Vegan households buying biscuits to share
A large pack is useful only if everyone sharing can eat that particular recipe. Check its vegan statement and ingredients, then work out how many suitable packs you need.
Who is shopping for these biscuits?
Shoppers buying for someone with a milk allergy
A vegan claim alone does not establish allergy suitability. UK government food-labelling guidance advises checking the ingredients and relevant allergen information for the specific food; read the label on the supplied pack.
What should you check first?
Choose a recipe that meets the household’s dietary needs before comparing pack weights or deciding how many packets to buy.
Several smaller vegan packs
Consider when: Everyone sharing needs vegan custard creams; Asda, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons each list a suitable 125g free-from pack.
Bear in mind: These are separate smaller packets, so check the weight and current label of each product you choose.
A conventional large pack
Consider when: The people sharing do not require vegan biscuits and can eat the ingredients in the chosen pack.
Bear in mind: Tesco and Asda list milk whey in their examined 400g custard creams; their size and vegetarian labelling do not make those recipes vegan.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Vegan suitability | Check the exact product’s vegan statement and ingredients. Milk whey rules out a recipe for vegan shopping; vegetarian labelling alone does not establish that it is vegan. | I need every packet served to be suitable for vegans, whatever its size. |
| Quantity for sharing | Compare net weights and count the suitable packs needed. Asda, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons list vegan 125g packs; Lovemore lists a case of eight separate units. | For a gathering or repeated sharing, I want enough suitable biscuits without assuming one large packet meets the dietary requirement. |
| Allergen information | For a milk allergy, check the supplied pack’s ingredients, any milk-free claim and precautionary allergen information. UK government guidance says not to rely on a vegan label as an allergy assurance. | Someone sharing needs to avoid milk, so I have to assess the exact product separately from its vegan suitability. |
| Keeping extra packs | Check each pack’s best-before date and storage directions. UK government guidance distinguishes best-before dates, which concern quality, from use-by dates, which concern safety. | If I buy several packets, I want to know how to store them and whether their dates suit when we plan to open them. |
Common shopping mistakes
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Choosing the family-sized pack before checking the recipe
Tesco and Asda list milk whey in their examined 400g custard creams, so those products do not meet a vegan requirement.
Check the vegan suitability of the exact biscuit first, then add up the weight of suitable packs for the group.
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Treating “vegan” as a milk-allergy guarantee
UK government food-labelling guidance distinguishes vegan claims from information about allergens and possible cross-contact.
For an allergy, read the supplied pack’s ingredients, relevant free-from claim and any precautionary allergen statement.
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Counting packets without checking their weight
Several small packets and one large packet do not necessarily provide the same amount of biscuits. The examined vegan supermarket packs are 125g each, while the examined Tesco and Asda conventional packs are 400g.
Compare the total weight of products that meet your dietary requirements, and check whether a case contains separate packs.
Brand and product-line references
Dietary statements apply to specific recipes, not every custard cream sold under a brand name.
Asda
Asda lists both a 125g Free From custard cream and a 400g conventional pack.
- Asda labels the 125g Free From product suitable for vegans and free from milk and gluten.
- Its examined 400g custard creams contain whey powder (milk).
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s lists a 125g Free From custard cream alongside a conventional 200g version.
- The 125g Free From product is labelled suitable for vegans and milk-free.
- The examined 200g version contains cows’ milk whey.
Morrisons
Morrisons lists a 125g Free From custard cream.
- The listing labels this product vegan, milk-free and gluten-free.
- Morrisons advises checking the supplied label because ingredients and allergens can change.
Schär
Schär presents its 125g Custard Creams as portion-packed biscuits.
- Schär identifies this product as vegan, gluten-free and wheat-free.
- The portion-packed 125g format is not one large packet; Schär directs shoppers to the packaging for current ingredients.
Lovemore
Lovemore lists vegan custard creams and an eight-unit wholesale case.
- Lovemore describes the product as free from milk, wheat and gluten.
- The case contains separate units rather than one large packet; Lovemore says recipes may change.
Tesco
Tesco’s examined own-label custard creams come in a 400g pack.
- The listing gives the pack weight and directs shoppers to use an airtight container after opening.
- This particular recipe contains whey powder (milk), so it is not suitable for vegan shopping.
Crawford’s
Tesco lists Crawford’s Custard Creams in a 300g pack.
- The stated pack weight gives shoppers a larger-format comparison.
- The examined product contains whey solids (milk); its vegetarian statement does not make it vegan.
M&S
M&S lists a 165g Extra Cream Custard Creams product.
- The listing identifies this as the Extra Cream variant.
- That variant contains dried whey and dried skimmed milk.
McVitie’s
Tesco lists McVitie’s 400g Family Circle as a biscuit assortment that includes custard creams.
- The assortment offers several biscuit types rather than only custard creams.
- The listed assortment contains milk ingredients and does not meet a vegan requirement.
Custard creams on Joybuy
This 125g Schär option is relevant if you are considering smaller vegan custard-cream packs to share rather than a single large packet.
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Schär Gluten Free Custard Creams 125g
For sharing with a vegan household, this is a smaller pack to consider; Schär identifies its 125g Custard Creams as vegan. The product is also described as gluten-free and wheat-free. Check the supplied packaging for current ingredients and allergen information, particularly if buying for someone with an allergy.
Questions about vegan custard creams
Does “suitable for vegetarians” mean custard creams are vegan?
No. Tesco’s examined 400g custard creams and the Crawford’s 300g product listed by Tesco are described as suitable for vegetarians but contain milk-derived whey. Check the ingredients and vegan statement on the particular pack.
Can someone with a milk allergy rely on a vegan label?
No. UK government food-labelling guidance advises that a vegan label is not an assurance of allergy suitability. Check the supplied product’s ingredients, relevant free-from claim and any precautionary allergen information.
How can I get enough vegan custard creams for a group?
Start with custard creams labelled suitable for vegans, then compare their pack weights and the number of packets you need. Asda, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons each list a vegan 125g free-from option; Lovemore lists a case of eight separate units. Do not substitute a large milk-containing pack for the vegan biscuits.
Is a best-before date a safety deadline for biscuits?
No. UK government food-labelling guidance says best-before dates concern quality, while use-by dates concern safety. Check the actual pack’s date and storage instructions, especially if buying several packets to use over time.
What should I check after opening a large pack?
Follow that pack’s storage directions. Tesco and Asda instruct shoppers to keep their examined everyday custard creams in an airtight container after opening; those particular 400g recipes contain milk whey and are not vegan.