Sugar-free label checkers
You want a portable chocolate biscuit, but need to distinguish a sugar-free claim from “no added sugar” or a small per-biscuit figure.
Who is this choice for?
Rushed breakfast shoppers
You need something easy to carry and want to consider the portion and the rest of breakfast, not convenience alone.
Free From bourbon shoppers
You are looking for a stated gluten or milk exclusion and need to check it separately from sugars on the current pack.
What should you check?
Start with the requirement you cannot compromise on, then compare portions and the breakfast you intend to take.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar-free claim | Read total sugars per 100 g, not just the product name or per-biscuit figure. MyHealthLondon NHS gives the sugar-free condition as no more than 0.5 g per 100 g. | If sugar-free is essential, I need the exact biscuit's current declaration to meet that condition; “Zero”, “Free From” and “no added sugar” are not substitutes for the figure. |
| Carried portion | Compare per-100 g figures first, then the number of biscuits you will take. Tesco lists 3.5 g sugars and 68 kcal per biscuit for its Bourbon Creams; NHS notes that a labelled portion may differ from yours. | For the journey, I want to know what the biscuits I actually pack contribute, rather than assume the stated serving matches my portion. |
| Breakfast choice | Look beyond sugars to the meal as a whole. NHS breakfast suggestions include plain porridge, wholemeal toast and plain natural yoghurt with fruit. | When this is my everyday breakfast, I want to decide whether a biscuit is part of it or whether another breakfast format better fits what I plan to eat. |
| Ingredient exclusions | Check the named gluten or milk exclusions, ingredients and may-contain statements on the supplied pack. Sainsbury's Free From bourbon lists 24.3 g sugars per 100 g; ASDA's lists 18 g. | If I need a particular exclusion, I will check that exact variant without assuming its Free From label also means sugar-free. |
Common label mix-ups
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Reading “Free From” as “free from sugar”
Sainsbury's and ASDA Free From bourbons state particular ingredient exclusions but list 24.3 g and 18 g sugars per 100 g respectively.
Read the named exclusions and the sugars declaration separately on the pack you receive.
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Trusting “Zero” or “no added sugar” on its own
A Joybuy UK listing for Gullón Zero Cookies & Cream declares 2.4 g sugars per 100 g, despite the manufacturer's UK page using “Sugar-free” wording. That declared figure exceeds the sugar-free condition described by MyHealthLondon NHS.
Where claims and nutrition figures appear to conflict, do not assume the biscuit meets a strict sugar-free requirement; check the current pack's total sugars per 100 g.
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Comparing one biscuit with another product's 100 g figure
Biscuit sizes and labelled portions can differ, so those figures do not describe the same amount of food.
Compare both products per 100 g first, then use their stated per-biscuit figures to assess the number you intend to take.
Brand and product-line references
These figures describe particular listed biscuits, not every product made by each brand. Check the current pack before buying.
Tesco
Its classic and Free From Bourbon Creams illustrate why ingredient exclusions and sugars need separate checks.
- Tesco Groceries lists 25.2 g sugars per 100 g for classic Bourbon Creams and 21.9 g for Free From Bourbon Creams.
- Neither listed figure meets the sugar-free condition.
ASDA
Its standard and Free From listings state different sugars figures and different ingredient exclusions.
- ASDA Groceries lists 27 g sugars per 100 g for its standard bourbon and 18 g for its Free From bourbon, which states milk and gluten exclusions.
- Neither is sugar-free on those figures. The Free From listing displays conflicting pack sizes, so check the supplied pack.
Sainsbury's
Its classic and Free From bourbons offer another check of sugars alongside stated exclusions.
- Sainsbury's lists 25.8 g sugars per 100 g for its classic bourbon and 24.3 g for its milk- and gluten-free variant.
- The Free From exclusions do not make that variant sugar-free.
McVitie's
Tasties Bourbon Creams provide a conventional bourbon reference.
- The ASDA listing for the 300 g pack gives 30.3 g sugars per 100 g and 4.2 g per biscuit.
- That listed product does not meet the sugar-free condition.
M&S
Extra Cream Bourbon Creams are a distinct 165 g variant described by M&S as having extra chocolate cream.
- Marks & Spencer lists 36.7 g sugars per 100 g for this product.
- Its stated figure does not meet the sugar-free condition.
Waitrose
Essential Bourbon Creams are a conventional own-label reference.
- Waitrose & Partners lists 27.8 g sugars per 100 g and 3.9 g per biscuit for the 400 g pack.
- The listed biscuit is not sugar-free; Waitrose advises airtight storage after opening.
Gullón
Zero Cookies & Cream is a chocolate sandwich biscuit rather than a bourbon.
- A Joybuy UK listing describes it as having no added sugar and declares 2.4 g sugars per 100 g.
- That figure exceeds the sugar-free condition, despite “Sugar-free” wording on Gullón's UK product page.
Joybuy biscuit option
This chocolate sandwich biscuit is an option to consider if checking a sugar-free claim matters more to you than keeping the bourbon style. Confirm its sugars per 100 g on the current pack before relying on the product name.
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Oreo Zero Sugar Sandwich Cookies 97g
A chocolate sandwich biscuit to consider for a grab-and-go breakfast if bourbon style is optional. It is not a bourbon biscuit; check the current pack's total sugars per 100 g, ingredients and portion before deciding whether it meets your needs.
Questions about choosing
Does “no added sugar” mean a biscuit is sugar-free?
No. MyHealthLondon NHS gives the sugar-free condition as no more than 0.5 g sugars per 100 g of food. The Joybuy UK listing for Gullón Zero Cookies & Cream says “no added sugar” but declares 2.4 g sugars per 100 g.
Is a Free From bourbon sugar-free?
Not on the checked Sainsbury's and ASDA listings: they declare 24.3 g and 18 g sugars per 100 g respectively. Free From refers to the specified ingredient exclusions, so check both those statements and nutrition on the current pack.
What should I check if an alternative contains maltitol?
Check the actual pack's ingredients and warnings. The Joybuy UK Gullón sandwich-biscuit listing includes maltitol; GOV.UK says foods with more than 10% added polyols require a warning about a laxative effect. The ingredient listing alone does not establish whether that threshold applies to this biscuit.
What is the sugar-free condition for a biscuit claim?
The condition is no more than 0.5 g sugars per 100 g of food, as set out in the original nutrition-claims regulation and explained by MyHealthLondon NHS. GOV.UK's Great Britain guidance explains the changes to the nutrition-claims system from 1 January 2021; check the declared figure for the particular biscuit rather than its range name.
Do bourbon biscuits need preparing before a journey?
The checked packaged bourbon listings do not call for preparation. Follow the particular pack's storage instructions after opening; Tesco and Sainsbury's advise keeping their listed bourbons in an airtight container.