Who is this choice for?

Parents looking for a sugar-free biscuit

A familiar bourbon shape may appeal, but the sugar claim and nutrition panel determine whether a biscuit meets that requirement. A ‘free from’ or ‘no added sugar’ label answers a different question.

Families checking allergens

Conventional bourbons and biscuits made for particular dietary exclusions have different ingredients. Check the exact pack for the allergens that matter to the child, including any precautionary statements.

Parents choosing an after-school snack

Consider the serving the child will eat and whether a biscuit or another snack fits the occasion. The NHS also suggests fruit, chopped vegetables, plain rice cakes and toast as after-school options.

What should you check?

Start with the sugar claim, then check ingredients and the serving size; a biscuit’s appearance cannot answer those questions.

Priority What to check Your needs
Sugar claim Read the exact claim and sugars per 100g. Tesco lists 25.2g sugars per 100g for its conventional Bourbon Creams; ASDA lists 18g per 100g for its Free From bourbon-style biscuits. Joybuy lists 2.4g per 100g for Gullon Zero No Added Sugar Cookies and Cream, which is a different biscuit. I need a biscuit labelled sugar-free, so ‘free from’ or ‘no added sugar’ alone will not settle my choice.
Allergens Check the supplied pack’s ingredients, allergy statements and any ‘may contain’ wording. Tesco’s conventional bourbon lists wheat; ASDA labels its separate Free From biscuit gluten- and milk-free. Which ingredients must the child avoid? I cannot assume a label addressing one exclusion covers every allergen.
Serving and snack type Compare sugars using each product’s stated biscuit serving, not just its per-100g figure. Tesco lists 3.5g sugars per conventional bourbon biscuit, while the retailer listing for McVitie’s Tasties gives 4.2g per biscuit. For a snack other than biscuits, consider the NHS’s fruit, chopped vegetables, plain rice cakes or toast suggestions. I want to decide what to serve after school and how many biscuits to offer, rather than treating a sugar claim as a portion guide.
Pack quantity Confirm the weight on the supplied pack when quantity matters. ASDA’s online Free From bourbon listing displays both 150g and 160g. If pack size affects my choice, I want to compare the quantity I will actually receive.

Common label mistakes

  • Reading ‘free from’ as ‘sugar-free’

    Tesco’s and ASDA’s checked Free From bourbon-style products both list sugars. Their dietary exclusions do not establish a sugar-free claim.

    Read the specific exclusion alongside the sugars figure on the pack.

  • Equating ‘no added sugar’ with sugar-free

    Joybuy’s listing for Gullon Zero No Added Sugar Cookies and Cream reports 2.4g sugars per 100g. It is a filled biscuit, not a sugar-free bourbon.

    If sugar-free is required, check for that distinct claim on the product you intend to serve.

  • Skipping sweetener and allergen statements

    Morrisons lists wheat and soya for its Zero Sugar Free Choc Chip Cookies and carries an excessive-consumption laxative-effect warning. A sugar-free description does not answer either question.

    Read the supplied pack’s ingredients, allergen information and any sweetener warning before deciding on a serving.

  • Relying on a conflicting online pack weight

    ASDA’s Free From bourbon-style biscuit listing shows both 150g and 160g, so the listing alone does not settle the pack quantity.

    Confirm the weight on the supplied pack before comparing quantities.

Relevant brand references

These examples illustrate product-specific labels; a claim or nutrition figure for one biscuit does not apply to everything made by the brand.

McVitie’s

Tasties Bourbon Creams are a conventional chocolate sandwich biscuit, not a sugar-free alternative.

  • The ASDA listing gives 4.2g sugars per biscuit for the 300g Tasties product.
  • The same listing identifies wheat and says the biscuits may contain milk and sesame.

Tesco

Its conventional Bourbon Creams and separate Free From Bourbon Creams answer different ingredient needs; neither listed product is sugar-free.

  • The conventional product lists 25.2g sugars per 100g; the Free From product lists 21.9g per 100g.
  • Check the specific Free From statement rather than assuming it concerns sugar.

ASDA

ASDA lists both a conventional bourbon and a separately labelled gluten- and milk-free bourbon-style biscuit.

  • The conventional product lists 27g sugars per 100g; the Free From product lists 18g per 100g.
  • The Free From listing shows conflicting pack weights, so confirm the supplied pack’s quantity.

M&S

M&S describes its Extra Cream Bourbon Creams as having extra cream; they are not presented as a sugar-reduction option.

  • The product panel lists 36.7g sugars per 100g.
  • Its listed ingredients include wheat and milk.

Waitrose

Essential Bourbon Creams are a conventional own-label bourbon biscuit.

  • Waitrose lists 3.9g sugars per biscuit for this product.
  • Its ingredients list includes wheat; it is not presented as sugar-free.

Gullon

The checked Zero biscuits offer other formats for someone willing to move away from bourbon creams.

  • Morrisons describes the checked chocolate-chip cookies as sugar-free. Joybuy’s separate Cookies and Cream listing says no added sugar and reports 2.4g sugars per 100g.
  • Check allergens and sweeteners for the particular product; the two claims should not be treated as interchangeable.

Chocolate sandwich biscuit options on Joybuy

This Joybuy option has a chocolate sandwich format, but it is an Oreo cookie rather than a bourbon biscuit. Use its own pack information to assess a sugar-free requirement and the child’s ingredients needs.

Oreo Zero Sugar Sandwich Cookies, 97g

Oreo Zero Sugar Sandwich Cookies, 97g

The chocolate sandwich format may suit someone willing to choose a different biscuit instead of a bourbon. Check the supplied 97g pack’s sugar claim, nutrition panel, ingredients, allergens and sweetener information before serving.

View on Joybuy

Questions about snacks and labels

Does ‘no added sugar’ mean a filled biscuit is sugar-free?

No. Joybuy’s listing for Gullon Zero No Added Sugar Cookies and Cream reports 2.4g sugars per 100g. Check the actual pack’s claim and nutrition panel rather than substituting one phrase for the other.

Can I pack bourbon biscuits for an after-school club?

Ask the club about its food and allergy policy before packing them. Department for Education school-food guidance addresses food provided in state-funded schools in England; it does not establish what every after-school club accepts.

How should I store an opened pack?

Follow that pack’s instructions. Tesco says to keep its conventional Bourbon Creams in a cool, dry place and use an airtight container once opened; instructions for another biscuit may differ.