Garden-party hosts
If you are offering biscuits to several guests, consider the pack size and keep the packaging to hand after putting biscuits out.
Who is this for?
Hosts looking for Fairtrade chocolate
If chocolate matters to your selection, check which product or ingredient carries the Fairtrade mark. A chocolate-coated custard cream and a separately marked chocolate bar make different sourcing claims.
Hosts catering for dietary needs
Compare the purchased packs against guests’ requirements rather than assuming that all custard creams share an ingredient list. ASDA lists a separate gluten-free and milk-free custard cream product.
What should you check?
Decide whether the biscuit style, a Fairtrade claim or particular ingredient exclusions matter most to your spread; then check the relevant packs before serving.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade claim | Look for a Fairtrade mark and read what it covers on the exact product. Fairtrade International explains that an ingredient-specific mark identifies the named Fairtrade ingredient. ASDA identifies Rainforest Alliance certified cocoa in its chocolate-coated custard creams; that is a different claim. | I want to describe the chocolate I serve accurately. If I cannot establish a Fairtrade claim for the biscuits, I can offer separately labelled chocolate; Co-op lists Tony’s Chocolonely Milk Chocolate with Fairtrade cocoa and sugar. |
| Biscuit style and quantity | Compare the pack size and whether the biscuit is classic or chocolate-coated. Tesco lists a 400g vanilla-filled classic pack and a distinct 162g chocolate-coated pack. Ocado lists 12 biscuits in the 165g M&S Extra Cream pack. | For a larger biscuit spread, I may want a different pack from the one I would choose when chocolate coating or extra filling is the point. |
| Dietary requirements | Read the purchased pack’s ingredients and allergen information. Check any free-from statement against the particular exclusions guests need, and keep different biscuits identifiable when serving. | I need guests to be able to tell which biscuit is which and inspect the relevant label. A gluten-free or milk-free statement does not answer every ingredient question. |
| Nutrition comparison | Use the same measurement basis, such as per 100g, when comparing different biscuits. A per-biscuit figure can reflect a different biscuit size or portion. | If I am comparing labels, I want the figures to describe comparable amounts of food before deciding what to put out. |
Common buying mistakes
-
Calling a chocolate-coated custard cream Fairtrade
Chocolate content, or a different cocoa certification, does not establish a Fairtrade claim for the biscuit. ASDA identifies Rainforest Alliance certified cocoa in its coated version.
Check the exact biscuit pack. If you want a clearly identified Fairtrade chocolate offering, serve a separately marked product without extending its claim to the biscuits.
-
Comparing only the figures for one biscuit
Per-biscuit nutrition figures for different products do not necessarily describe equal amounts of food.
Compare the per-100g information if you want a consistent basis, then check the portion you plan to serve.
-
Assuming free-from covers every guest’s requirements
A gluten-free or milk-free label identifies particular exclusions, not every ingredient or potential allergen concern.
Check the purchased pack against each guest’s requirements and keep different biscuits and their packaging identifiable.
Brand and product-line references
These examples describe particular listed products, not Fairtrade claims or dietary properties across an entire brand.
Tesco
Tesco lists both classic custard creams and a separate chocolate-coated version.
- Its 400g classic pack has a vanilla-flavour filling, while the coated pack is 162g, according to Tesco.
- Check the particular pack for any Fairtrade claim; chocolate coating alone does not establish one.
ASDA
ASDA lists classic, chocolate-coated and separate Free From custard creams.
- ASDA labels its 125g Free From product gluten-free and milk-free.
- ASDA identifies Rainforest Alliance certified cocoa in its coated product; that statement is not a Fairtrade claim.
M&S
Ocado lists M&S Extra Cream Custard Creams as a 165g pack.
- Ocado describes 12 biscuits with a 33% vanilla-flavour filling.
- Check the pack’s ingredients and any sourcing mark before making claims about this product.
McVitie's
Iceland lists McVitie's Tasties Custard Cream Biscuits in a 300g pack.
- Iceland describes a custard-flavoured filling between two biscuits.
- A sourcing statement about palm ingredients should not be presented as a Fairtrade cocoa claim.
Crawford's
Tesco lists Crawford's Custard Creams as a 300g pack.
- Tesco gives a typical count of approximately 26 biscuits per pack.
- Check the purchased pack for ingredients and any sourcing claim rather than applying one to the brand.
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's lists an own-label 200g custard cream pack.
- The stated pack size gives hosts another quantity to compare.
- Check the individual pack for ingredients and any Fairtrade marking.
Custard creams on Joybuy
This gluten-free custard cream option is relevant when a guest needs that particular exclusion. Check its full ingredient and allergen information, and any Fairtrade claim, on the purchased pack.
No image available
Schar Gluten Free Custard Creams 125g
A 125g gluten-free custard cream option for the biscuit spread. Check the pack’s full ingredients against each guest’s requirements; the product name alone does not establish other dietary exclusions or a Fairtrade claim.
Questions about serving custard creams
Does chocolate coating make a custard cream Fairtrade?
No. Check the Fairtrade mark and sourcing information on the exact product. ASDA identifies Rainforest Alliance certified cocoa in its chocolate-coated custard creams, which is a different certification claim.
Can I serve Fairtrade chocolate alongside ordinary custard creams?
Yes, provided you describe the claims separately. Co-op lists Tony’s Chocolonely Milk Chocolate with Fairtrade cocoa and sugar; that claim does not transfer to biscuits served alongside it.
How can guests check ingredients after the biscuits are plated?
Keep the original packs available and identify each biscuit type separately. Guests can then check the purchased product’s ingredient and allergen information rather than relying on its appearance.
Is a gluten-free custard cream suitable for every guest with dietary requirements?
No. Gluten-free labelling addresses that particular exclusion; check the full pack information against each guest’s requirements. ASDA’s separately listed Free From custard creams are labelled both gluten-free and milk-free, but those statements should not be assumed for another product.