Choose a custard cream explicitly labelled gluten-free rather than assuming a conventional biscuit is suitable. Tesco Free From, Sainsbury's Free From and ASDA Free From list 125 g packs that are also milk-free and suitable for vegans. Schär lists a gluten-free, lactose-free option in five two-biscuit packs, but lactose-free is not the same claim as milk-free.
Look for an explicit gluten-free claim on the custard cream, not just a familiar biscuit name. UK Food Standards Agency guidance, published through GOV.UK in August 2023, says food labelled gluten-free must contain no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten as sold to the final consumer.
Tesco Groceries, Sainsbury's and ASDA Groceries describe their respective Free From custard creams as gluten-free, milk-free and suitable for vegans. Check the current pack against each dietary requirement separately.
Schär describes its custard creams as portion packed. ASDA Groceries lists the 125 g product as five individual packs containing two biscuits each, a format to consider for a lunch box or tea break at work.
Start with the dietary claims you need, then consider whether a single pack or separated servings fit the tea break you have in mind.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free claim | Check for an explicit gluten-free label and read the current ingredient and allergen information. UK Food Standards Agency guidance sets the gluten-free condition at no more than 20 mg/kg in the food as sold. | For my tea break, I need a biscuit labelled gluten-free rather than a conventional custard cream whose name tells me nothing about gluten. |
| Other dietary claims | Check milk-free and vegan statements separately from gluten-free. Tesco, Sainsbury's and ASDA list both claims for their Free From custard creams; Schär describes its product as lactose-free. | If I also avoid milk, I need the pack to say milk-free. A lactose-free statement on its own does not answer that question. |
| Pack format | Check the total pack weight and whether servings are individually wrapped. ASDA lists Schär's 125 g pack as five packs of two biscuits; the cited own-label products are listed as 125 g packs. | Biscuits for a lunch box are easier to separate if they come in individual packs. For tea at home, I may not need that format. |
Marks & Spencer lists wheat flour and cereals containing gluten for its Extra Cream Custard Creams. The biscuit style alone cannot establish whether it meets a gluten-free requirement.
Choose a product explicitly labelled gluten-free and check the pack's current ingredient and allergen information.
Gluten-free, milk-free, lactose-free and vegan describe different requirements. The cited own-label products are listed as milk-free and vegan, while Schär describes its custard creams as lactose-free and vegan.
Match each requirement to a statement on the particular pack you intend to serve.
Retailer product information can change when a biscuit is reformulated. An earlier listing may not describe the pack in your hand.
Read the delivered or in-store pack before serving it, particularly when someone needs to avoid an allergen.
Its custard creams are an option to examine when separated servings matter alongside a gluten-free claim.
Tesco Groceries lists a 125 g custard cream pack for shoppers looking for gluten-free and milk-free claims together.
Sainsbury's lists a 125 g custard cream made with rice flour and maize flour and described as gluten-free and milk-free.
ASDA Groceries lists a 125 g custard cream with gluten-free and milk-free claims.
This Schär option is relevant if you want gluten-free custard creams in separate packs for tea away from home. Check its current label if you also have other dietary requirements.
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The individually packed biscuits suit a lunch box or a tea break away from home. Schär describes these custard creams as gluten-free, wheat-free, lactose-free and vegan; ASDA lists the 125 g product as five packs of two biscuits. Check the current pack for any additional allergen requirements.
UK Food Standards Agency guidance, published through GOV.UK in August 2023, says food labelled gluten-free must contain no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten as sold to the final consumer. Check for that explicit claim rather than judging a custard cream by its name.
No. Tesco Groceries, Sainsbury's and ASDA Groceries describe their cited Free From custard creams as both gluten-free and milk-free, but those are separate claims. Schär describes its product as lactose-free; check the current pack if you specifically need milk-free biscuits.
Schär describes its gluten-free custard creams as portion packed, and ASDA Groceries lists five individual packs of two biscuits in the 125 g product. That format may be useful when packing biscuits for a lunch box or work tea break.
No. Marks & Spencer lists wheat flour and cereals containing gluten in its Extra Cream Custard Creams. When gluten avoidance is required, choose a biscuit with an explicit gluten-free claim and check its current label.
Read the physical pack before serving the biscuits. Retailers warn that ingredients and allergy information can change, so the listing you saw when choosing a product may differ from the pack you receive.