United Biscuits

A leading international baked snack business, part of pladis which combines three centuries of baking and confectionery expertise by bringing together its iconic Godiva, McVitie’s and Ulker brands.

For more information, please visit www.pladisglobal.com

Contact Us

Consumer Care Enquiries

We hope you love our snacks, but if you have any feedback on any of our products we would be delighted to hear from you. Our Careline is open Monday to Friday, 09:00 – 17:00, and our phone numbers are detailed below. You can also contact us by email or post via our contact details below, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Email

For any of our products, please email: ubconsumerservices@pladisglobal.com
In order to provide a better service to our consumers, we kindly ask you to include following information on your email:

  • Your name
  • Your address and postcode
  • The product’s name, size and best before date and associated detail.
  • The place and date of purchase

Telephone
  • For McVitie’s, please call: 0800 456 1372
  • For Jacob’s, please call: 08081 449 454
  • For all our other biscuits and snacks, please call: 0800 456 1372
  • For Republic of Ireland, please call: 1800 409 317
Post
  • For McVitie’s, you can write to us at Freepost MCVITIE’S
  • For Jacob’s, you can write to us at Freepost JACOB’S
  • For Carr’s, you can write to us at Carr’s, The Biscuits Works, 54 Church Street, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA2 5TG
  • If your query relates to Carr’s in the USA, please contact the team via the Carr’s US site.
Ideas and suggestions

Unfortunately, owing to the extensive research required to identify the level of consumer appeal, and to introduce a new product, we are not able to use any ideas from members of the public.

Media Centre

www.pladisglobal.com/our-stories/media-contacts

Suppliers

We are always looking for new suppliers that can work with us both locally and globally. Follow the link and register on our online portal, free of charge. Once registered, you will be able to complete our new supplier questionnaire. Once you have completed the questionnaire your details will be passed to the relevant buyer.

pladis UK Standard Terms and Conditions

Customers

United Biscuits products are available through many retail outlets. We work closely with our retail customers by offering them merchandising advice and valuable insights to help maximise sales. Find out more on our Better Biscuits website

123HealthyBalance

Our mission is to provide simple, wholesome pleasures to all our consumers.

We recognise concerns about obesity and dietary health and we’re working hard to be part of the solution. We are committed to offering clear and accurate information to help you make your own choices when it comes to snacking.

Our wide range of high quality, tasty baked snacks provide you with choice whether you’re looking for a healthier option or an indulgent treat.

We know our brands are much loved and they can, and should, be enjoyed as part of a healthy, balanced diet.

Eat Healthily

We believe all foods can be enjoyed in moderation as part of a healthy diet, including our snacks. We’re committed to providing our consumers with the right information to help you understand how our products can be part of a healthy and balanced lifestyle.

Your diet should provide the right amount of food for your energy needs and a variety of food from the main food groups to ensure your body gets all the right nutrients. The Eatwell Guide shows the five main food groups that make up our diet, and the proportions we should eat them in to have a healthy, balanced diet.

For detailed information on the Eatwell Guide, visit: NHS Eatwell Guide

Fruit and vegetables

Fruit and vegetables are an important part of a healthy, balanced diet; we should be eating at least five portions per day.

Fruit and vegetables provide your body with a wide range of vitamins and minerals, and are a great source of dietary fibre which helps to maintain a healthy digestive system. Fresh, frozen, tinned, dried and juiced fruit and vegetables all count towards your ‘five a day’. 

What counts as a portion?
  • 80g of fresh, frozen or canned fruit or vegetables
  • 30g dried fruit or vegetables
  • 150ml unsweetened fruit juice (but remember that fruit juice and smoothies should be limited to no more than 150ml/day)
Do potatoes count?

Potatoes have a higher starchy carbohydrate content than most other vegetables, so they don’t count towards your five a day. However, they are an excellent source of carbohydrates and fibre (if you eat the skins) so should form part of a healthy diet.

Bread, rice, potatoes, pasta and other starchy foods

Starchy foods such as potatoes, bread, cereals, rice and pasta are an important part of a healthy diet. They are our main source of carbohydrates and should make up about a third of the food we eat.

As well as energy from carbohydrates, starchy foods contain fibre, calcium, iron and B vitamins.

The UK government recommends we should eat 30g of fibre per day.

Top tip: Wholegrain varieties of bread and pasta, brown rice and potatoes with skins on provide more fibre!

Milk and dairy foods

Milk and dairy products and calcium fortified plant-based alternatives are a great source of protein and calcium. Protein makes up the building blocks of the body. It allows the body to grow and to repair itself. Calcium is needed for the maintenance of normal bones and teeth. To make healthier choices, opt for lower-fat milk and dairy foods as well as lower sugar yoghurts.

Meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy sources of protein

These foods are rich in protein which makes up the building blocks of the body. It allows the body to grow and to repair itself. Protein comes from animal sources like meat and fish as well as from beans and pulses. These foods also contain vitamins and minerals. Beans and pulses (such as soya, peas and lentils) are lower in fat than meat and also contain fibre.

We should aim to eat at least two portions of fish each week, one of which should be oily (e.g. salmon, trout or mackerel).

Fats and oils 

We need to eat a small amount of fat in our diets to support a number of bodily processes and for the absorption of some vitamins (fat-soluble vitamins). We should choose unsaturated fats, oils and spreads, rather than animal fats and eat them in small amounts. Unsaturated fats include vegetable, olive oil, rapeseed and sunflower oils.

Food and drinks high in fat and/or sugar

Foods such as chocolate, cakes, soft drinks, biscuits, crisps, butter and ice cream are considered as discretionary foods as they are not needed in the diet, but can be eaten in moderation as part of a healthy and balanced diet and lifestyle. 

These foods are often very high in calories so cutting down can help to reduce your total energy, fat and sugars intake.

Top tip: Read the label to understand how much energy, fat and sugar is in snacks and treat foods to help you to get the right balance.

Keep Active

As well as eating the right foods in the right amounts, physical activity is an important part of a healthy, balanced lifestyle. It is recommended that adults aim to be physically active every day and undertake at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week, or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity a week, but more is better. It’s also important to do strengthening activities that work all major muscle groups at least twice a week, as well as to reduce the time sitting or lying down.

Children should engage in at least an average of 60 minutes moderate intensity physical activity each day, across the whole week.

You don’t have to do all your physical activity in one go; it can be broken into bouts of 10 minutes or more if it helps you to be more active. Moderate physical activity is anything that raises your heart rate and breathing; it can include day to day activities such as brisk walking and riding a bike.

Exercise has many health benefits such as reducing your risk of heart disease and diabetes, boosting your self-esteem and reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety, therefore helping to support mental health. It also helps us to maintain a healthy weight. If we eat more calories than we use, we will gain weight.

There are lots of ways to stay active, even a small change to your daily habits could improve your lifestyle!

Here’s some of our top tips for increasing your physical activity:

  • Get off the bus one stop early and walk the rest of your journey
  • Take the stairs instead of the lift
  • Make shorter journeys on foot or cycle – why not walk or cycle to the shops?
  • Take a walk round the block on your lunch break
  • Buddy up – find a friend or family member to exercise with
  • Make it fun – choose something you enjoy and it’ll be easier to stick to
  • Join a club – find a local club and try something new
  • Family time – get outdoors and active with the kids
  • Chores – work up a sweat with the housework and get the family involved

UK Physical Activity Guidelines for Adults

UK Physical Activity Guidelines for Children

Our Products

We are committed to providing clear and accurate nutrition information for our products to help you make your own choice when it comes to snacking. Nutrition information on our top-selling snacks can be found below. You can also find the nutrition information and ingredients of all our snacks on every pack we sell.

  1. McVitie’s Original Digestives (View ingredients | View nutritional information)
  2. McVitie’s Original Digestives Lights (View ingredients | View nutritional information)
  3. McVitie’s Milk Chocolate Digestives  (View ingredients | View nutritional information)
  4. McVitie’s Dark Chocolate Digestives (View ingredients | View nutritional information)
  5. McVitie’s Rich Tea (View ingredients | View nutritional information)
  6. McVitie’s Rich Tea Lights (View ingredients | View nutritional information)
  7. McVitie’s Original Hobnobs (View ingredients | View nutritional information)
  8. McVitie’s Milk Chocolate Hobnobs (View ingredients | View nutritional information)
  9. McVitie’s Dark Chocolate Hobnobs (View ingredients | View nutritional information)
  10. McVitie’s Caramel Digestives (View ingredients | View nutritional information)
  11. McVitie’s Ginger Nuts (View ingredients | View nutritional information)
  12. McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes (View ingredients | View nutritional information)
  13. McVitie’s Penguin (View ingredients | View nutritional information)
  14. McVitie’s Club Orange (View ingredients | View nutritional information)
  15. McVitie’s Club Mint (View ingredients | View nutritional information)
  16. McVitie’s Club Fruit (View ingredients | View nutritional information)
  17. McVitie’s Gold Bar (View ingredients | View nutritional information)
  18. McVitie’s Iced Gems (View ingredients | View nutritional information)
  19. McVitie’s Jaffa Cake Bars (View ingredients | View nutritional information)
  20. Jacob’s Cream Crackers (View ingredients | View nutritional information)
  21. Jacob’s Mini Cheddars (View ingredients | View nutritional information)
  22. Jacob’s Twiglets (View ingredients | View nutritional information)
  23. Carr’s Table Water (View ingredients | View nutritional information)

If you would like information on the nutritional values of any of our products not listed here, please email ubconsumerservices@pladisglobal.com

Frequently asked questions

Your feedback and questions are important to us.
Please check through the FAQs below, they might help you before contacting us.

Do you use palm oil? If so, is this sustainable palm oil?

Palm oil is widely used for a variety of reasons and is one of the most productive crops per hectare compared to alternatives. That said, we regularly review our raw materials to ensure we are using the most appropriate raw materials to deliver the quality required across our range of biscuits and snacks. At pladis UK and Ireland, we take the sourcing of all our raw materials seriously. We have been a member of the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) since 2008 and have been using 100% oil palm supporting the RSPO sustainability programme.

As a responsible business, we need to continue to support the industry on its transformation journey. In addition to purchasing RSPO-certified palm oil, pladis UK and Ireland embarked on a partnership with The Earthworm Foundation in 2018 to improve traceability back to oil palm mills to then assess supplier compliance with pladis’ No Deforestation policy.

Do you use GMO in your products?

We use only non-GM ingredients in our products. As a responsible food manufacturer, our priority is to assure the safety and quality of the ingredients it uses. Since 1997 we have:

  • Where necessary, substituted soya and maize ingredients with non-GM alternatives.
  • Where substitution was inappropriate, pladis UK& Ireland has sourced ingredients from traditional, identity preserved crops – i.e. non-GM crops.

The integrity of our policy is backed by a rigorous inspection process which covers all aspects of supply – from field to factory.

Despite the audit trail, accidental or inadvertent presence of GM material can still occur in a non-GM crop. This can occur through transference in nature – e.g. via wind borne pollen or it can happen accidentally. To date, we have opted not to label products as non-GM even though it could make many of the specific non-GM claims made publicly by others.

Why is it that for some products the packaging can be larger than the product?

The packaging of our products is under constant review and great care, attention and research is given to the development of new packaging. Our first concern is to ensure that the product is effectively protected against damage or contamination in transit. We also aim to package our products in ways which reflect how people prefer to use them.

We take our responsibilities for the environment very seriously and try to balance all aspects of protection, presentation, promotion and cost as carefully as we can. We certainly never aim to wrap our products in more packaging than is necessary to give them maximum protection as this would add to the cost for both ourselves and the consumer.

What is UB’s policy on sponsorship/donation requests?

We are approached by many groups and individuals representing causes and unfortunately it is not possible to respond to all requests for donations. As such, around the world pladis supports a range of carefully selected charity partners whom we prioritise.

Product is out of date; what should I do?

The fact that the product was sold beyond the indicated date is the responsibility of the retailer and we would recommend that you return the product to the shop from where it was purchased together with the purchase receipt.

How do I know if a product is suitable for vegetarians?

For any of our products that are suitable for a vegetarian diet the recognised vegetarian logo will be displayed on the pack near to the pack weight and barcode.

What is your position on using cage-free eggs?

At pladis UK & Ireland, we’re proud guardians of much-loved household favourites including McVitie’s, Jacob’s and go ahead! and strive every day to make delicious biscuits, cakes and snacks that people love to eat. We also recognise that consumer satisfaction today goes beyond great taste. That’s why, at pladis UK & Ireland, we will only use eggs laid by cage-free hens in all our products by 2025. We are already making progress; in 2020, 47% of the eggs we used were from cage-free sources.

Are any UB products Kosher certified?

For any of our products that are Kosher certified, the recognised Kosher symbol will be displayed on pack.

Do any of your products contain alcohol?

Should alcohol be used as a direct ingredient, for example within the recipe for a Christmas cake line within the cream flavouring, this would be clearly labelled within the list of ingredients.

Occasionally however, it is possible that trace amounts can be used purely as a carrier in a flavour used in our products. The amount within the product is minute; however if you have any concerns for your diet or require any further information then please contact us.

Do you provide product lists for consumers who have a dietary requirement?

No. If you have a nutritional or dietary query, please contact us.

Do you use Mono Sodium Glutamate in your products?

MSG or Monosodium Glutamate (E621) is used to develop and enhance the flavour of many savoury products and is commonly found in soups, sauces, prepared meals and sausages as well as in snacks such as crisps and savoury biscuits.

MSG is permitted in foods in general to a maximum level of 10g/kg according to both UK and EC legislation. There are some foods or types of food which are not allowed to contain additives, or where the use of certain additives is restricted, this includes foods for infants and young children.

It is correct that MSG is not permitted in these foods, however our products do not fall into this category. Foods for infants and young children actually refers to formulae and weaning foods or foods that are specially prepared for infants and young children.

We recognise that some people need or prefer to avoid MSG in their diet and where it is included as an ingredient will always be labelled clearly on packaging within the ingredients list.

Are your products suitable for coeliacs?

Unfortunately, many of our products are not suitable as they contain cereal or flour based ingredients. For more information, please contact us.

Where can I buy pladis products?

Unfortunately, we can’t specify the individual stores in your area that stock our products, as we deliver to the Central Warehouses of large multiples, and because store ranges change from time to time. Smaller stores or outlets purchase from local Wholesale or Cash and Carry outlets.

Can your packaging be recycled?

Recycling facilities around the world vary, however we are working to make our packaging recyclable. In the meantime, please check your local recycling information.

For consumers in the UK, we have partnered with recycling experts TerraCycle since 2012 so that you can now recycle all our plastic packaging by dropping them off at one of 700 locations around the country, and TerraCycle will recycle all the wrappers.

In addition, we’re members of the UK Plastics Pact, and we’re working with our industry partners to make all our plastic packaging recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025.

Why do you discontinue lines?

There are a number of reasons why this might happen. Some common reasons are that some products are removed from sale by retail outlets as they do not reach the rate of sale required to maintain viability on shelf. Unfortunately, in many cases we are unable to influence this.

A long standing product may also be discontinued due to a falling off of popularity, resulting in it no longer being a viable product to produce.

Can you explain the coding to me for these packs - I don't understand it?

All consumer units, i.e. what is sold via a retail outlet, are required to carry a Best Before code, to advise the recommended time for consumption of the product.

In the case of multi-packs, due to manufacturing complexities occasionally the date codes are applied to the outer packaging only, as this is the unit being offered for sale and therefore covers the entire contents. The code on the individual packet is not a best before date; it is an internal code which show us the week, line number of production, production team/shift and the time the packet was produced. In these cases, a note of the best before date applied to the outer pack needs to be made.

How should I store your products?

The general rule for all of our products is to store them in a cool, dry place, particularly so for chocolate products. We would strongly recommend storing our products away from strong flavours or materials such as washing powders or other cleaning materials, which may taint the product and result in poor taste or quality.

I have a query on the product I have bought - where can I find out more?

You can contact our Consumer Services team on our Careline, or via email. You can find these on the Contact us page.

If you are for any reason dissatisfied with any of our products, please contact us to inform us so that we can look into it and where necessary take any actions needed.

Can I submit an idea for a new product / packaging, or for a variant to an existing product / packaging?

We receive lots of feedback and comments on our current brands and packaging, suggesting new ideas for our products and packaging. At pladis we have bespoke teams who work in partnership with professionals, and whose responsibility it is to innovate, test and evaluate new product ideas all the time.

Experience has shown us that often people send us their suggestions for things that we may have already considered, are actually in development, have been tested or used previously by ourselves or our competitors or have been ruled out for various reasons. New products are many years in planning and they need to be carefully researched to ensure they have mass appeal, brand fit, are technically feasible and commercially justifiable, at a minimum.

Should you submit an idea, artwork, invention, development, suggestion, concept, etc. to us, you agree that your submission is non-confidential and pladis is free to use that information, and any such use is without compensation to the party submitting that information. pladis will not acknowledge or enter into any correspondence in relation to unsolicited submissions.

How much sugar do your products contain?

We offer a wide range of baked snack foods from indulgent treats to healthier snacks. For consumers seeking biscuits with a relatively low sugar content, McVitie’s Digestives have just 2.2g sugar per biscuit (half a teaspoon) and McVitie’s Rich Tea have even less at just 1.5g sugar per biscuit. We also have many savoury products under the Jacob’s brand which are lower in sugar than our sweet biscuits.

We are committed to providing clear and accurate nutrition information for our products and as such clearly label the sugar content per biscuit, or per portion where appropriate, on the front of packs, as well as in the nutrition information table on the back.

What are free sugars?

Sugars have been in the limelight recently following a review of the scientific evidence surrounding sugar intake and health. The media coverage has led to lots of confusion about what types of sugars we should be eating and how much. Here is a short summary:

Sugars can be divided into two main categories:

  • Free sugars – include all added sugars, sugars naturally present in fruit and veg juices, purees and pastes, all sugars in drinks (except dairy-based drinks), plus sugars naturally present in honey and syrups as well as lactose and galactose added to foods as an ingredient;
  • Intrinsic sugars – include those naturally present in whole fruits or vegetables, beans and pulses (dried, canned and frozen), potatoes, cereals (e.g. rice and wheat), nuts, seeds and milk and dairy products (including naturally present lactose and galactose).
How much sugar should I eat as part of a healthy diet?

In 2015, the UK government changed its dietary recommendations to reflect free sugars rather than total sugars (which had a reference intake of no more than 90g total sugars/day, based on the average adult female: this value included both free sugars and intrinsic sugars). At the same time the government revised recommendations on dietary fibre to a minimum of 30g/day.

As a result of the change in dietary sugar recommendations, it is now advised that we should have no more than 5% of our daily energy intake coming from free sugars. This equates to:

  • No more than 30g/day for people aged from 11 years and all adults;
  • No more than 19g/day for children aged 4-6 years;
  • No more than 24g/day for children aged 7-10 years.

Treats and snack foods, such as biscuits, can be incorporated into a healthy balanced diet which still meets the new recommendations. This is demonstrated by The British Nutrition Foundation who have published some dietary modelling and developed a 7-day menu plan illustrating what a diet that meets the new recommendations for free sugars could look like. Two chocolate biscuits are included in this menu plan as a snack, demonstrating that all foods can be eaten in moderation as long as the whole diet is balanced.

At present, nutrition labels must provide information on the total sugar content of a food (which is the total of free and intrinsic sugars) per 100g. In many cases information is provided per serve (e.g. per biscuit). The free sugars content of a food is not listed in nutrition tables and it is not currently possible to measure the free sugar content of a food using laboratory analysis. As a result, consumers are encouraged to use ingredient lists to provide an indication of the free sugar content of a food. If a food lists sugar, syrup, molasses, honey of fruit concentrate/puree in the ingredients list, then these ingredients can be considered as free sugars. Fructose, sucrose, glucose and maltose are all forms of sugar. Ingredients are required by law to be listed in descending order of weight, so the higher up the ingredients list a free sugar containing ingredient is, the more free sugar is present, compared to products where free sugar containing ingredients are listed lower down.