Organisers buying for coeliac attendees
Look for an explicit gluten-free claim on the biscuit pack. Keep its ingredient information available and serve it apart from ordinary refreshments so attendees can identify what they are taking.
Who is this choice for?
Organisers accommodating several dietary needs
A gluten-free claim does not answer questions about oats, nuts, soya or lupin. Check the ingredients and precautionary wording on the pack you intend to serve.
Organisers setting out self-service refreshments
Consider whether a sharing pack or separate inner packs will be easier to identify and set aside. Asda lists three 50 g inner packs for its Schär 150 g digestive; the checked supermarket own-label digestives come in sharing packs.
What should you check before buying?
Start with the exact biscuit’s gluten-free label, then check its other ingredients and how you will serve it.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free identification | Check for an explicit gluten-free claim on the biscuit you buy, then read its current ingredient and allergen label. The Food Standards Agency defines a gluten-free claim as no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten in the food as sold. | I need a biscuit identified as gluten free, rather than assuming that the word “digestive” or a familiar brand makes it suitable. |
| Oat ingredients | Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda list gluten-free oat ingredients in their checked Free From digestives. Coeliac UK notes that some people with coeliac disease remain sensitive to gluten-free oats. | If an attendee cannot eat gluten-free oats, I need to check the ingredients of a different gluten-free digestive. |
| Other allergens | Check the actual pack’s ingredients and precautionary statements. Asda lists soya and possible lupin for the Schär 150 g digestive; nut wording differs across the checked Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda own-label packs. | Gluten is not the only ingredient I need to account for when colleagues have different dietary requirements. |
| Ordering and serving | Check availability before the meeting and confirm the delivered pack’s details. Keep its label available and set gluten-free biscuits apart from ordinary ones; Food Standards Agency research describes separation at the table and checking labels as practical precautions. | I want attendees to recognise the gluten-free option and reach its ingredient information without mixing it with the other biscuits. |
What can go wrong?
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Assuming a familiar digestive is gluten free
McVitie’s Original Digestives, the Crawford’s Digestives in Henderson Foodservice’s mini-pack assortment and M&S standard Digestive Biscuits list wheat. McVitie’s Gluten Free Original Hobnobs are a different biscuit.
Check the gluten-free claim and ingredients on the exact digestive pack, not another product from the same brand.
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Treating gluten free as an answer to every allergen question
The checked own-label digestives contain gluten-free oat ingredients. Asda’s listing for Schär’s 150 g digestive instead lists soya and a possible lupin presence; the own-label listings also carry differing nut precautions.
Match the pack’s ingredient and precautionary statements to the needs of the people attending.
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Separating the biscuits but losing their label
Without the pack, attendees may be unable to check which biscuits are gluten free or read their other allergen information.
Keep the packaging accessible and use a distinct serving area or separate handling for the gluten-free biscuits.
Which brand and retailer lines are relevant?
These details apply to the named products, not to every biscuit made or sold by each brand.
Schär
A gluten-free digestive with a different listed recipe and pack format from the checked oat-based own-label digestives.
- Asda lists its 150 g digestive as three 50 g inner packs and names maize, soya and buckwheat ingredients.
- That listing says it contains soya and may contain lupin; check the pack bought for the meeting.
Asda
Its checked 188 g Free From digestive is a gluten-free, oat-based sharing-pack option.
- Asda describes this product as free from gluten and milk and suitable for vegans.
- The product contains oats and may contain nuts.
Sainsbury’s
Its checked 188 g Free From digestive is another gluten-free, oat-based sharing-pack option.
- Sainsbury’s describes this product as milk and gluten free and suitable for coeliacs.
- Sainsbury’s says this product is unsuitable for customers with a nut allergy because of its manufacturing methods.
Tesco
Its checked 160 g Free From digestive is made with gluten-free oat flour.
- Tesco describes this product as free from gluten, wheat and milk.
- It may contain peanuts and nuts. Check availability when ordering for a particular meeting date.
McVitie’s
Its standard digestive and its gluten-free Hobnobs should not be treated as the same product.
- McVitie’s separately lists Gluten Free Original Hobnobs for shoppers open to another biscuit style.
- McVitie’s Original Digestives list wheat flour and wholemeal wheat flour.
Crawford’s
Its mini-pack digestives illustrate why portioned packaging is not enough to establish gluten-free suitability.
- Henderson Foodservice lists wheat flour and wholemeal wheat flour in the Crawford’s Digestives in its assortment and marks that assortment unsuitable for coeliacs.
M&S
Its standard digestive must be distinguished from biscuits in its separate free-from range.
- M&S lists other biscuit styles in its free-from selection.
- Its checked standard Digestive Biscuits list wheat flour and barley malt extract.
A Joybuy digestive biscuit option
This Schär 150 g gluten-free digestive is an option to examine when choosing biscuits for a work meeting. Check the current pack’s ingredients and format against attendees’ needs before serving.
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Schär Gluten Free Digestive Biscuits 150g
A gluten-free digestive to consider for meeting refreshments. If avoiding oats or other allergens matters, check this pack’s current ingredients and precautions; also confirm the inner-pack format if separate portions are important.
Questions about buying and serving
Does “digestive” mean a biscuit is gluten free or aids digestion?
No. The checked McVitie’s Original and M&S standard digestives list wheat, so look for an explicit gluten-free claim on the product you choose. Asda’s Schär listing also explains that “digestive” is a traditional biscuit name, not a claim that it aids digestion.
Are gluten-free oat digestives suitable for everyone with coeliac disease?
No single oat-based option suits everyone. Coeliac UK says most people with coeliac disease can eat gluten-free oats, but a small number remain sensitive to them. Ask whether gluten-free oats are suitable for the attendee before choosing an oat-based digestive.
How should gluten-free biscuits be served alongside ordinary biscuits?
Keep the gluten-free pack available for ingredient checks and put its biscuits apart from ordinary ones, using separate handling or serving equipment. Food Standards Agency research describes checking labels and physical separation at the table as practical precautions.
What should I check when ordering biscuits for a meeting?
Check availability for the meeting date and read the delivered pack’s gluten-free claim, ingredients and allergen precautions before putting the biscuits out. An online listing helps identify an option, but the pack you serve is the one attendees need to be able to check.