For a fish and chips night where you want to reduce salt from the tuna, start with tins packed in water rather than brine, as the NHS advises, then compare salt per 100g on the exact packs. Spring water is not itself a low-salt claim: the named M&S, John West and Princes examples list 0.75g, 0.8g and 0.85g salt per 100g respectively, all above the NHS low-salt threshold of 0.3g per 100g. Choose a no-drain format if quicker preparation matters, but check its salt figure separately.
If tuna is joining chips, batter or sauces on the table, you want to check what the tuna contributes rather than assume a spring-water tin is low in salt. The NHS advises choosing tinned fish in water instead of brine when cutting down salt.
If the tuna needs to become a side or topping straight away, a no-drain format removes a preparation step. John West offers one in spring water, but its convenience feature does not establish a salt advantage.
If several people will share the tuna, compare the number of tins and the stated drained weight, not just the weight printed prominently on the pack. A multipack is useful only if its usable quantity fits the meal and any planned leftovers.
Start with the salt figure on the exact tin, then decide whether preparation time or usable quantity changes which format you would buy. Check whether nutrition figures are given for drained tuna before comparing different packs.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Salt from the tuna | Compare salt per 100g on the exact pack and note whether the figure is for drained tuna. The NHS defines low salt as 0.3g or less per 100g. | If I am already serving chips and sauces, I want to choose the tuna without assuming its packing water settles the salt question. About 50% of consumers put reducing salt from the tuna first. |
| Quick preparation | Check whether the pack says no-drain and how it opens; compare its salt figure separately. | When a side needs to go onto the table quickly, I would rather not handle liquid from a tin. For about 30% of consumers, low-mess preparation is the primary need. |
| Usable quantity | Check drained weight and tin count against the amount needed for the meal. | If several people are sharing a tuna side, I need enough usable tuna without opening more tins than necessary. Portion fit comes first for about 20% of consumers. |
Water is the NHS-recommended packing choice over brine when cutting down salt, but it does not determine the finished product’s salt figure. The named M&S, John West and Princes spring-water examples all exceed the NHS low-salt threshold of 0.3g per 100g.
Read salt per 100g on the tin you are buying, and consider any sauces or seasoning served with the meal.
A tin’s stated size and its usable quantity need not be the same. This matters when deciding how many tins to open for a shared side.
Look for drained weight on each format and compare nutrition figures on the same per-100g basis.
No-drain describes preparation. John West lists 0.8g salt per 100g for its named no-drain spring-water tuna, which is above the NHS low-salt threshold.
Choose the format for the way you intend to serve it, then check the current salt label independently.
Tuna contains fish, and the named M&S tuna chunks carry a warning that they may contain bones. A warning on one product should not be assumed to describe every tin.
Check the exact pack’s ingredient, allergen and precautionary information for everyone eating it, including any product-specific bone warning.
The named 160g Tuna Chunks in Spring Water tin is one option for comparing a single-tin label.
Its named No Drain Tuna Chunks in Spring Water offers a way to prepare a tuna side without a separate draining step.
Its Tuna Chunks in Spring Water range includes single tins and multipacks, allowing shoppers to match the format to a shared side or planned leftovers.
These spring-water tuna chunks cover no-drain preparation, single tins and multipacks for a fish and chips night side. Compare each pack’s salt label and usable quantity before choosing.
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The no-drain format suits a side or topping that needs little preparation. Check salt per 100g on the pack and its label basis when comparing it with drained tuna.
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The six-tin pack is an option when planning a tuna side for several servings. Check drained weight per tin and salt per 100g on this format before comparing quantities or labels.
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Four tins let you plan how much tuna to open for a side dish. Check the drained weight and salt per 100g on this pack; do not assume it has the no-drain format of the separately named John West product.
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A single tin may fit a smaller tuna side without committing to a multipack. Check its drained weight for the amount you can serve and its salt per 100g for the meal.
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This single tin offers tuna chunks for a side or topping. Check its draining instructions, the basis of its salt-per-100g figure and the exact allergen label before use.
Not automatically. The NHS defines low salt as 0.3g or less per 100g. The named M&S, John West no-drain and Princes spring-water products list 0.75g, 0.8g and 0.85g salt per 100g respectively, so check the current label of the exact tin you buy.
If cutting down salt is the aim, water-packed tuna is the starting choice: the NHS advises buying tinned fish in water instead of brine. Still compare the exact tin’s salt figure and consider sauces and seasoning served with the fish and chips.
Follow that pack’s storage instructions. Marks & Spencer and the ASDA listing for a Princes multipack say to refrigerate unused tuna and use it within two days; M&S also instructs shoppers to transfer unused contents to a non-metallic container.
Tuna contains fish, so read the exact pack’s ingredients and allergen information if someone eating has a fish allergy. GOV.UK guidance says food businesses must tell consumers about specified allergens when they are ingredients; also check product-specific precautionary statements and bone warnings.