Conference caterers serving coeliac guests
Choose an identifiable gluten-free biscuit and plan how to keep it separate from ordinary biscuits. Coeliac UK advises keeping gluten-free and gluten-containing foods apart during catering.
Who is this for?
Organisers accommodating several allergens
Check requirements beyond gluten before selecting one biscuit for a group. The Schär rich tea ingredients listed by Waitrose include egg and milk; M&S lists milk in its gluten-free shortbread and marks it unsuitable for people with nut or peanut allergies.
What should you check before ordering?
Decide whether rich tea itself matters, then check the delivered pack and plan a separate way to serve the gluten-free choice.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free label | Look for an explicit gluten-free claim on the delivered pack, then read its current ingredients and allergen information. A rich tea name or wheat-free wording alone is not the same check. | I need a biscuit clearly identified for the gluten-free serving, rather than an ordinary rich tea biscuit that looks similar. |
| Biscuit type | Check whether the product is rich tea or a different format. Schär describes its gluten-free rich tea as portion-packed; M&S labels its Made Without Wheat All Butter Shortbread Rounds gluten-free, but they are shortbread. | If guests have asked for rich tea, I want to match that request. If the type is flexible, I can consider another labelled gluten-free biscuit. |
| Other allergens | Read the delivered pack against guests’ requirements. Waitrose lists egg and milk for Schär rich tea; M&S lists milk in its gluten-free shortbread and warns that it is unsuitable for nut or peanut allergies. | A gluten-free choice still needs to work for guests with other dietary requirements. |
| Separate service | Keep gluten-free portions identifiable and apart from ordinary biscuits. Coeliac UK advises separating gluten-free and gluten-containing foods; use clean hands, utensils and equipment when setting them out. | I want guests to be able to recognise their biscuit and collect it without contact with the ordinary selection. |
What can go wrong at service?
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Using ordinary rich tea for the gluten-free serving
The McVitie’s, M&S, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose rich tea ingredient lists checked here include wheat and barley ingredients.
Choose a separately identified biscuit with an explicit gluten-free claim for that serving.
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Treating gluten-free as an all-allergen claim
Waitrose lists egg and milk in Schär gluten-free rich tea. M&S lists milk in its gluten-free shortbread and marks it unsuitable for nut or peanut allergies.
Check each guest’s requirements against the delivered pack before substituting one free-from biscuit for another.
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Putting both biscuit types together
Contact with gluten-containing biscuits or shared handling equipment can compromise a separate gluten-free serving.
Follow Coeliac UK’s catering advice to keep the foods apart, and use clean hands, utensils and equipment.
Relevant brand references
These examples distinguish labelled gluten-free products from conventional rich tea; a brand name alone does not establish which biscuit is suitable.
Schär
Schär describes a gluten- and wheat-free rich tea biscuit in portion packs on its UK product page.
- The portion packs can help keep this particular biscuit identifiable until it is opened.
- Waitrose lists egg and milk in the recipe; check the delivered pack for its full allergen information.
McVitie’s
McVitie’s Rich Tea Classic is a reference for a separately served conventional rich tea option.
- The Rich Tea Classic ingredients listed by Waitrose include wheat flour and barley malt extract. This does not describe every McVitie’s product.
M&S
M&S lists both conventional Rich Tea Biscuits and a different biscuit labelled gluten-free.
- Its Made Without Wheat All Butter Shortbread Rounds are labelled gluten-free when shortbread is an acceptable alternative.
- The checked rich tea contains wheat and barley ingredients. The shortbread contains milk and is marked unsuitable for nut or peanut allergies.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s lists its own rich tea biscuits separately from Schär Gluten-Free Rich Tea Biscuits.
- The checked Sainsbury’s own-label rich tea ingredients include wheat flour and barley malt extract; the separate Schär listing does not change that recipe.
Waitrose
Waitrose lists its own Rich Tea Finger Biscuits and a separate Schär gluten-free rich tea product.
- Its Schär listing identifies a 125 g gluten-free rich tea product.
- Waitrose Rich Tea Finger Biscuits list wheat flour and barley malt extract. Check the delivered Schär pack, as recipes can change.
Joybuy alternatives to rich tea
These Joybuy products are different gluten-free biscuit or oatcake formats, not rich tea. Consider them only if the conference biscuit type is flexible, and check each delivered pack before serving.
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Nairn’s Gluten Free Biscuit Breaks Chunky Oats, Dark & Coconut 160g
An oat biscuit to consider if rich tea is not required. Check the delivered pack against guests’ requirements, particularly if anyone needs to avoid oats or has other allergies; keep its serving separate from ordinary biscuits.
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Schär Gluten Free Digestive Biscuits 150g
A digestive rather than a rich tea biscuit, for a tea break where that change of format is acceptable. Read the delivered pack’s ingredients and allergen information before including it in a shared serving.
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Schär Gluten Free Vanilla Wafers 125g
A vanilla wafer rather than a rich tea biscuit. If wafers suit the planned tea break, check the delivered pack for other allergens and serve it separately from gluten-containing biscuits.
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Nairn’s Gluten Free Cheese Oatcakes 180g
A cheese oatcake for an occasion where a savoury option is wanted, not a substitute for the taste or format of sweet rich tea. Check the delivered pack for oat and other allergen information before serving.
Frequently asked questions
Is a wheat-free biscuit enough for a gluten-free serving?
No: look for an explicit gluten-free claim and check the delivered pack’s ingredients and allergen information. The Food Standards Agency describes the gluten-free limit as no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten in food sold to the final consumer.
How should gluten-free biscuits be served beside ordinary ones?
Keep the portions separate and identifiable, using clean hands, utensils and equipment. Coeliac UK advises separating gluten-free food from gluten-containing food; a portion pack does not replace careful handling once it is opened.
Can I use a product webpage instead of checking the delivered pack?
Check the delivered pack before service. Product recipes and allergen information can change, so a webpage used when ordering should not be the final check for guests’ requirements.
How many packs should I order for a conference?
Count the guests needing each suitable option, then check the number of biscuits or portions in the packs you plan to order. Allow for the gluten-free selection to be set out separately from ordinary biscuits.