Pancake Day shoppers comparing salt
If baked beans are a savoury topping or side, the salt figure per 100g lets you compare tins without relying on the wording on the front.
Who is this choice for?
Households buying cupboard staples
For repeat meals, consider the amount you usually serve, the tin or multipack size, and what you will do with any leftovers.
Shoppers avoiding added sugar
A no-added-sugar recipe may meet that preference, but check its salt figure separately: the two claims describe different aspects of the beans.
What should you check?
Start with the per-100g nutrition figures for a like-for-like comparison, then look at your portion and the ingredients.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Salt level | Compare salt in grams per 100g. Then check the stated serving size: Tesco Groceries lists 0.60g per 210g half-can, while Sainsbury’s lists 0.59g per half-can for its reduced-salt beans. | I want to compare different tin sizes fairly, then see how much salt is in the portion I expect to serve. |
| Whole meal | Read the salt value for the beans alongside the labels of any other toppings or sides. The NHS says its adult daily salt limit of 6g includes salt already in food and salt added during cooking or at the table. | If I serve beans with other savoury foods, I want to account for the whole meal rather than the beans alone. |
| Recipe | Check sugar and salt as separate nutrition entries, and read the ingredient and dietary-suitability statements. A no-added-sugar claim does not specify the salt level. | I may prefer a particular recipe or need to avoid an ingredient; the front-of-pack salt claim does not answer those questions. |
| Portions | Compare a single-serve tin with the amount you need from a larger tin or multipack. Read the current pack’s instructions for storing opened beans. | For one serving, I want to know whether the remaining beans will be practical to store and use. |
Common buying mistakes
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Assuming ‘reduced salt’ means the lowest salt figure
The reduction is relative to that brand’s standard recipe. Sainsbury’s lists 0.50g salt per 100g for Branston Reduced Sugar & Salt beans, while Tesco Groceries and Sainsbury’s each list 0.29g per 100g for their own reduced-salt beans.
Compare the salt figures per 100g, then check the amount for the portion you will eat.
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Choosing by tin size alone
A 200g single-serve tin and a 400g or 420g tin provide different amounts of beans; their whole-tin salt figures are not like-for-like comparisons.
Use the per-100g figure to compare recipes, then check your likely portion and the pack’s leftover-storage instructions.
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Treating ‘no added sugar’ as a salt claim
Waitrose & Partners lists Heinz No Added Sugar Beanz at 0.40g salt per 100g, compared with 0.29g per 100g on the Tesco and Sainsbury’s reduced-salt listings.
If both aspects matter to you, check the sugar and salt entries and read the ingredient list.
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Using an online listing as the final ingredient label
Recipes and label information can change, which matters particularly when choosing for an allergy or another dietary requirement.
Check the current tin’s ingredients, allergen information and suitability statements before serving.
Brand and product-line references
These named recipes offer different salt figures and serving sizes; the figures below describe the specified listings, not every product from each brand.
Tesco
Tesco Reduced Sugar and Salt Baked Beans are listed in a 420g tin.
- Tesco Groceries lists 0.29g salt per 100g and 0.60g per 210g half-can.
- Its stated 25% salt reduction is against Tesco standard baked beans, not other brands.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s Reduced Sugar & Salt Baked Beans are listed in a 4 × 400g pack.
- Sainsbury’s lists 0.29g salt per 100g and 0.59g per half-can.
- Its stated 30% reduction in salt and sugar uses Sainsbury’s standard beans as the comparison.
Waitrose Essential
Essential Reduced Salt & Sugar Baked Beans are listed in a 420g tin.
- Waitrose & Partners lists 0.30g salt per 100g and 0.63g per half-can.
- Its stated 30% reduction in salt and sugar is relative to regular Waitrose Essential baked beans.
Heinz
Heinz No Added Sugar Beanz provide a 200g single-serve option.
- The Waitrose & Partners listing states no added sugar and 0.80g salt per can.
- At 0.40g salt per 100g, this listing has a different absolute salt figure from the Tesco and Sainsbury’s reduced-salt recipes.
Branston
Branston Reduced Sugar & Salt Baked Beans are listed as a 410g tin by Sainsbury’s.
- The Sainsbury’s listing identifies a reduced-sugar-and-salt recipe with sugar and sweetener.
- It lists 0.50g salt per 100g; check the current pack rather than using the relative claim to compare it with other brands.
Joybuy product options
This Branston reduced-sugar-and-salt multipack is an option for Pancake Day shopping or repeat meals. Check its current nutrition label if the absolute salt figure will decide your purchase.
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Branston Reduced Sugar & Salt Baked Beans, 4 × 410g
The 4 × 410g format may suit repeat meals if you plan to use the tins. The recipe includes sugar and steviol glycosides; check the pack’s salt per 100g and per serving before comparing it with other reduced-salt beans.
Frequently asked questions
Does ‘reduced salt’ mean fewer grams of salt than in other brands?
No. Tesco Groceries says its reduced-salt beans have 25% less salt than Tesco standard beans; Sainsbury’s and Waitrose & Partners make their stated 30% comparisons against their respective standard recipes. Compare grams of salt per 100g across tins, then check your portion.
How much salt does the NHS advise for adults?
The NHS says adults should have no more than 6g of salt a day. That includes salt already in food and any added during or after cooking.
How can I compare salt quickly while shopping?
Use a traffic-light label where available, then read the nutrition table for grams of salt per 100g and per serving. GOV.UK describes traffic-light labelling as a way to compare salt alongside other nutrition information at a glance.
What should I do with beans left after opening a tin?
Follow the storage instructions on the tin you buy, including its directions for transferring, refrigerating and using opened contents. Check these instructions when deciding whether a larger tin suits the number of portions you need.
Should I check the pack for dietary suitability?
Yes. Read the current ingredients, allergen information and suitability statements for the exact recipe you buy, particularly if you are serving someone with a dietary requirement; recipes can change.