Who needs which packet?

Frequent tin refillers

If shared tea breaks use up a packet regularly, a twin pack lets you put one packet into use while leaving the other sealed for a later refill. Tesco Groceries lists the McVitie’s format as 2 × 300g.

Occasional tin refillers

If biscuits move more slowly, consider a single packet before buying additional stock. The checked Sainsbury’s round Rich Tea packet is 200g, while several own-label round packets are 300g; follow the storage directions on the one you select.

People buying for colleagues with allergies

Choose using the exact packet’s ingredients and precautionary warnings, not the Rich Tea name alone. The checked products have differing warnings, so keep the wrapper identifiable when biscuits go into a shared tin.

What matters when choosing a pack?

Start with how often the tin needs refilling, then check the selected packet’s storage directions and ingredient information.

Priority What to check Your needs
Packet format Compare the number of separate packets and their net weights. Tesco Groceries lists the McVitie’s twin pack as 2 × 300g; the checked Sainsbury’s round packet is 200g. Our tin needs frequent refills, so an unopened second packet would be useful. If use is occasional, I would rather start with one smaller packet.
After-opening storage Check whether the packet calls for an airtight container and whether it gives a product-specific best-quality period. Waitrose recommends using its Rich Tea fingers within seven days of opening for best quality. I want to know whether colleagues will finish an opened packet while it is at its best, and whether the tin meets that packet’s storage directions.
Allergen information Read the exact packet’s ingredients and precautionary warnings. The checked Rich Tea products list wheat and barley, but their additional warnings differ. Colleagues need to be able to identify the biscuits in the tin and consult the corresponding wrapper before taking one.
Biscuit shape Distinguish round Rich Tea biscuits from Waitrose’s 250g Rich Tea fingers. Compare nutrition figures on the same per-100g basis rather than treating different-sized biscuits as equivalent servings. If colleagues prefer fingers, I can choose that shape without assuming it is the same portion as a round biscuit.

Mistakes to avoid with a shared tin

  • Assuming a larger pack suits every office

    A twin pack provides a sealed second packet, but that is useful only if the office is likely to need another refill. A single packet leaves less stock waiting to be used.

    Estimate how often the tin is emptied, then choose the number and size of packets accordingly.

  • Throwing away the wrapper after filling the tin

    Rich Tea packets can carry different precautionary-allergen warnings. Without an identifiable wrapper, colleagues cannot tell which information applies to the biscuits in the tin.

    Keep the current packet identifiable alongside the tin, and avoid mixing biscuits from unidentified packets.

  • Reading “reduced fat” as a statement about sugar

    A reduced-fat name describes a different nutrient from sugar; it does not tell you the product’s sugar content.

    If a particular nutrient matters to your comparison, read that nutrient’s per-100g figure on each packet.

Brand and packet references

These product lines illustrate different packet sizes, shapes and label instructions; check the exact variant before buying for a shared tin.

McVitie’s

Tesco Groceries lists the Classic Rich Tea twin pack as 2 × 300g, with approximately 72 biscuits across the pack.

  • Two separate packets allow one to remain sealed for a later refill.
  • The checked pack contains wheat and barley and may also contain soya. A description of dunking performance is the manufacturer’s marketing, not an independent test.

Tesco

Tesco Groceries lists a 300g own-label round Rich Tea packet.

  • The checked packet directs buyers to use an airtight container after opening and is marked suitable for vegans.
  • It contains wheat and barley and may contain peanuts and nuts.

ASDA

ASDA Groceries lists a 300g own-label Rich Tea packet.

  • The checked listing specifies airtight storage after opening and marks the product suitable for vegans.
  • It lists wheat and barley, with precautionary warnings for milk, rye, soya and oats. Check the delivered label, as product details can change.

M&S

Ocado lists a 300g M&S Rich Tea packet and directs buyers to store it in an airtight container after opening.

  • The listing describes the biscuits as prepared to a vegan recipe.
  • That wording is not an allergy assurance: the listing says the product is not suitable for people with milk, nut or peanut allergies.

Sainsbury’s

Sainsbury’s lists a 200g own-label round Rich Tea packet, a smaller initial quantity than the checked 300g round packets.

  • The listing directs buyers to store the biscuits in an airtight container after opening for best quality.
  • The smaller net weight alone does not tell you how long the biscuits will last in your office; consider its refill rate.

Waitrose

Waitrose & Partners lists Rich Tea fingers in a 250g packet, rather than round Rich Tea biscuits.

  • The listing gives approximately 50 fingers and calls for airtight storage after opening.
  • Waitrose recommends consuming them within seven days of opening for best quality. Their per-biscuit figures are not directly comparable with figures for a differently sized round biscuit.

Joybuy option for regular refills

This twin-pack option is relevant when the office uses Rich Tea regularly and a separate packet for the next tin refill would be useful.

McVitie's Rich Tea Twin Pack 2 × 300g

McVitie’s Rich Tea Twin Pack 2 × 300g

For a regularly refilled office tin, the two 300g packets let you open one while keeping the other sealed. The checked McVitie’s twin-pack information lists wheat and barley and warns that it may also contain soya; keep the wrapper accessible when sharing.

View on Joybuy

Questions about the office biscuit tin

How should I store Rich Tea biscuits after opening a packet?

Follow the directions on the packet you bought and use a clean, dry tin with a well-fitting lid. The checked Tesco, ASDA, M&S and Waitrose products specify airtight storage after opening; Waitrose additionally recommends consuming its Rich Tea fingers within seven days for best quality.

Does a vegan recipe mean a biscuit is suitable for someone with a milk allergy?

No. Ocado describes the checked M&S Rich Tea biscuits as prepared to a vegan recipe but also states that they are not suitable for someone with a milk allergy. Check the exact packet’s ingredients and precautionary warnings for the person concerned.

How can colleagues check allergens once the biscuits are in a tin?

Keep the original packet identifiable beside the tin so colleagues can check the information for the biscuits actually supplied. GOV.UK explains that allergens used as ingredients in prepacked food must be clearly identified in its ingredients list; moving biscuits into a shared tin does not make different products’ labels interchangeable.

What if a purchased packet is faulty or not as described?

Contact the seller with the packet and purchase details. GOV.UK guidance says sellers must offer a full refund when an item is faulty, not as described or does not do what it is supposed to do.