If Fairtrade sourcing matters most, M&S Milk Chocolate Coated Custard Creams offer a product-level Fairtrade Cocoa claim, according to the product information published by Ocado. It applies to cocoa sourced under mass balance, not necessarily every ingredient; for a plain biscuit or a guest with a dietary requirement, choose by the exact product label rather than assuming the Fairtrade claim applies across a range.
If the sourcing claim is central to your choice, look for its wording on the individual biscuit. Ocado lists Fairtrade Cocoa for M&S Milk Chocolate Coated Custard Creams; its mass-balance wording does not describe an all-ingredient Fairtrade claim.
If you want plain vanilla custard creams for a shared plate, Tesco and Asda each list a 400 g pack. Check the exact pack for a Fairtrade claim if that remains a requirement.
Match the label to the guest's requirement: Asda Free From Custard Creams are labelled gluten-free and milk-free, while Schär Custard Creams are labelled gluten-free, wheat-free and lactose-free. Lactose-free should not be read as milk-free.
Start with the precise sourcing or dietary claim you need, then compare the pack format and nutrition information for the biscuits you might serve.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade scope | Read the claim on the exact product. Ocado describes the M&S chocolate-coated biscuit as Fairtrade Cocoa and says its cocoa is sourced under mass balance; the Fairtrade Foundation distinguishes a named-ingredient claim from a whole-product claim. | I want a Fairtrade cocoa claim and am happy to serve a chocolate-coated custard cream, rather than a plain one. |
| Dietary suitability | Check the current ingredients and allergen label. Asda Free From is labelled gluten-free and milk-free; Schär is labelled gluten-free, wheat-free and lactose-free. Standard Tesco and Asda custard creams list wheat and milk. | A guest needs a biscuit labelled for their particular requirement. I would check that requirement against the pack before serving. |
| Nutrition information | Compare the same measure, such as per biscuit or per 100 g, on the products under consideration. A free-from label does not describe sugar or saturated-fat content. | If sweetness or saturated fat affects what I serve, I want to compare the actual biscuits and portions, not judge them by their sourcing or free-from claims. |
| Serving format | Compare pack weights and portioning: Tesco and Asda list 400 g plain packs, while the Schär 125 g product is presented as five 25 g portion packs. | For a shared biscuit plate, I may want a larger plain pack; for separate portions, individual packs could be more convenient. |
Ocado's claim for M&S Milk Chocolate Coated Custard Creams names cocoa specifically and explains that certified and non-certified cocoa may mix during processing under mass balance.
Look for the claim on the exact product, and describe it as Fairtrade cocoa rather than an all-ingredient Fairtrade claim.
Sainsbury's states that the palm oil in its plain custard creams is certified sustainable; Ocado identifies Fairtrade cocoa in a different, M&S chocolate-coated product. The claims concern different ingredients and standards.
Check each pack separately, whether your priority is Fairtrade sourcing, palm-oil sourcing or a dietary label.
Standard Tesco and Asda custard creams list wheat and milk ingredients. Free-from products use different, product-specific wording.
Ask the guest which ingredients or labels matter, then check the current pack before serving.
A gluten-free or milk-free label addresses the stated ingredient requirement; it does not establish how the biscuit compares for sugar or saturated fat.
If those values matter to your choice, compare the nutrition panels using the same per-biscuit or per-100 g basis.
The chocolate-coated custard cream listed by Ocado carries a Fairtrade Cocoa claim. M&S also has a separate plain Extra Cream Custard Cream.
Tesco Custard Cream Biscuits are a 400 g pack of vanilla-filled sandwich biscuits.
Asda lists both a standard 400 g custard cream and a separate 125 g Free From version.
Schär Custard Creams are listed in five 25 g portion packs, with gluten-free, wheat-free and lactose-free claims.
Sainsbury's lists a 200 g pack of plain custard creams.
This Schär custard cream is an option to consider for a guest seeking its stated gluten-free and lactose-free labels; check the pack separately if Fairtrade sourcing is essential.
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For an afternoon-tea guest seeking a gluten-free and lactose-free custard cream, check these stated labels against their requirements. The 125 g product is listed as five 25 g portion packs; lactose-free should not be taken to mean milk-free.
The claim on Ocado's product listing is Fairtrade Cocoa, not an all-ingredient claim. It says the cocoa quantity required is sourced, traded and audited as Fairtrade, while cocoa may mix with non-certified cocoa during processing under mass balance. The Fairtrade Foundation explains that a named Fairtrade Sourced Ingredient claim applies to the specified ingredient.
No: look for a Fairtrade claim and its scope on the exact pack or product page. Another biscuit in the retailer's range, or a different sourcing claim such as certified sustainable palm oil, does not establish a Fairtrade claim for the plain custard creams.
Do not assume so: the standard Tesco and Asda products list wheat and milk ingredients. Asda Free From is labelled gluten-free and milk-free, whereas Schär is labelled gluten-free, wheat-free and lactose-free. Match the current pack's wording to the guest's particular requirement.
Check the ingredients and allergens, pack quantity and date marking, as well as any storage directions relevant to serving. UK food-labelling guidance from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and the Food Standards Agency requires prepacked foods to display ingredients including allergens, net quantity and a best-before or use-by date.
Follow the storage instructions on the individual pack. Product information for several of these custard creams advises cool, dry storage and an airtight container after opening.