Vegan shoppers comparing sugar
Start with the specific pack’s vegan statement and ingredients, then compare sugars per 100g. A lower figure than another biscuit does not, by itself, establish a reduced-sugars claim.
Who is this choice for?
People buying for someone with a milk allergy
Check ingredients and precautionary-allergen information separately from vegan suitability. The Food Standards Agency cautions that vegan labelling alone should not be used in place of allergen information.
What should you check?
Confirm that the particular pack meets your dietary needs before using its per-100g figure to compare sugar across different biscuit sizes.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Vegan suitability | Read the specific pack’s vegan statement and ingredients. The conventional Sainsbury’s, ASDA and Crawford’s custard creams examined list milk-derived whey in their retailer information. | I’m choosing for a vegan shopper, so a vegetarian description or the words “custard creams” are not enough to identify a suitable pack. |
| Sugar comparison | Compare sugars per 100g: Tesco lists 19.9g for listing 322547495; ASDA lists 23g for Schär; Sainsbury’s lists 24.9g for Free From; and ASDA lists 25g for Free From. Use the stated per-biscuit figure separately when considering a portion. | I want to compare vegan packs on the same basis, even when their biscuits or portion packs differ in size. |
| Recipe and allergens | Distinguish Tesco listings 322547495 and 308083896: Tesco states 19.9g and 25.2g sugars per 100g respectively. For a milk allergy, check the supplied pack’s ingredients and precautionary-allergen wording; the Food Standards Agency says vegan labelling is not a substitute for allergen information. | If I’m relying on a particular recipe or buying for someone with an allergy, I need to inspect the actual pack rather than assume similarly named products are identical. |
| Pack format | Check how the biscuits are packed as well as the total weight. ASDA describes the Schär 125g pack as five 25g individual packs, each containing two biscuits. | Separate packs would be useful if I want to take a portion with me; I would still compare sugar using the per-100g figure. |
Common label mix-ups
-
Assuming Tesco’s two Free From 125g listings have the same recipe
Tesco gives listing 322547495 as 19.9g sugars per 100g and listing 308083896 as 25.2g per 100g, despite their similar names and pack weights.
Identify the listing you intend to buy, then confirm the ingredients and nutrition panel on the supplied pack.
-
Taking “vegetarian” to mean “vegan”
The conventional Sainsbury’s, ASDA and Crawford’s custard creams examined list milk-derived whey. Tesco’s Crawford’s listing describes that product as suitable for vegetarians.
For vegan shopping, check the particular biscuit’s vegan statement and ingredient list.
-
Comparing sugar per biscuit without checking biscuit size
A per-biscuit figure describes that stated portion; it does not put differently sized biscuits on the same weight basis.
Use sugars per 100g for the product comparison, then check the stated biscuit or portion figure for the amount you plan to eat.
Brand and product references
These details apply to the named retailer listings, not every custard cream sold under each brand.
Tesco
Tesco identifies both examined Free From 125g custard cream listings as suitable for vegans.
- Tesco states 19.9g sugars per 100g for listing 322547495.
- Its similarly named listing 308083896 states 25.2g per 100g; check which pack you are buying.
Schär
The examined vegan, gluten-free custard creams come in a 125g pack of five individual portions.
- ASDA lists 23g sugars per 100g and two biscuits in each 25g pack.
- The portion format does not establish a reduced-sugars claim.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s identifies its examined Free From Custard Creams 125g as suitable for vegans.
- The Free From listing states 24.9g sugars per 100g.
- The separate conventional Custard Creams 200g listing includes whey powder from cows’ milk.
ASDA
ASDA identifies its examined Free From Custard Creams 125g as suitable for vegans.
- The Free From listing states 25g sugars per 100g.
- ASDA’s separate conventional Custard Creams 400g listing contains whey powder from milk.
Crawford’s
The examined conventional Custard Creams 300g are a reminder to distinguish vegetarian from vegan labelling.
- Tesco’s listing includes whey solids from milk and states 30.7g sugars per 100g; it is not an option for the vegan-shopping need addressed here.
M&S
The examined Extra Cream Custard Creams 165g are a conventional variant, not a vegan option.
- M&S lists dried whey and dried skimmed milk for this variant, alongside 40.2g sugars per 100g.
Joybuy product options
This option is a vegan, gluten-free custard cream in individual portion packs. Compare its stated sugars per 100g with other packs if sugar content is your main deciding factor.
Image unavailable
Schär Gluten-Free Custard Creams 125g
An option for vegan shopping when gluten-free biscuits and individual portions are also relevant. ASDA lists this 125g product at 23g sugars per 100g and describes five 25g packs with two biscuits in each; check the supplied pack’s ingredients and allergen information if buying for someone with an allergy.
Questions about choosing a pack
Does “suitable for vegans” mean suitable for someone with a milk allergy?
No. The Food Standards Agency warns that vegan labelling alone should not replace allergen information. Check the supplied pack’s ingredients and precautionary-allergen wording against the person’s needs.
Does a lower sugar figure make a custard cream “reduced-sugar”?
No: comparing two nutrition panels shows a relative difference, not whether a reduced-sugars claim is justified. NHS Scotland’s food-labelling guidance describes reduced-sugar as 30% less sugar than a standard equivalent product. Use the packs’ per-100g figures to compare them, without treating the lowest figure in this group as proof of that claim.
What if an online order arrives with a different recipe?
Read the supplied pack before eating the biscuits, particularly its ingredients, allergen information and nutrition panel. This matters when choosing between Tesco’s similarly named Free From 125g listings, which state different sugar figures.