Gluten-free custard creams: compare sugar and pack sizes

Who is this comparison for?

People buying for someone with coeliac disease

Look for an explicit gluten-free label rather than relying on the biscuit name. The standard Tesco, Crawford’s and M&S custard creams in their respective product listings contain wheat.

Shoppers comparing declared sugars

Once gluten-free suitability is established, compare sugars per 100g. Tesco Groceries lists 19.9g for Tesco Free From, Schär UK lists 23g for Schär, and Sainsbury’s lists 24.9g for Sainsbury’s Free From.

Shoppers who prefer portion packs

Schär custard creams are sold in 25g packs, according to the Schär and ASDA product information. Check the nutrition label for the amount in the portion you intend to serve.

What should you check first?

Check gluten-free labelling first, then compare sugars on the same basis and consider how the biscuits are packed.

Priority	What to check	Your needs
Gluten-free suitability	Look for an explicit gluten-free statement and read the ingredients and allergen panel on the pack. The Food Standards Agency states that food labelled gluten free must contain no more than 20mg/kg gluten as sold to the final consumer.	I’m buying for someone with coeliac disease, so a familiar custard cream is not enough: I need a product labelled gluten free.
Sugars per 100g	Compare like-for-like nutrition figures: Tesco Groceries lists 19.9g for Tesco Free From, Schär UK lists 23g for Schär, and Sainsbury’s lists 24.9g for Sainsbury’s Free From. A lower figure here does not itself establish a reduced-sugar claim.	After checking the gluten-free label, I want to compare declared sugars without letting different biscuit sizes distort the result.
Serving and pack size	Read the sugars figure for the biscuit or portion you plan to serve as well as the per-100g figure. Tesco Groceries lists 2.8g sugars per biscuit; Schär custard creams are sold in 25g packs, according to ASDA.	For a lunchbox or travel, I may prefer a portion pack; for a sugar comparison between products, I still need the per-100g figures.

What can make the comparison misleading?

Assuming custard creams are gluten free

Custard cream describes the biscuit, not its gluten status. The standard Tesco, Crawford’s and M&S products listed by their retailers contain wheat.

Choose a product explicitly labelled gluten free before comparing its sugar or portion size.
Reading gluten free as reduced sugar

Gluten-free labelling does not describe sugar content. Tesco Groceries, Schär UK and Sainsbury’s list different sugars-per-100g figures for their gluten-free custard creams.

Compare the nutrition tables directly. If a formal reduced-sugar or no-added-sugar claim matters to you, look for that exact wording on the pack.
Comparing biscuits of different sizes

A per-biscuit figure depends on the biscuit’s weight, so it can give a different impression from a per-100g comparison.

Use sugars per 100g to compare products, then check the stated biscuit or pack amount for the serving you intend to use.
Relying only on the online listing

Ingredients, allergens and nutrition information can change when a product is reformulated.

Read the gluten-free statement, ingredients and allergen panel on the pack received before serving it to someone with coeliac disease.

Brand and range references

Tesco Free From

A gluten-free custard cream with the lowest declared sugars per 100g of the three gluten-free products compared here.

Tesco Groceries lists 19.9g sugars per 100g and 2.8g per biscuit, and describes this product as gluten free and milk free.
A lower figure in this comparison is not a reduced-sugar claim; check the current pack label.

Schär

A gluten- and wheat-free custard cream available in portion packs.

Schär UK lists 23g sugars per 100g; ASDA lists five 25g packs for the 125g product.
Its declared sugars per 100g are higher than Tesco Free From’s in this comparison.

Sainsbury’s Free From

A custard cream that Sainsbury’s describes as gluten free, milk free and suitable for coeliacs.

The explicit gluten-free statement helps identify the relevant product when shopping in the Free From range.
Sainsbury’s lists 24.9g sugars per 100g, above the Tesco Free From and Schär figures compared here.

Crawford’s

A conventional custard cream to distinguish from gluten-free alternatives.

Tesco Groceries lists wheat flour and wheat starch in Crawford’s Custard Creams.
This listed product does not meet a gluten-free shopping requirement.

M&S

Its listed Extra Cream Custard Creams are a conventional, wheat-containing option.

Marks & Spencer lists 40.2g sugars per 100g for this specific product.
Its ingredients include wheat flour, so it is not an alternative for a gluten-free requirement.

Custard creams on Joybuy

A gluten-free custard cream option for shoppers who value portion packs alongside a per-100g sugar comparison.

Schar Gluten Free Custard Creams 125g

For a gluten-free custard cream in portion packs, Schär UK lists 23g sugars per 100g and ASDA describes the matching 125g product as five 25g packs. Check the pack’s ingredients and allergen information before serving.

View on Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Are ordinary custard creams suitable for someone with coeliac disease?

Do not assume so: the standard Tesco, Crawford’s and M&S custard creams in their respective product listings contain wheat. Choose a product explicitly labelled gluten free and check its pack before serving.

What does gluten free mean on a UK food label?

The Food Standards Agency states that food labelled gluten free must contain no more than 20mg/kg gluten as sold to the final consumer. Look for that label claim when choosing custard creams for a gluten-free requirement.

Which of these gluten-free custard creams has the lowest declared sugars?

Tesco Free From has the lowest per-100g figure of the three compared: Tesco Groceries lists 19.9g, Schär UK lists 23g for Schär, and Sainsbury’s lists 24.9g for Sainsbury’s Free From. Check the current packs when making the comparison.

Does the lowest sugar figure mean a custard cream is reduced sugar?

No. Tesco Free From’s 19.9g per 100g is lower than the Schär and Sainsbury’s Free From figures in this comparison, but a relative difference does not establish a formal reduced-sugar claim. Check the pack for that specific wording if it matters to your choice.

Is an online allergen listing enough before serving the biscuits?

Read the physical pack as well. Product ingredients and allergen information can change, so check the gluten-free statement and allergen panel on the biscuits you receive before serving them to someone with coeliac disease.