Shoppers who require sugar-free biscuits
A Free From or vegan label does not establish the sugars figure. Compare the exact biscuit's nutrition panel with the UK sugar-free claim condition before choosing it.
Who is this decision for?
Shoppers seeking gluten-free or milk-free bourbon creams
Tesco and Sainsbury's list Free From bourbon creams for these needs, but their listed sugars figures do not meet the sugar-free condition. Check the particular pack for the dietary requirement that matters to you.
Budget shoppers considering ordinary bourbon biscuits
Standard bourbon creams remain a separate choice if sugar-free status is not required. ASDA's listed bourbon biscuits contain wheat and 27 g sugars per 100 g.
What should you check first?
Start with any dietary requirement the biscuit must meet. Then check the exact pack and whether it is available for your shop.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar-free status | Read sugars per 100 g, not just the product name. For a biscuit, the UK sugar-free claim condition published by legislation.gov.uk is no more than 0.5 g sugars per 100 g. | I need the biscuit itself to meet the sugar-free condition; a Free From or vegan label is not enough. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the exact pack's ingredients, allergen statement and any gluten-free or milk-free wording. Do not apply one bourbon cream's label to another. | Gluten or milk may be my deciding requirement, even when sugar-free status is not. |
| Pack and availability | Check the pack size and confirm local stock before planning the shop. Read the label on the pack you receive. | I want a biscuit I can actually buy, in a pack size that suits my shop. |
What can go wrong?
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Reading “Free From” as “sugar-free”
Tesco Groceries lists 21.9 g sugars per 100 g for its Free From Bourbon Creams; Sainsbury's lists 24.3 g per 100 g for its version. Neither figure meets the UK sugar-free claim condition published by legislation.gov.uk.
Check the sugars figure per 100 g on the exact product before treating it as sugar-free.
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Choosing an ordinary bourbon cream for a sugar-free requirement
ASDA lists 27 g sugars per 100 g for its standard Bourbon Biscuits. That product cannot fulfil a sugar-free requirement.
Establish whether a biscuit meets the sugar-free condition before considering it as a substitute.
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Planning around a listing without checking stock
Tesco Groceries marked both its Free From Bourbon Creams and its 592 g standard Bourbon Creams as out of stock on the supplied product listings.
Confirm local availability before relying on an online listing for your shop.
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Assuming bourbon creams share one allergen profile
ASDA's standard Bourbon Biscuits list wheat, while Sainsbury's describes its Free From Bourbon Creams as gluten-free and milk-free.
Read the ingredient and allergen statement on the exact pack, particularly when avoiding a specific ingredient.
Which brands are relevant?
These product-line examples help distinguish ordinary bourbon creams from Free From versions; brand names alone do not establish sugar-free status.
ASDA
ASDA's 300 g Bourbon Biscuits are an ordinary bourbon-biscuit option.
- ASDA Groceries lists 27 g sugars per 100 g.
- The product contains wheat and does not meet the UK sugar-free claim condition.
Tesco
Tesco lists both Free From and ordinary Bourbon Creams.
- The Free From version offers a different dietary route from an ordinary bourbon cream.
- Tesco Groceries lists 21.9 g sugars per 100 g for its Free From product and 29.6 g per 100 g for its 592 g ordinary pack; neither meets the sugar-free condition.
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's lists a 150 g Free From Bourbon Creams pack described as gluten-free and milk-free.
- Its stated gluten-free and milk-free status may be relevant when either is the requirement.
- Sainsbury's lists 24.3 g sugars per 100 g, so this product is not sugar-free.
McVitie's
McVitie's Tasties Bourbon Cream Biscuits are a branded standard option listed by ASDA.
- The listing identifies a 300 g pack.
- ASDA Groceries lists wheat and 30.3 g sugars per 100 g; this is not a sugar-free choice.
Waitrose
Waitrose Essential Bourbon Creams come in a 400 g pack.
- Waitrose & Partners gives a per-biscuit sugars figure of 3.90 g for this product.
- That per-biscuit figure is not the per-100-g measure used for the sugar-free claim condition; the listed ingredients include wheat flour and sugar.
M&S
M&S lists Giant, Extra Cream and milk-chocolate-coated bourbon biscuit variants.
- Marks & Spencer lists sugars per 100 g for these specific variants: 24.7 g for Giant Bourbon Biscuits, 36.7 g for Extra Cream Bourbon Creams and 47.4 g for the milk-chocolate-coated version.
- None of those listed figures meets the UK sugar-free claim condition.
A biscuit alternative on Joybuy
This chocolate sandwich biscuit is an alternative to consider if sugar-free status matters more than the specific flavour and texture of a bourbon cream. Check its pack against your requirements before choosing it.
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Oreo Zero Sugar Sandwich Cookies, 97g
A chocolate sandwich biscuit rather than a bourbon cream, so it may not suit someone seeking bourbon flavour and texture. Check sugars per 100 g and the ingredient and allergen statements on the exact pack.
Common questions
What does “sugar-free” mean for a biscuit in the UK?
The UK sugar-free nutrition-claim condition published by legislation.gov.uk is no more than 0.5 g sugars per 100 g for a biscuit. Check the sugars figure per 100 g on the exact pack; “Free From” on its own does not answer that question.
Are Tesco or Sainsbury's Free From Bourbon Creams sugar-free?
No. Tesco Groceries lists 21.9 g sugars per 100 g for its Free From Bourbon Creams, and Sainsbury's lists 24.3 g per 100 g for its version. Their Free From positioning should not be read as a sugar-free claim.
Can I rely on an online allergen listing when buying bourbon biscuits?
Check the exact pack before use rather than assuming that one bourbon cream has the same ingredients as another. For example, ASDA's standard Bourbon Biscuits list wheat, while Sainsbury's describes its Free From Bourbon Creams as gluten-free and milk-free.