Meeting organisers serving a gluten-free attendee
Look for an explicit gluten-free claim on a Rich Tea-style biscuit, then read the delivered pack’s ingredients and allergen information before putting it out.
Who is this for?
Hosts offering both standard and gluten-free biscuits
Plan where each biscuit will go and how it will be handled. Coeliac UK advises keeping gluten-free food separate from gluten-containing food and using dedicated or thoroughly cleaned utensils.
Buyers comparing Rich Tea ranges
Check the particular product, not just the biscuit style or retailer. Marks & Spencer lists barley malt extract in its standard Rich Tea Biscuits; the Food Standards Agency identifies barley as a cereal containing gluten.
What should you check before buying?
Choose the biscuit against the attendee’s requirements first, then plan how many servings to buy and how to keep them separate at the meeting.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free label | Look for an explicit gluten-free claim on the biscuit pack; read its current ingredients and allergen statement. The Food Standards Agency states that a UK gluten-free claim means no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten in the food as sold. | I need a labelled gluten-free biscuit, rather than an ordinary Rich Tea biscuit that merely looks suitable. |
| Other allergens | Check the delivered pack against each attendee’s requirements. Waitrose lists egg and milk in Schär Rich Tea Biscuits and says they may contain soya and lupin. | Someone may need to avoid an ingredient other than gluten, so the gluten-free claim alone does not settle my choice. |
| Separate serving | Keep gluten-free food away from standard biscuits and their crumbs. Coeliac UK advises dedicated utensils or thoroughly cleaned shared equipment. | I want to set out both types of biscuit without mixing them on a plate or using the same uncleaned tongs. |
| Portions | Count the people who need the gluten-free option before ordering. Waitrose lists 18 biscuits and 18 servings for its 125 g Schär Rich Tea box, divided into three individual packs of six biscuits. | I need enough servings for the gluten-free attendees while keeping packs unopened until they are needed. |
What can go wrong at the meeting?
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Assuming plain-looking Rich Tea biscuits are gluten free
Recipes differ. Marks & Spencer lists barley malt extract in its standard Rich Tea Biscuits, and the Food Standards Agency identifies barley as a cereal containing gluten.
Choose a product explicitly labelled gluten free for the attendee who needs it; do not rely on the Rich Tea name.
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Assuming gluten free covers every allergy
Waitrose’s Schär Rich Tea listing declares egg and milk and says the biscuits may contain soya and lupin.
Ask about attendees’ requirements before buying and check the physical pack before serving.
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Putting every biscuit on one plate
Contact with standard biscuits or shared utensils can undermine the separate gluten-free serving arrangement.
Keep gluten-free packs apart and follow Coeliac UK’s advice to use dedicated or thoroughly cleaned plates and utensils.
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Counting a box without checking its servings
Waitrose lists the 125 g Schär Rich Tea box as 18 servings in three individual packs. A meeting with more people needing the gluten-free option may require more than one box.
Count the intended servings before ordering, and reserve unopened packs for the people who need them.
Relevant brands and retailers
Schär
Schär describes its Rich Tea biscuits as gluten free and wheat free, and portion packed.
- A Rich Tea-style product with an explicit gluten-free claim.
- The Waitrose listing declares egg and milk and says it may contain soya and lupin; check the delivered pack.
Tesco
Tesco lists Schär Rich Tea Biscuits 125 g separately from its own standard Rich Tea biscuits.
- Its Schär listing describes gluten-free and wheat-free biscuits in three portion packs.
- Do not substitute a standard Rich Tea product without checking that product’s own label.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s lists Schär Gluten-Free Rich Tea Biscuits as a 3 x 42 g product.
- The listing describes the biscuits as gluten free and wheat free.
- Check the delivered pack for the ingredients and allergens relevant to attendees.
Waitrose
Waitrose lists Schär Gluten Free Rich Tea Biscuits in a 125 g box with three individual packs.
- The listing gives a count of 18 biscuits, with six in each pack.
- Its allergen information declares egg and milk and says the product may contain soya and lupin.
M&S
M&S’s standard Rich Tea Biscuits are a different product from a specifically labelled gluten-free Rich Tea option.
- M&S lists barley malt extract in this standard recipe; barley is a cereal containing gluten, according to the Food Standards Agency.
Other gluten-free biscuits on Joybuy
These are gluten-free biscuit options for meeting refreshments, but none is a Rich Tea biscuit. If the Rich Tea style matters, do not treat them as the same product; check each delivered pack and serve it separately from standard biscuits.
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Schar Gluten Free Digestive Biscuits 150g
An explicitly gluten-free Digestive biscuit rather than the Rich Tea style requested for the meeting. Check the delivered pack against attendees’ other allergen requirements before serving.
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Schar Gluten Free Vanilla Wafers 125g
Gluten-free vanilla wafers offer a different biscuit style from Rich Tea. Check the delivered pack for any other allergens relevant to the meeting.
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Mrs Crimble’s Gluten Free 6 Big Choc Macaroons
This six-macaroon pack is explicitly gluten free, but chocolate macaroons will not replace Rich Tea biscuits for someone expecting that style. Check the pack’s allergen statement before serving.
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Nairns Gluten Free Biscuit Breaks Chunky Oats, Dark & Coconut 160g
These gluten-free oat biscuits have dark chocolate and coconut rather than a plain Rich Tea style. Confirm that the oat ingredients and other declarations on the delivered pack meet the attendee’s requirements.
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McVitie’s Gluten Free Hobnobs 150g
An explicitly gluten-free Hobnobs product, not a Rich Tea biscuit. Read the delivered pack for its ingredients and other allergen declarations before adding it to the meeting refreshments.
Frequently asked questions
Are ordinary Rich Tea biscuits automatically gluten free?
No. Choose a product explicitly labelled gluten free for someone who needs that option. Marks & Spencer lists barley malt extract in its standard Rich Tea Biscuits, and the Food Standards Agency identifies barley as a cereal containing gluten.
Do Schär Gluten Free Rich Tea Biscuits suit every allergy requirement?
No. The Waitrose listing says they contain egg and milk and may contain soya and lupin. Ask attendees about their requirements and check the delivered pack before serving.
How many biscuits are in a Schär Rich Tea 125 g box?
Waitrose lists 18 biscuits and 18 servings, divided into three individual packs of six biscuits. Count the people who need the gluten-free option before deciding how many boxes to order.
How should gluten-free biscuits be served beside standard biscuits?
Keep the two types separate. Coeliac UK advises using dedicated utensils and equipment, or thoroughly cleaning shared ones before use; unopened individual packs can also be reserved until needed.
Does a gluten-free claim mean the food contains zero gluten?
No. The Food Standards Agency states that the UK gluten-free labelling threshold is no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten in food as sold to the final consumer. The claim does not replace checking other allergens or an attendee’s individual requirements.