For coeliac shopping, choose the exact custard-cream product labelled gluten free, then check the current pack’s ingredients and allergen information before eating it. Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury’s each list a gluten-free, milk-free and vegan Free From custard cream; Schär offers a gluten-free product in five portion packs. The ordinary McVitie’s, Crawford’s, Sainsbury’s and M&S versions identified here list wheat and are not substitutes for those gluten-free products.
If you shop for someone with coeliac disease, look for the gluten-free claim on the exact biscuit you intend to buy. The ordinary McVitie’s Tasties, Crawford’s, Sainsbury’s and M&S products identified in their product information list wheat. Coeliac UK advises checking the ingredients list for emphasised cereals containing gluten.
Gluten-free wording does not answer every dietary question. Asda Groceries, Tesco Groceries and Sainsbury’s each describe their specified Free From custard creams as gluten free, milk free and suitable for vegans; check that the pack in hand is the same product.
For a packed lunch or an unopened portion to keep for later, the Schär gluten-free custard creams listed by Asda Groceries come in five portion packs. Check the pack format if individual portions matter to your choice.
Start with the gluten-free claim on the exact product. Then compare any additional dietary wording and the pack format you will use.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free suitability | Find an explicit gluten-free claim on the exact custard-cream pack. Read its current ingredients and allergen information rather than relying on a familiar brand name; Coeliac UK advises checking the emphasised cereals containing gluten. | I’m replacing an ordinary custard cream and need to know that this particular version is labelled gluten free. |
| Other dietary requirements | Check milk-free and vegan statements separately. Asda Groceries, Tesco Groceries and Sainsbury’s state both for their specified Free From products; Asda Groceries describes the Schär product as lactose free and vegan, not explicitly milk free. | If I also need to avoid milk, I want a milk-free claim and a current allergen check, rather than assuming lactose free means the same thing. |
| Portion format | Compare the pack format as well as its 125g weight. Asda Groceries lists the Schär product as five portion packs; the other specified Free From products are also listed as 125g packs. | Separate unopened portions would be useful for packed lunches or for keeping some biscuits for another day. |
| Nutrition per biscuit | Read sugars and saturates on the current nutrition panel, and check whether the figures are per biscuit, per serving or per 100g before comparing products. | I want to compare the amount in the portion I expect to eat, not assume that a Free From label describes its sugar content. |
The ordinary McVitie’s Tasties, Crawford’s, Sainsbury’s and M&S custard creams identified in their product information list wheat. A similar name or vanilla-cream filling does not make them the same as a gluten-free Free From product.
Check the complete product name, its gluten-free claim and the current pack’s ingredients before eating it.
These are separate product claims. The specified Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury’s Free From listings say milk free, while Asda Groceries calls the Schär custard creams lactose free without explicitly calling them milk free.
If milk avoidance matters, check for a milk-free claim and read the allergen information on the exact pack; do not substitute lactose-free wording for that check.
The specified products are listed as 125g packs, but Schär’s listing describes five separate portion packs. Equal pack weights do not tell you whether biscuits will remain individually wrapped after you open the outer pack.
Check the portion format if you plan to pack some biscuits and keep the rest unopened.
A gluten-free claim addresses gluten; it does not describe how much sugar or saturated fat a biscuit contains.
Use the current nutrition panel and compare figures on the same basis, such as per biscuit, before deciding on a portion.
These distinctions concern the named custard-cream products, not every biscuit made by each brand.
Asda Groceries lists Asda Free From Custard Creams 125g as an own-label option.
Tesco Groceries lists Tesco Free From Custard Creams 125g.
Sainsbury’s lists its Free From Custard Creams 125g as suitable for coeliacs.
Asda Groceries lists Schär Gluten-Free Custard Creams 125g in five portion packs.
The identified McVitie’s Tasties Custard Creams are a standard product, not the gluten-free option described here.
Tesco Groceries lists Crawford’s Custard Creams 300g as a standard custard cream.
The identified M&S Extra Cream Custard Creams are a standard version.
This product is a gluten-free custard cream offered in portion packs. Check its current pack for any additional dietary requirements.
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A custard-cream option for coeliac shopping when separate portions are useful.
Asda Groceries describes this 125g Schär product as gluten free, wheat free, lactose free and vegan, in five portion packs. Lactose free is not a substitute for checking milk-allergen information on the current pack.
Do not rely on the front of the pack for a coeliac-shopping choice. The ordinary McVitie’s Tasties, Crawford’s, Sainsbury’s and M&S products identified in their product information list wheat; check the complete ingredients and allergen information, and choose the exact product labelled gluten free. Coeliac UK advises looking for emphasised cereals containing gluten in the ingredients list.
No: do not use the terms interchangeably when milk-protein allergy is the concern. Asda Groceries describes the specified Schär custard creams as lactose free, while the specified Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury’s Free From listings explicitly say milk free. Check the ingredients and allergen information on the pack you buy.
Use a product listing to identify a possible choice, then read the current physical pack before eating it. Retailers advise that ingredients and allergy information can change, so the check needs to apply to the exact custard creams you have bought.