Who is choosing?

Lunchbox shoppers

If you want to take one portion and leave the rest of the box unopened, check for separate inner packs. Schär’s 125 g Custard Creams box is listed by ASDA as five 25 g packs, each containing two biscuits.

Vegan biscuit shoppers

If a regular packet works for you, focus on the exact variant rather than the brand alone. The specified ASDA, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons Free From custard creams are vegan-labelled; some conventional variants from familiar brands contain milk-derived whey.

Shoppers checking for milk allergens

Vegan suitability and milk-allergen information answer different questions. UK government food-labelling guidance says not to assume a vegan-labelled food is suitable for someone with a milk allergy or intolerance; assess the supplied pack’s allergen information separately.

What should you check?

Start with the exact product’s vegan statement and ingredients, then decide whether you need separate portions or can use an ordinary packet. Custard creams in separate packs are still biscuits, not a single bar.

Priority What to check Your needs
Vegan suitability Check the full variant name, its vegan statement and the current ingredients. The conventional McVitie’s Tasties and Crawford’s products listed by Morrisons and Tesco respectively contain milk-derived whey despite their vegetarian descriptions. I want to identify the biscuit without mistaking a vegetarian label for a vegan one. In a Vegetarian Society survey of 2,387 UK adults conducted in March 2023, 34% reported looking for an on-pack vegetarian or vegan symbol when checking whether a product was free from animal products; that figure is not specific to biscuits.
Separate portions Look for an inner-pack count, not just the box weight. ASDA lists Schär Custard Creams 125 g as five separate 25 g packs with two biscuits in each; the cited Free From packet listings do not establish that format. For a lunchbox, I would like to take one portion without opening the remaining biscuits.
Milk allergens Read the supplied pack’s milk-free claim, ingredients and precautionary allergen information separately from its vegan statement. UK government guidance warns that vegan labelling alone does not establish suitability for a milk allergy or intolerance. If milk-allergen information matters to me, a vegan claim does not answer that separate question.
Serving and storage Check whether nutrition figures refer to a biscuit or a portion before comparing them. For a packet you will open more than once, follow its storage instructions; Sainsbury’s conventional 200 g listing specifies an airtight container after opening. I want to understand what one serving means and how to keep the remaining biscuits as the pack directs.

Common buying mistakes

  • Assuming a familiar name means the same ingredients

    ASDA and Sainsbury’s list vegan Free From custard creams, but their separately listed conventional variants contain milk-derived whey.

    Compare the complete variant name and ingredients on the pack you are buying, rather than relying on the brand or biscuit name.

  • Taking a small box to mean one wrapped snack

    ASDA describes Schär’s 125 g box as five separate packs. A similar total weight on another box does not establish separate inner portions.

    If you need to open only one portion, look for an explicit inner-pack count. Schär’s listed portions each contain two biscuits, rather than one bar.

  • Using a vegan label as milk-allergy information

    UK government guidance says vegan labelling alone does not establish suitability for someone with a milk allergy or intolerance.

    Assess the exact pack’s milk-free claim, ingredients and allergen warnings for that separate requirement.

Brand and product-line references

These distinctions concern the specified products, not every biscuit sold under each brand.

Schär

Its UK Custard Creams 125 g product addresses the separate-portion scenario.

  • Schär describes the biscuits as vegan, gluten free, wheat free and portion packed. ASDA lists five 25 g packs with two biscuits each.
  • The product is a box of biscuit portions, not one separately sold bar. Its vegan description does not replace milk-allergen checks.

ASDA

Its Free From and conventional custard creams need to be distinguished by variant.

  • ASDA lists its Free From Custard Creams 125 g as suitable for vegans and milk free.
  • Its separate conventional Custard Creams 400 g listing includes whey powder from milk.

Sainsbury’s

Its specified Free From packet is vegan-labelled; the conventional product has different ingredients.

  • Sainsbury’s lists its Free From Custard Creams 125 g as suitable for vegans and milk free.
  • Its conventional Custard Creams 200 g list whey powder from cow’s milk. The cited Free From listing does not establish separate inner packs.

Morrisons

Its Free From Custard Creams 125 g are a vegan-labelled packet option.

  • Morrisons lists this product as vegan and milk free.
  • The listing describes a box, not separate inner portions; check the supplied pack for its current details.

McVitie’s

The specified Tasties Custard Creams 300 g are a conventional-product reference, not a vegan choice.

  • Morrisons lists whey solids from milk in this variant, although it is described as suitable for vegetarians. That finding does not establish the ingredients of other McVitie’s products.

Crawford’s

The specified Custard Creams 300 g show why a vegetarian description needs a closer look.

  • Tesco’s listing for this variant includes whey solids from milk alongside a suitable-for-vegetarians description.

Tesco

Its conventional and Free From custard creams are distinct variants.

  • Check the exact pack’s current vegan statement and ingredients before choosing either variant; the product names alone do not establish suitability.

M&S

Its specified Extra Cream Custard Creams 165 g are a conventional-product comparison.

  • M&S lists dried whey and dried skimmed milk in this exact product; the finding does not apply to every M&S biscuit.

Joybuy product options

This option addresses the choice of a vegan custard cream in separate portions for a lunchbox or trip.

Schär Gluten Free Custard Creams 125 g box

Schär Gluten Free Custard Creams 125 g

For taking one portion without opening the rest of the box, Schär describes this UK product as vegan and portion packed. ASDA lists five separate 25 g packs with two biscuits each; the biscuits are gluten free. If you are checking for a milk allergy, assess the supplied pack’s allergen information separately from its vegan description.

View on Joybuy

Questions about vegan custard creams

Does ‘suitable for vegetarians’ mean custard creams are vegan?

No. The specified conventional McVitie’s Tasties and Crawford’s custard creams are described as suitable for vegetarians but list milk-derived whey, according to their Morrisons and Tesco listings. Check the exact variant’s ingredients and vegan statement.

Can someone with a milk allergy rely on a vegan label?

No. UK government food-labelling guidance says a vegan label alone does not establish suitability for someone with a milk allergy or intolerance. Assess the supplied product’s specified free-from claim, ingredients and allergen warnings separately.

How is milk identified on prepacked biscuits in the UK?

UK government allergen-labelling guidance says that, if a prepacked food contains one of the 14 specified allergens as an ingredient, it must be clearly identified in the ingredients list; milk is one of those allergens. Read the ingredients and any relevant allergen information on the supplied pack.

Is a retailer’s online ingredient list enough to choose a packet?

Check the supplied packet as well. Product information can change, and Tesco’s product guidance tells shoppers to read the label rather than rely solely on its website. This matters especially when distinguishing a vegan-labelled Free From variant from a similarly named conventional biscuit.