chocolate without making a product-specific Fairtrade claim.
Read the ingredients and allergen information on the current pack of the exact biscuits you intend to buy. The examined recipes include ingredients such as wheat or milk, but their ingredient lists differ.
Follow the directions on that pack. The examined Tesco and chocolate-coated M&S listings advise cool, dry storage and an airtight container after opening.