If reducing the beans’ salt contribution is your priority, compare salt per 100g and the portion you will serve, rather than choosing by a percentage-reduction claim. Sainsbury’s and Tesco each list 0.29g salt per 100g for their reduced-sugar-and-salt beans, while Waitrose lists 0.30g for Essential Reduced Salt & Sugar; Heinz No Added Sugar meets a different sugar preference but ASDA lists it at 0.40g salt per 100g. Each percentage reduction uses that brand’s own standard beans as its baseline, and the fish, chips and sauces also contribute to the meal.
When beans sit beside fish and chips, the tin is only one source of salt on the plate. Compare its salt per 100g and your intended serving, then decide whether the meal needs any extra table salt or sauce. The NHS notes that salt already in food and salt added during or after cooking both count towards intake.
A no-added-sugar claim answers a different question from a salt figure. Heinz says its No Added Sugar Beanz has 25% less salt than standard Heinz Beanz, while ASDA lists 0.40g salt per 100g for its 200g can. Check both parts of the label if both preferences matter.
Can size matters when the side portion is small. Waitrose lists its 220g Essential Reduced Salt & Sugar can as one serving; the Tesco and Sainsbury’s nutrition information uses approximately half-can servings. Compare the amount you expect to eat, not just the serving printed on a different-sized tin.
Start with a like-for-like salt figure, then check the serving and any other label claims that matter to your meal.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Salt on the plate | Compare salt per 100g, then the salt in the amount of beans you will serve. Consider any salt or sauces added to the finished fish and chips. | I want to know what the beans contribute to my portion, without treating the side dish as the whole meal. |
| Reduction claims | Check which standard recipe a percentage is measured against. Sainsbury’s and Waitrose state 30% less salt than their respective standard beans; Tesco and Heinz state 25% less than theirs. Use salt per 100g to compare the products across brands. | A larger percentage on one tin does not tell me that it contains less salt than another brand’s tin. |
| Sugar preference | Read the sugar claim, ingredients and separate salt declaration. Heinz describes its Beanz as no added sugar; ASDA lists 0.40g salt per 100g for the 200g can. | If avoiding added sugar matters to me, I still want to compare the salt figure in its own right. |
| Can size and leftovers | Check how much you will serve and follow the exact tin’s instructions after opening. Tesco instructs shoppers to refrigerate its reduced-sugar-and-salt beans after opening and consume them within two days. | For a smaller meal, I would rather choose a practical can size or plan when to use the remainder. |
A percentage is relative to that producer’s standard recipe. It does not establish which brand’s beans contain less salt per 100g.
Compare the declared salt per 100g first, then check the amount in the portion you intend to serve.
Beans are one part of fish and chips. The NHS says its adult salt limit includes salt already in food as well as salt added during cooking or at the table.
Taste before adding salt, and account for sauces when deciding what to put on the plate.
ASDA lists Heinz No Added Sugar beans at 0.40g salt per 100g. Sainsbury’s and Tesco each list 0.29g per 100g for their reduced-sugar-and-salt beans.
Treat the sugar wording and the salt declaration as separate checks.
A large can may leave more beans than you need for one fish-and-chips meal. Post-opening instructions can differ between products.
Choose a size that fits the number of diners, or follow the tin’s storage instructions and plan when to use the remainder.
Otherwise, an unused portion may go to waste.
These figures describe the named products, not every baked bean made by each brand.
Sainsbury’s Reduced Sugar & Salt Baked Beans come in a 4 x 400g pack and are described by Sainsbury’s as containing 30% less salt than its standard baked beans.
Tesco’s Reduced Sugar and Salt Baked Beans come in a 420g can. Tesco describes them as having 25% less salt than its standard baked beans.
Waitrose describes its 220g Essential Reduced Salt & Sugar Baked Beans as containing 30% less salt than regular Essential Waitrose baked beans.
Heinz No Added Sugar Beanz combines a no-added-sugar claim with Heinz’s stated 25% salt reduction against standard Heinz Beanz.
Branston Reduced Sugar and Salt Baked Beans are described in Tesco’s listing as having a rich, thick tomato sauce and 30% less salt than standard Branston beans.
This Branston multipack is an option if you want its reduced-sugar-and-salt recipe alongside fish and chips. Use its salt declaration and your planned serving to compare it with other tins.
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For a fish-and-chips side when you want Branston’s stated thick tomato sauce and a salt reduction against its standard beans. The product description states 30% less salt than standard Branston beans and lists 0.39g salt per 100g; the pack contains four 410g cans. After opening a can, transfer any leftovers to a suitable container, cover and refrigerate them, and use them within two days.
No. The reduction is measured against each producer’s own standard beans. For the named products, Sainsbury’s and Tesco list 0.29g salt per 100g, Waitrose lists 0.30g for Essential Reduced Salt & Sugar, Tesco lists 0.39g for Branston Reduced Sugar and Salt, and ASDA lists 0.40g for Heinz No Added Sugar. Compare the current tins on the same per-100g basis.
No. The NHS says adults should have no more than 6g of salt a day, counting salt already in food and salt added during or after cooking. Check the bean portion alongside the rest of the meal, and taste before adding salt or sauces.
No. Heinz states that its No Added Sugar Beanz has 25% less salt than standard Heinz Beanz, but ASDA lists 0.40g salt per 100g for the 200g can. If salt is your main comparison, read the salt panel separately from the sugar claim.
Follow the instructions on the exact tin. Tesco’s Reduced Sugar and Salt beans instruct shoppers to refrigerate the product after opening and consume it within two days. Check the stated period before planning the remainder for another meal.
Yes. Tesco marks its Reduced Sugar and Salt beans as suitable for vegans; the named Waitrose Essential product and ASDA’s listing for Heinz No Added Sugar are also marked suitable for vegans. Check the current tin when dietary suitability is essential, as recipes and labels can change.