Shoppers avoiding gluten
Look for gluten-free identification on the specific biscuit pack. If serving it to someone with coeliac disease, check the supplied label and keep crumbs from gluten-containing food away from the biscuits.
Who is choosing?
People packing an afternoon snack
Schär’s listed 125 g box contains five separate 25 g packs, with two biscuits per pack. The examined Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda alternatives are standard 125 g packs.
Shoppers with other dietary requirements
The examined Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda custard creams are also listed as milk free and suitable for vegans. Check the current pack for the full ingredients and allergen information before serving.
What should you check?
Start with the gluten-free label on the exact product, then choose a pack format and compare any other details that matter for your snack.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free identification | Check the exact pack for a gluten-free label and current ingredients. Coeliac UK says food labelled gluten free in the UK must contain no more than 20 parts per million of gluten. | I need a biscuit identified as gluten free, not just one that looks like a familiar custard cream. |
| Pack format | Schär’s listed 125 g box has five 25 g packs containing two biscuits each; the examined supermarket alternatives are standard 125 g packs. Check storage directions after opening. | A separate pack would be convenient to carry, or I would rather serve biscuits from one pack at home. |
| Other ingredients | Check milk-free and vegan declarations where relevant, then read the supplied pack’s full allergen information. A gluten-free label alone does not answer other dietary questions. | I’m choosing for someone who also avoids milk or follows a vegan diet. |
| Nutrition per portion | Compare the amount you intend to eat, checking biscuit weights as well as per-biscuit values. Tesco lists 2.8 g sugars and 1.1 g saturates per biscuit; Sainsbury’s and Asda each list 3.5 g sugars and 1.8 g saturates per biscuit for their examined products. | I want to compare the nutrition panels without assuming that gluten free means lower in sugar or saturated fat. |
Common buying mistakes
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Assuming every custard cream is gluten free
The examined conventional McVitie’s, Crawford’s and M&S custard creams list wheat ingredients. That finding applies to those products, not every biscuit sold by those brands.
Choose by the exact product’s gluten-free identification and its current pack label, rather than by its biscuit style or brand.
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Treating gluten free as a nutrition description
The listed gluten-free products have different per-biscuit sugar and saturated fat values.
Read the nutrition panel for the portion you plan to eat, alongside the gluten-free label.
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Relying on an older online ingredients list
Tesco and Asda caution that product or allergen information can change.
Check the pack you receive before serving, particularly when an allergen must be avoided.
Brand and product references
These references describe specific listed biscuits; they do not establish that every product from a brand has the same ingredients.
Schär
Its listed gluten-free Custard Creams come in a 125 g box of five separate packs.
- Asda identifies the biscuits as gluten free and shows a Crossed Grain symbol on its listing.
- Check the supplied pack for current ingredients and allergens; the symbol does not answer every other dietary question.
Tesco
The examined Free From Custard Creams come in a standard 125 g pack.
- Tesco lists this product as gluten free, milk free and suitable for vegans, with nutrition per biscuit.
- Tesco cautions that reformulation can change ingredients and allergens.
Sainsbury’s
The examined Free From Custard Creams come in a standard 125 g pack.
- Sainsbury’s lists this product as gluten free, milk free, suitable for vegans and suitable for coeliacs.
- Its per-biscuit nutrition differs from Tesco’s listing; compare the relevant portion on the current packs.
Asda
The examined Free From Custard Creams come in a standard 125 g pack.
- Asda lists this product as gluten free, milk free and suitable for vegans.
- Asda cautions that product and allergy information may change.
McVitie’s
The examined Tasties Custard Creams are a conventional biscuit comparator.
- Morrisons lists wheat flour and wheat starch in this product; do not treat it as a gluten-free substitute.
Crawford’s
The examined 300 g Custard Creams are a conventional biscuit comparator.
- Tesco lists wheat flour and wheat starch in this product; its custard-cream name does not establish gluten-free suitability.
M&S
The examined Extra Cream Custard Creams are a conventional biscuit comparator.
- Ocado lists wheat flour in this product and identifies milk and soya allergens.
Joybuy product options
The Joybuy option shown here is a separately packed gluten-free custard cream for an afternoon snack.
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Schär Gluten Free Custard Creams 125 g
The separate packs offer a way to carry an afternoon portion. Asda lists this 125 g product as five 25 g packs with two biscuits per pack and identifies it as gluten free. Check the supplied pack’s ingredients and allergen information before serving.
Frequently asked questions
Does gluten free mean a biscuit contains no gluten at all?
No. Coeliac UK says a food labelled gluten free in the UK can contain no more than 20 parts per million of gluten; the label does not mean absolute zero.
How should I serve gluten-free custard creams to someone avoiding gluten?
Check the supplied label and keep crumbs from gluten-containing food away from the biscuits. Coeliac UK advises cleaning shared surfaces and using clean cutlery with shared spreads.
Do packaged custard creams need preparing?
The examined packaged biscuits have no preparation step specified. Follow the storage directions on the particular pack, including any instructions for after it has been opened.