Choose shortbread explicitly labelled gluten-free, then check the current pack against colleagues’ other allergen requirements. A Crossed Grain Trademark can provide additional assurance about the gluten-free claim, but it does not replace checking for milk, nuts or other allergens; keep the biscuits separate from ordinary biscuits when serving them.
Look for a clearly labelled gluten-free biscuit, and plan how to keep it apart from ordinary biscuits. Coeliac UK warns that contact with gluten-containing food can contaminate gluten-free food after its pack is opened.
Read the full ingredient and allergen information rather than treating gluten-free as milk-free or vegan. Tesco and Sainsbury’s list examples with those additional dietary labels, while butter shortbread contains milk.
Consider packs that can stay labelled and closed until needed. Walker’s lists individually packed gluten-free chocolate-chip rounds, while Sainsbury’s lists gluten- and milk-free rounds in two inner packs.
Start with the gluten-free claim and every relevant allergen, then choose a pack and serving arrangement that keep the biscuits identifiable and separate.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free claim | Look for an explicit gluten-free label, not just a wheat-free description. The Food Standards Agency defines gluten-free as no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten in the food as sold. Coeliac UK says products bearing its Crossed Grain Trademark have gluten-free analysis certificates and undergo independent manufacturing audits. | I’m serving someone who needs a clearly identified gluten-free biscuit. In Coeliac UK’s shopping habits report published in January 2026, 74.7% of its 3,785 respondents said they trusted the Crossed Grain Trademark more than a gluten-free statement; this was a self-selected member survey, not a measure of office buyers. |
| Other allergens | Read the exact pack’s ingredients and milk, nut, peanut, soya and egg statements as relevant. Check warnings as well as free-from or vegan wording. | If colleagues have requirements beyond gluten-free, I need one or more products whose current labels fit those requirements—not an assumption that every gluten-free biscuit does. |
| Separate serving | Keep original packs labelled where practical. If biscuits are decanted, use a separate marked container and clean serving equipment; Coeliac UK advises preventing contact with gluten-containing food. | I want colleagues to recognise the gluten-free option without picking it from a tin containing ordinary biscuit crumbs. |
| Pack format | Match pack size to how often biscuits are served. Check whether portions are individually packed or divided into inner packs, and keep unopened portions closed until needed. | For occasional meetings, I’d rather open only what is being served; for frequent meetings, separately packed portions may be easier to distribute. |
Butter shortbread contains milk, and individual products can carry nut, peanut or soya warnings. A biscuit suitable for one colleague may not suit another.
Ask which requirements matter, then read the current pack’s ingredient list and allergen statements for each product you plan to serve.
Crumbs and shared handling can bring gluten-free biscuits into contact with gluten-containing food after opening.
Leave biscuits in clearly labelled packs where practical, or use a separate marked container and clean serving utensils.
Recipes and allergen information can change, so a listing saved from an earlier purchase may not describe the pack now in hand.
Read the physical label before setting biscuits out, including when repurchasing a familiar product.
A bulk case may suit frequent meetings, but opened biscuits still need to be kept separate from gluten-containing food.
Match the format to office use and open only the portions needed for each occasion.
Walker’s has gluten-free shortbread rounds and an individually packed chocolate-chip shortbread option.
Its Free From listings include milk- and gluten-free shortbread in 160g packs and 250g rounds divided into two 125g packs.
Tesco Free From Shortbread Biscuits 160g are labelled gluten-free, milk-free, egg-free and suitable for vegans.
Made Without Wheat All Butter Shortbread Rounds offer a gluten-free butter-shortbread option where milk is acceptable.
The Waitrose Free From range lists Gluten Butter Shortbread in a 150g pack.
Dean’s says it has developed gluten-free shortbread alongside its other shortbread products.
This oat biscuit is a gluten-free option for an office, but it is not shortbread. Check its pack and serving format against the requirements above if shortbread is not essential.
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These gluten-free oat biscuits offer a resealable pouch for office use, rather than shortbread or individually wrapped portions. The product information warns that they may contain traces of milk and are not suitable for people who react to avenin in oats; check the physical pack for all relevant allergens before sharing.
The Food Standards Agency defines gluten-free as no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten in the food as sold to the consumer. Look for an explicit gluten-free statement when selecting biscuits for someone who needs gluten-free food.
A clearly labelled gluten-free product is the starting point; the trademark offers an additional way to assess the claim. Coeliac UK says products carrying its Crossed Grain Trademark have gluten-free analysis certificates and undergo independent manufacturing audits. Still check the individual pack for other allergens.
Only if they can remain separate from gluten-containing biscuits and be handled with clean equipment. Coeliac UK advises avoiding cross-contamination; clearly labelled original packs or a separate marked container make that separation easier to maintain.
No. The answer depends on the exact product: the listed Walker’s butter rounds contain milk and may contain nuts, Tesco’s milk- and egg-free option may contain soya, and Sainsbury’s Free From products carry different nut or soya warnings. Read the current pack for each relevant allergy.
Yes. Ingredients and allergen information can change, so read the physical pack each time rather than relying solely on a previous purchase or an online listing.