Low-fat eaters comparing salt
If fat content matters to you but you also want to compare salt, read both figures per 100g. A reduced-salt claim describes a change from that brand’s standard recipe; the salt figure lets you compare different brands.
Who is comparing these beans?
Shoppers considering sugar and salt together
Reduced-sugar and no-added-sugar recipes answer different preferences. Compare the salt and sugars figures separately, and read the ingredients if you prefer to avoid sweeteners.
People choosing smaller tins
A smaller can may suit the amount you plan to eat, but its size does not tell you how salty the recipe is. Compare salt per 100g first, then check salt for the whole can or your portion.
What should you compare?
Use per-100g figures to compare recipes across tin sizes, then check the amount you expect to eat.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Reading the label | Use traffic-light labelling for an initial comparison, then read salt, fat and sugars per 100g in the nutrition table. | I want to compare what is in the tin, not just its front-of-pack wording. In the Food Standards Agency and Ipsos Northern Ireland’s 2024 survey of 611 Northern Ireland adults, 49% said they actively used traffic-light labelling when shopping for food; the interviews took place from September to November 2024. |
| Salt | Compare salt per 100g across brands. Check salt per portion or per can for the amount you plan to eat; a percentage reduction refers to that brand’s standard beans. | I want the salt figure to reflect both the recipe and my portion, rather than assuming that every reduced-salt tin contains the same amount. |
| Fat | Read fat per 100g alongside salt. The compared Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Waitrose, Heinz and M&S products list between 0.2g and 0.6g fat per 100g on their retailer product information. | For my low-fat eating pattern, fat remains a check, but it does not tell me which of these beans has less salt. |
| Sugars and sweeteners | Distinguish reduced sugar from no added sugar. Compare total sugars per 100g and read the ingredients if sweeteners affect your choice. | I may want a particular sugar claim without assuming it also identifies the tin with the lowest salt figure. |
| Portion and pack | Check the can size, the stated portion and the salt for the amount you will eat. Plan how you will store any leftovers using the pack instructions. | A smaller can might suit one meal; with a multipack, I need to consider each can and any opened leftovers. |
What is easy to overlook?
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Reading “reduced salt” as a cross-brand comparison
The reduction is relative to each product’s standard version. Retailer figures for the products compared here run from 0.29g to 0.43g salt per 100g, so the claim alone does not identify the lower-salt recipe.
Compare salt per 100g between tins, then check the figure for the portion you expect to eat.
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Checking fat but overlooking salt
The compared tins have different salt figures even though their listed fat figures are all 0.6g per 100g or less. Fat and salt answer separate questions about the product.
Keep both figures in view when choosing beans for a low-fat eating pattern.
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Assuming “no added sugar” means no sweetener
Waitrose & Partners describes the Heinz No Added Sugar product as baked beans in tomato sauce with sweetener. The sugar claim does not settle an ingredients preference.
Read the ingredients for sweeteners and use the nutrition table to compare sugars and salt.
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Using a dietary label as an allergy check
M&S states that its no-added-sugar baked beans are not suitable for people with milk or egg allergy. A vegan description does not replace the product’s allergen information.
If an allergy is relevant, check the label on the can you are buying.
Which brand ranges are relevant?
These figures describe the named products, not every baked-bean recipe sold under each brand.
Sainsbury’s
Its Reduced Sugar & Salt Baked Beans are listed in a 4 × 400g pack.
- Sainsbury’s lists 0.29g salt and less than 0.5g fat per 100g, with 30% less sugar and salt than its standard baked beans.
- The percentage reduction uses Sainsbury’s standard recipe as its reference; compare the per-100g figure with other brands.
Tesco
Its Reduced Sugar and Salt Baked Beans are listed in a 420g can.
- Tesco lists 0.29g salt and 0.3g fat per 100g, and states 25% less salt than its standard baked beans.
- Use the current can label for the recipe and nutrition figures you are buying.
Waitrose Essential
Its Reduced Salt & Sugar Baked Beans include a 220g can for shoppers considering a smaller portion.
- Waitrose lists 0.30g salt and less than 0.5g fat per 100g.
- The listed salt figure amounts to 0.66g for the full 220g can, so consider how much you will eat.
Heinz
Heinz No Added Sugar Single Serve is a 200g option with a lower-salt claim relative to standard Heinz Beanz.
- Waitrose & Partners lists 0.40g salt and 0.2g fat per 100g, and describes the product as having 25% less salt than standard Heinz Beanz.
- The product is described as containing sweetener; check the ingredients if that affects your choice.
M&S
Its No Added Sugar Baked Beans are listed in a 390g can.
- M&S lists 0.43g salt and 0.6g fat per 100g for this product.
- M&S states that it is not suitable for people with milk or egg allergy, despite its vegan labelling.
Joybuy product options
This Branston multipack is an option for shoppers comparing reduced-sugar-and-salt baked beans in 410g cans. Use its current label to compare fat and salt with the other recipes discussed above.
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Branston Reduced Sugar & Salt Baked Beans 4 × 410g
This four-can pack suits shoppers considering a reduced-sugar-and-salt recipe. Compare fat and salt per 100g and for your portion on the current can label; check its ingredients if sweeteners affect your choice.
Common questions
Do all reduced-salt baked beans contain the same amount of salt?
No. A reduction is measured against that product’s standard recipe. Sainsbury’s and Tesco list 0.29g salt per 100g for the products discussed here, while Waitrose Essential lists 0.30g; the Heinz No Added Sugar product lists 0.40g. Compare the per-100g figure, then the amount in the portion you expect to eat.
Can reduced-salt baked beans fit a low-fat eating pattern?
Check the fat figure on the particular tin rather than relying on its salt claim. The Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Waitrose, Heinz and M&S products compared here list 0.2g to 0.6g fat per 100g, but their salt figures differ. Compare both values and the portion you plan to eat.
Does a vegan label settle milk or egg allergy concerns?
No. M&S states that its No Added Sugar Baked Beans are not suitable for people with milk or egg allergy despite their vegan labelling. Check the allergen information on the can if an allergy affects your choice.