Gluten-free shoppers reducing fat
If you want a custard-cream-style biscuit, compare total fat and saturates as well as the gluten-free claim. Being gluten-free does not tell you whether a biscuit is low fat.
Who is this comparison for?
Coeliac shoppers checking label assurance
An explicit gluten-free claim matters when you need to avoid gluten. In Coeliac UK’s Shopping Habits 2025 survey, 74% of the 3,785 members who responded said they trusted the Crossed Grain Trademark more than a gluten-free statement; that measures trust among those members, not the preferences of all UK shoppers.
Shoppers planning biscuit portions
Per-biscuit figures help you account for the number you intend to eat. Schär’s five individually packed 25g portions offer another way to plan a portion, while its per-100g figures remain important for comparing products.
What should you compare?
Start with the gluten-free claim if it is essential for you, then compare fat on the same per-100g basis before looking at the portion you expect to eat.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free claim | Look for an explicit gluten-free statement on the current pack; do not infer suitability from individual ingredients. The Food Standards Agency gives a limit of no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten in food sold as gluten-free. | I need a clear gluten-free claim before choosing a biscuit. Coeliac UK reported that 74% of the 3,785 members responding to its Shopping Habits 2025 survey trusted the Crossed Grain Trademark more than a gluten-free statement; this was a trust measure, not a custard-cream preference measure. |
| Total fat and saturates | Compare both figures per 100g. Tesco Groceries lists 15.9g fat and 7.9g saturates; Sainsbury’s lists 16.8g and 13.0g; Asda lists 19g and 8.6g for Schär. The NHS low-fat guide is 3g total fat or less per 100g. | When reducing fat, I want to compare like with like rather than assume a free-from biscuit is low fat. If I also compare saturates, the product with the lowest total fat is not automatically the lowest on every measure. |
| Portion | Check the nutrition figure for the amount you plan to eat as well as the per-100g figure. Tesco Groceries lists 2.2g fat per 14g biscuit, while Asda describes the Schär pack as five 25g portions. | A pack’s suggested portion might not be the number of biscuits I eat. Individual packs could make planning easier, but packaging does not change the biscuit’s fat content per 100g. |
| Current pack details | Read the pack’s ingredients, allergen information and nutrition panel when buying, particularly if gluten avoidance or a specific fat limit is essential. | I want the product I take home to meet my dietary requirements, even if I have compared retailer listings beforehand. |
What can make the choice misleading?
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Assuming gluten-free also means low fat
Tesco Groceries, Sainsbury’s and Asda list 15.9g, 16.8g and 19g total fat per 100g respectively for the three products compared. All exceed the NHS low-fat guide of 3g or less per 100g.
Check total fat separately from the gluten-free claim. If you have a specific dietary limit, compare the current label with that limit rather than relying on the type of biscuit.
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Comparing only the figure for one biscuit
A per-biscuit figure describes that biscuit, not necessarily the amount you will eat. Different biscuit and pack sizes also make those figures less useful for comparing products.
Use per-100g figures to compare products, then use the relevant per-biscuit or per-pack figure for your intended portion.
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Overlooking saturated fat
Among these listings, Tesco has the lowest total fat at 15.9g per 100g and lists 7.9g saturates; Schär lists more total fat at 19g and 8.6g saturates; Sainsbury’s lists 16.8g total fat and 13.0g saturates.
Read both lines of the nutrition panel if both measures matter to your choice.
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Treating a retailer listing as the final pack check
Product information can change. That matters particularly when you rely on a gluten-free claim or need to follow a defined dietary limit.
Check the physical pack’s current ingredients, allergen statement and nutrition panel before eating.
Which product lines are relevant?
These are the gluten-free custard-cream products used for the nutrition comparison, not an indication that each is available on Joybuy.
Tesco Free From
Tesco Free From Custard Creams are listed in a 125g pack with a gluten-free claim.
- Tesco Groceries lists 15.9g total fat and 7.9g saturates per 100g, the lowest figures for both measures among these three listings.
- At 15.9g total fat per 100g, they do not meet the NHS low-fat guide of 3g or less.
Sainsbury’s Free From
Sainsbury’s lists its 125g Free From Custard Creams as milk- and gluten-free.
- They provide a gluten-free custard-cream option for shoppers also checking for milk.
- Sainsbury’s lists 16.8g total fat and 13.0g saturates per 100g; neither the total-fat figure nor its comparison with Tesco makes this a low-fat product.
Schär
Schär Gluten-Free Custard Creams are listed by Asda as five individually packed 25g portions.
- The separate packs provide a defined portion format.
- Asda lists 19g total fat and 8.6g saturates per 100g. Its total-fat figure is the highest of these three listings and exceeds the NHS low-fat guide.
Joybuy product options
This Schär option is for shoppers considering individually packed gluten-free custard creams. Its portion format may be useful to compare, but it is not a low-fat alternative.
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Schär Gluten Free Custard Creams 125g
Consider this option if individually packed portions help you plan how many biscuits to have. Asda lists five 25g portions, with 19g total fat and 8.6g saturates per 100g; the total-fat figure exceeds the NHS low-fat guide of 3g or less per 100g. Check the current pack for the dietary claims and nutrition information you rely on.
Common questions
Does gluten-free mean a custard cream is low fat?
No. A gluten-free claim concerns gluten, not fat. Tesco Groceries, Sainsbury’s and Asda list 15.9g, 16.8g and 19g total fat per 100g respectively for the products compared here; all exceed the NHS low-fat guide of 3g or less per 100g.
Which of these gluten-free custard creams has the least total fat?
Tesco Free From has the lowest listed total-fat figure among these three products: Tesco Groceries gives 15.9g per 100g, compared with 16.8g from Sainsbury’s for its Free From biscuits and 19g from Asda for Schär. That is a comparison of these listings, not a claim that Tesco’s biscuits are low fat.
What should I look for if I need a gluten-free biscuit?
Look for an explicit gluten-free claim on the current pack rather than judging by the ingredients alone. The Food Standards Agency gives a limit of no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten in food sold as gluten-free; also check the pack’s current ingredients and allergen information for your needs.
Should I compare fat per biscuit or per 100g?
Use per 100g to compare different custard creams on the same basis, then check the per-biscuit or per-pack figure for the amount you plan to eat. A single-biscuit figure may not reflect your intended portion.
Do I need to check the pack after comparing products online?
Yes. Check the physical pack’s current gluten-free claim, ingredients, allergen information and nutrition panel before eating, especially when a dietary requirement or defined fat limit makes those details essential.