Shoppers comparing labelled sugars
If beans on toast or a jacket potato is a regular winter meal, the sugars figure per 100g lets you compare different tin sizes. A no-added-sugar claim does not mean the finished beans contain no sugars.
Who is this for?
Own-label shoppers
Reduced-sugar-and-salt own-label tins come in different sizes and recipes. Compare their nutrition panels and the amount you plan to serve rather than treating the claim on each tin as an identical specification.
Households checking dietary suitability
Look for statements on the exact product when vegan, gluten-free or allergen information matters. The Waitrose listing describes Heinz No Added Sugar as vegan and gluten-free; Marks & Spencer describes its No Added Sugar beans as vegan but not suitable for people with milk or egg allergy.
What should you compare?
Start with the nutrition figures on a common per-100g basis, then check the ingredients, dietary statements and amount you are likely to use.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars | Compare the “of which sugars” figure per 100g. Read “no added sugar” and “reduced sugar” alongside the nutrition panel and ingredients; a reduction claim has its own stated comparison product. | I want to compare tins for a warm meal without mistaking no added sugar for sugar-free. |
| Salt | Check salt per 100g as well as sugars. If a label gives figures per serving, check the stated serving size before comparing it with another tin. | Lower labelled sugars matter to me, but I also want to see how much salt is in the beans I serve. |
| Ingredients and suitability | Read the current ingredients and explicit vegan, gluten-free and allergen statements for the exact product. Do not infer suitability from the name or from beans being plant-based. | When I am cooking for someone with a dietary requirement, I need the tin’s own statement rather than an assumption about the recipe. |
| Portion and pack | Note the tin or multipack size, the label’s serving size and whether you normally use a whole tin or part of one. Use per-100g figures for comparisons between pack formats. | A small tin might cover one serving of beans on toast; for a shared meal, I need to know how many tins I will open. |
Common buying mistakes
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Reading “no added sugar” as “sugar-free”
The Waitrose listing for Heinz No Added Sugar states that it contains naturally occurring sugars and declares 1.9g sugars per 100g.
Read the claim alongside the “of which sugars” line before choosing a tin.
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Checking sugars but not salt
Reduced-sugar tins can carry different salt figures. A within-brand reduced-salt claim does not, by itself, tell you how its salt content compares with another brand’s tin.
Compare both sugars and salt per 100g across the products on your shortlist.
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Assuming a vegan label settles allergen questions
Marks & Spencer describes its No Added Sugar Baked Beans as vegan but says they are not suitable for people with milk or egg allergy.
Check the current allergen statement on the exact tin when buying for someone with an allergy.
Brand and product-line references
These label details apply to the named products and pack formats, not to every baked-bean product from each brand.
M&S
Marks & Spencer lists No Added Sugar Baked Beans in a 390g tin.
- The listing declares 1.2g sugars and 0.43g salt per 100g.
- Although described as vegan, the product is stated to be unsuitable for people with milk or egg allergy.
Heinz
The Waitrose listing for Heinz Baked Beans No Added Sugar covers a 415g tin.
- It declares 1.9g sugars and 0.4g salt per 100g and is listed as vegan and gluten-free.
- The listing says the beans contain naturally occurring sugars.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s Reduced Sugar & Salt Baked Beans is an own-label option with a stated comparison to its standard beans.
- Sainsbury’s states 30% less sugar and 30% less salt than its standard baked beans; the listing declares 2.8g sugars and 0.29g salt per 100g.
- Its ingredients include sugar and steviol glycosides, so “reduced sugar” is not a no-added-sugar claim.
Tesco
Tesco lists Reduced Sugar and Salt Baked Beans in a 420g tin.
- The listing marks the product suitable for vegans and gives 6.2g sugars and 0.60g salt per half-can.
- Check the serving weight when comparing its half-can figures with another product’s per-100g panel.
Branston
Branston Reduced Sugar & Salt Baked Beans is listed in a 410g tin.
- The Sainsbury’s listing states 30% less sugar and salt than standard Branston beans and declares 2.8g sugars and 0.39g salt per 100g.
- The reduced-sugar claim compares Branston recipes; it does not mean the beans contain no sugar.
Waitrose
Essential Waitrose Reduced Salt & Sugar Baked Beans is listed in a 220g tin.
- Waitrose states 30% less sugar and 30% less salt than regular Essential Waitrose baked beans.
- Use the current tin’s per-100g panel for an absolute sugars-and-salt comparison with other brands.
Joybuy product options
This Branston multipack is an option if you want reduced-sugar-and-salt baked beans for winter meals and would use several 410g tins.
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Branston Reduced Sugar & Salt Baked Beans, 4 x 410g
For beans on toast, jacket potatoes or a shared warm meal, this pack contains four 410g tins. The product information states 30% less sugar and salt than standard Branston beans and lists 2.8g sugars and 0.39g salt per 100g. Its ingredients include sugar and steviol glycosides, so check the current pack’s dietary and allergen statements if those matter to your household.
Questions about choosing baked beans
Does “no added sugar” mean baked beans contain no sugars?
No. The Waitrose listing for Heinz No Added Sugar says it contains naturally occurring sugars and declares 1.9g sugars per 100g. Check the sugars figure on the nutrition panel as well as the claim.
How can I compare tins of different sizes?
Compare sugars and salt per 100g first, then look at the stated serving size and how much of the tin you expect to use. UK Food Standards Agency guidance recommends using nutrition and traffic-light labels to compare products at a glance.
Are reduced-sugar baked beans also reduced in salt?
Not necessarily. Some products explicitly claim a reduction in both sugar and salt, but that is a comparison with the standard product named by the brand. Check the salt figure per 100g to compare different tins.
Which named option has explicit vegan and gluten-free statements?
The Waitrose listing identifies Heinz Baked Beans No Added Sugar 415g as suitable for vegans and gluten-free. Tesco marks its 420g Reduced Sugar and Salt beans suitable for vegans, but that statement alone does not establish gluten-free suitability.
Does a vegan statement rule out milk or egg allergy concerns?
No. Marks & Spencer describes its No Added Sugar Baked Beans as vegan but states that they are not suitable for people with milk or egg allergy. Check the allergen information on the exact tin each time you buy it.