Hosts serving a guest with coeliac disease
Choose a biscuit with an explicit gluten-free claim on its pack. If you are serving ordinary biscuits too, Coeliac UK advises using clean surfaces and utensils to avoid gluten cross-contact.
Who is this choice for?
Guests who also avoid oats
Gluten-free does not mean oat-free: the checked Tesco and Sainsbury’s digestives contain gluten-free oats. Coeliac UK notes that a small number of people with coeliac disease remain sensitive to gluten-free oats, so ask the guest whether oats are suitable.
Hosts checking more than one allergen
Read the ingredient and precautionary statements on the exact pack. The checked digestives differ in their soya and nut information, even though each is presented as gluten-free.
What should you check before buying?
Start with the gluten-free claim, then narrow the choice by oat tolerance and other allergens before working out portions and serving arrangements.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free identification | Look for a gluten-free claim on the particular biscuit pack. McVitie’s Original Digestives and the checked Crawford’s Digestives list wheat; neither should be confused with a separately labelled gluten-free product. | I want guests to recognise which biscuits they can consider. In Coeliac UK’s member shopping survey, reported in January 2026, 74.7% of 3,785 respondents said they trusted its Crossed Grain Trademark more than a gluten-free statement. That measures trust, not whether a trademark is required on a biscuit. |
| Oat tolerance | Compare the ingredient lists: Schär’s checked plain-digestive recipe has no oats, whereas the checked Tesco and Sainsbury’s gluten-free digestives contain gluten-free oats. Coeliac UK says a small number of people with coeliac disease remain sensitive to gluten-free oats. | If someone avoids oats as well as gluten, I need to check the recipe rather than rely on the gluten-free wording alone. |
| Other allergens | Read both ingredients and precautionary statements on the pack. Schär lists soya and says its digestives may contain lupin and eggs; Tesco says its 188g digestives may contain peanuts and nuts; Sainsbury’s says its 188g digestives are unsuitable for customers with a nut allergy. | For a guest with another allergy, the gluten-free claim is only one part of my pack check. |
| Pack and portions | Confirm the size and serving information on the pack you receive. Sainsbury’s lists 16 servings for its 188g digestives; Tesco’s checked 188g listing is a different pack and recipe from its 160g listing. | Before the gathering, I want to know which pack I am serving and whether I have planned enough portions. |
| Separate serving | Use clean surfaces and utensils for gluten-free biscuits. Coeliac UK also advises against using spreads or tools contaminated with crumbs from ordinary food. | When both kinds of biscuit are out, I want guests to be able to take the gluten-free ones without shared crumbs or serving tools. |
Mistakes to avoid
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Assuming every digestive is gluten-free
The checked McVitie’s Original Digestives and Crawford’s Digestives list wheat. A familiar biscuit type or brand name does not identify a gluten-free product.
Choose by the exact product’s gluten-free claim and check its pack before serving.
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Assuming gluten-free also means oat-free
Tesco’s and Sainsbury’s checked gluten-free digestives contain oats. Other ingredients and precautionary statements differ between the products too.
Ask the guest which ingredients they avoid, then compare the actual packs rather than treating all free-from biscuits alike.
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Mixing up the serving equipment
Crumbs from ordinary wheat biscuits can reach gluten-free food through a shared surface, utensil or spread.
Set out the gluten-free biscuits on a clean area with their own serving tools. Coeliac UK advises cleaning surfaces and utensils with hot soapy water.
Relevant biscuit brands and products
These distinctions concern the particular products named, not every biscuit made by each brand.
Schär
Schär’s UK Digestive Biscuits are labelled gluten-free and have no oats in the listed recipe.
- Schär lists maize, soya and buckwheat ingredients in its plain digestives.
- The recipe contains soya, and Schär says the product may contain lupin and eggs.
Tesco
Tesco’s Free From Digestives 188g are listed as gluten-free oat digestives.
- Tesco describes this 188g product as milk-free and suitable for vegans.
- It may contain peanuts and nuts. Tesco’s separate 160g listing has a different ingredient list, so check which pack you have.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s Free From Digestive Biscuits 188g are labelled gluten-free and made with oats.
- Sainsbury’s labels this product milk-free and lists 16 servings per pack.
- Sainsbury’s says it is unsuitable for customers with a nut allergy because of manufacturing methods; guests who avoid oats also need a different recipe.
McVitie’s
McVitie’s Original Digestives and its Gluten Free Original Hobnobs are different products.
- McVitie’s lists gluten-free oats in its Gluten Free Original Hobnobs, an alternative biscuit style for guests who can eat oats.
- Its checked Original Digestives list wheat, while Hobnobs are not plain digestives.
Crawford’s
The checked Crawford’s Digestives 400g listing is for conventional wheat-containing biscuits.
- The Iceland Foods listing includes wheat flour and wholemeal wheat flour. Check the precise product rather than treating the digestive name as a gluten-free claim.
M&S
M&S Made Without Wheat All Butter Shortbread Rounds are a gluten-free shortbread alternative, not a digestive.
- The checked shortbread is labelled gluten-free.
- It contains milk and is marked unsuitable for people with nut or peanut allergies.
Joybuy digestives and alternatives
These options include a plain gluten-free digestive, a gluten-free Hobnob and a gluten-free crispbread. The Hobnob and crispbread are alternatives if a plain digestive is not essential.
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Schär Gluten Free Digestive Biscuits 150g
A plain digestive to consider when a guest needs a gluten-free biscuit and avoids oats. Schär’s listed recipe has no oats but contains soya; the manufacturer also says the biscuits may contain lupin and eggs. Check the pack against the guest’s requirements.
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Schär Gluten Free Crispbread 150g
This gluten-free crispbread is an option only if a biscuit is not required: it is not a digestive. Check the pack’s ingredients and soya precaution against the needs of the person eating it.
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McVitie’s Gluten Free Hobnobs 150g
Consider these if a gluten-free biscuit is wanted but it need not be a plain digestive. McVitie’s lists gluten-free oats in its Gluten Free Original Hobnobs, so they do not suit a guest who avoids oats. Check the pack for other allergen warnings.
Questions about choosing and serving
Does gluten-free mean a digestive contains no oats?
No. The checked Tesco and Sainsbury’s gluten-free digestives contain gluten-free oats. Coeliac UK says most people with coeliac disease can eat gluten-free oats, but a small number remain sensitive to them; check with the guest and read the ingredients.
Can ordinary and gluten-free biscuits go on the same table?
Yes, if you prevent crumbs and shared tools from reaching the gluten-free biscuits. Give them a clean serving area and utensils; Coeliac UK advises washing surfaces and utensils with hot soapy water and avoiding crumb-contaminated spreads.
Should I check the pack after ordering biscuits online?
Yes. Read the delivered pack’s gluten-free claim, ingredients and allergen statements before serving it. This also confirms which version arrived: Tesco’s checked 160g and 188g digestive listings have different ingredient lists.
What if the delivered biscuits do not suit a guest?
Do not serve those biscuits to the guest. Keep the pack and label so you can check the ingredient information with the retailer or manufacturer; Tesco directs questions about its branded food to Tesco Customer Services.