Who needs to compare the label?

Shoppers planning a quick meal around carbohydrate

A half-can figure is useful only if it matches the amount you will eat. Diabetes UK advises checking total carbohydrate on the back label rather than relying on front-of-pack information.

Shoppers comparing carbohydrate and salt

The ASDA and Tesco 400g tomato soups have different carbohydrate and salt figures per half-can. Compare both figures if both matter to your choice.

People checking ingredients or allergens

Read the current ingredient and allergen list before choosing a creamy or condensed soup, as well as its nutrition information.

What should you check?

Start with a common quantity, then work out what the label figures mean for the portion you will serve.

Priority What to check Your needs
Total carbohydrate Read total carbohydrate per 100g and per stated serving. Check whether a 400g can is labelled as two 200g servings. I need the figure for the amount of soup I will actually eat, not just a front-of-pack sugar label. Diabetes UK advises checking total carbohydrate on the back label.
Salt Compare salt using the same serving size. ASDA Groceries lists 0.90g per half-can for its Cream of Tomato Soup; Tesco Groceries lists 0.69g for its Low Fat Tomato Soup. Salt matters to my choice alongside carbohydrate, so I want to see both figures for the same amount of soup.
Serving basis Check whether nutrition is given per 100g, per half-can or as consumed after preparation. Use the quantity you plan to serve. If I eat a full can, a half-can figure will not describe my whole portion. For condensed soup, I also need to account for how I prepare it.
Ingredients Read the current ingredient and emphasised allergen list. Check any preparation and after-opening instructions on the can. I want to know whether the ingredients suit my requirements and how to handle any soup left after opening.

Common comparison mistakes

  • Reading “no added sugar” as “no carbohydrate”

    A no-added-sugar description does not state the total carbohydrate. ASDA Groceries lists 10.1g carbohydrate per half-can for Heinz No Added Sugar Cream of Tomato Soup.

    Check total carbohydrate per 100g and for the amount you will eat. Diabetes UK notes that front-of-pack labels do not show total carbohydrate.

  • Comparing only one nutrition figure

    ASDA Groceries lists 8.4g carbohydrate and 0.90g salt per half-can for its Cream of Tomato Soup. Tesco Groceries lists 11.6g carbohydrate and 0.69g salt per half-can for its Low Fat Tomato Soup.

    Compare both figures on the same serving basis rather than assuming that the lower figure for one nutrient also applies to the other.

  • Equating condensed and ready-to-heat portions

    Campbell's Soup UK gives figures for its condensed Cream of Tomato Soup per 147.5g portion as consumed. That is a different serving basis from a 200g half-can of ready-to-heat soup.

    Check the preparation instructions and compare the quantity you will actually serve, including anything added during preparation.

  • Overlooking the current can instructions

    Ingredient lists and after-opening directions need to be checked for the particular soup you use, especially when allergens or leftovers matter.

    Read the can before use and follow its instructions for storing and using any remaining soup.

Tomato soup brand references

These label figures describe the named products and serving sizes, not every soup made by each brand.

ASDA

ASDA Cream of Tomato Soup is a 400g ready-to-heat option with nutrition stated per half-can.

  • ASDA Groceries lists 8.4g carbohydrate and 5.2g sugars per 200g half-can.
  • The same half-can lists 0.90g salt; compare that figure separately from carbohydrate.

Tesco

Tesco Low Fat Tomato Soup is a 400g tomato soup; “Low Fat” is part of its product name, not a carbohydrate measure.

  • Tesco Groceries lists 0.69g salt per half-can.
  • Its listed carbohydrate is 11.6g per half-can, so check that figure in its own right.

Heinz

Heinz No Added Sugar Cream of Tomato Soup is a 400g product for shoppers considering that recipe.

  • ASDA Groceries lists 10.1g carbohydrate and 0.8g salt per half-can.
  • “No added sugar” does not replace a check of the total carbohydrate figure.

Sainsbury's

Sainsbury's Cream of Tomato Soup is another 400g tomato soup with half-can nutrition figures.

  • Sainsbury's lists 0.89g salt per half-can.
  • The same serving lists 13.3g carbohydrate and 11.5g sugars; use those figures when comparing portions.

Campbell's

Campbell's Cream of Tomato is condensed soup, so its prepared serving needs a separate comparison.

  • Campbell's Soup UK states its nutrition per 147.5g portion as consumed.
  • That portion lists 17g carbohydrate and 1.34g salt; do not equate it directly with a 200g half-can.

M&S

M&S Cream of Tomato Soup provides a per-100g basis for comparing a chosen portion.

  • Marks & Spencer lists 7.2g carbohydrate per 100g.
  • It also lists 5.9g sugars and 0.45g salt per 100g; calculate the figures for the amount served.

A Joybuy soup option

This bean soup offers a different recipe from the tomato soups compared above. Assess it using its own label and the portion you plan to serve.

Suma Organic Tuscan Bean Soup 400g

Suma Organic Tuscan Bean Soup 400g

For a bean soup rather than the tomato recipes above, use the current pack's carbohydrate and salt figures for the portion you intend to serve. Check its ingredient and allergen list if celery is relevant to you.

View on Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Does “no added sugar” tell me the carbohydrate content of tinned soup?

No. Check total carbohydrate on the back label and use the figure for the amount you will eat. Diabetes UK notes that front-of-pack labels do not show total carbohydrate; ASDA Groceries lists 10.1g carbohydrate per half-can for Heinz No Added Sugar Cream of Tomato Soup.

How can I compare two soups with different serving sizes?

Compare their per-100g figures, then work out the figures for the portions you plan to serve. The NHS explains that nutrition labels give figures per 100g and sometimes per portion; check whether condensed-soup figures describe the product as consumed.

What should I do with soup left after opening a can?

Follow that product's label for transferring, covering, refrigerating and using the leftovers. After-opening instructions can differ between soups, so use the directions on the can you have.

Should I check allergens even if I have bought the soup before?

Yes. Read the current can's ingredient and allergen information before use if an ingredient matters to you; do not rely on a previous can or an older listing.