Who is comparing these soups?

Shoppers avoiding added sugar

If you want a quick winter soup without sugar added as an ingredient, check both the claim and the total-sugars figure. “No added sugar” does not mean sugar-free.

Shoppers comparing own-label and branded tins

Compare the sugars and salt declarations alongside the ingredients list. A name such as “Low Fat” does not tell you whether sugar is an ingredient.

Home cooks choosing a soup base

Condensed tomato soup may fit a recipe, but its preparation and nutrition basis need checking before you compare it with a ready-to-heat tin.

What should you check before choosing?

For a quick winter meal, establish whether the soup is ready to heat, then compare its ingredients and nutrition on a consistent basis.

Priority What to check Your needs
Added and total sugars Read the ingredients for added sugar and the “of which sugars” value per 100g. Sainsbury’s lists 2.6g for Heinz No Added Sugar Cream of Tomato Soup; Tesco lists 3.9g for its Low Fat Tomato Soup and 4.8g for standard Heinz Cream of Tomato Soup, each per 100g. I want to avoid sugar added as an ingredient, rather than assume a no-added-sugar claim means the soup contains no sugars.
Salt and portion Compare salt per 100g, then check the amount you expect to eat. Tesco lists 0.35g salt per 100g for its Low Fat Tomato Soup; the NHS notes that a manufacturer’s stated portion may differ from yours. A smaller sugar figure is not my only consideration; I also want to know what the salt declaration means for my bowl.
Preparation Check whether the soup is ready to heat or needs preparing. Campbell’s declares nutrition for its condensed Cream of Tomato Soup “as consumed”, so compare prepared values only on a matching basis. For a quick bowl, I want a ready-to-heat tin; for a recipe, a condensed soup may suit the way I plan to use it.
Ingredients and allergens Read the current pack before use. The Sainsbury’s listing for Heinz No Added Sugar Cream of Tomato Soup includes milk ingredients; Campbell’s Cream of Tomato Condensed Soup contains milk and celery. If an ingredient or allergen matters to me, I need the declaration for the specific soup I am buying.

What can make soup labels misleading?

  • Treating “no added sugar” as sugar-free

    A no-added-sugar claim and the total-sugars declaration answer different questions. Sainsbury’s lists 2.6g sugars per 100g for Heinz No Added Sugar Cream of Tomato Soup.

    Check the “of which sugars” line as well as the ingredients list when choosing a ready-to-heat tin.

  • Checking sugar but overlooking salt

    Sugar claims do not describe a soup’s salt content. In its February 2026 assessment of 481 chilled and ambient soups, Action on Salt reported that 23% exceeded the Government’s voluntary maximum salt target.

    Compare salt per 100g and for the amount you plan to eat; do not use “Low Fat” or “No Added Sugar” as a substitute for the salt declaration.

  • Comparing condensed and ready-to-heat figures directly

    Campbell’s declares its condensed Cream of Tomato Soup nutrition “as consumed”, after preparation. That is a different basis from the ready-to-heat product declarations.

    Check the preparation directions and compare figures reported on the same basis before drawing a nutrition conclusion.

  • Relying on an online listing for allergen checks

    The listed cream-of-tomato products have different ingredient declarations: Heinz No Added Sugar contains milk ingredients, while Campbell’s condensed soup contains milk and celery.

    Read the current pack before use, particularly when an allergen or dietary restriction affects your choice.

Which brand and retailer references help?

Heinz

The No Added Sugar and standard Cream of Tomato tins illustrate why a claim should be read alongside the nutrition panel and ingredients.

  • Sainsbury’s lists 2.6g sugars per 100g for Heinz No Added Sugar Cream of Tomato Soup; Tesco lists 4.8g per 100g for standard Heinz Cream of Tomato Soup.
  • The no-added-sugar variant still contains sugars and milk ingredients. Tesco lists sugar among the standard variant’s ingredients.

Tesco

Tesco Low Fat Tomato Soup is an own-label ready-to-heat option to compare with branded tomato tins.

  • Tesco lists 3.9g sugars and 0.35g salt per 100g for its Low Fat Tomato Soup.
  • Its ingredients include sugar, so the product does not fit a requirement to avoid sugar added as an ingredient.

Campbell’s

Campbell’s Cream of Tomato Condensed Soup is a cooking option as well as a soup to prepare and serve.

  • Campbell’s describes the condensed soup as suitable for use in recipes.
  • Its stated nutrition is “as consumed”, including 8.1g sugars and 0.91g salt per 100g. Check the preparation basis before comparing it with ready-to-heat tins; it contains milk and celery.

Sainsbury’s

Sainsbury’s product listing provides an ingredients and nutrition reference for Heinz No Added Sugar Cream of Tomato Soup.

  • Its listing states “no added sugar” and gives a per-100g total-sugars declaration for that specific Heinz product.
  • A retailer range page does not establish the sugar or allergen details of another soup; check each product’s own label.

Joybuy soup options

This Joybuy option is a 400g parsnip-and-carrot soup rather than one of the tomato tins compared above. If you need a tinned, ready-to-heat winter meal, check its container and preparation directions before choosing it.

Crosse & Blackwell Best of British Spicy Parsnip & Carrot Soup 400g

Crosse & Blackwell Best of British Spicy Parsnip & Carrot Soup 400g

For a winter soup with parsnip and carrot, check the pack’s per-100g sugars and salt alongside its ingredients before comparing it with tomato options. Confirm the container and preparation directions if you need a tin you can heat straight away. The listing flags celery, milk and wheat allergens; check the current packaging if these matter to you.

Joybuy

Questions about sugar and tinned soup

Does “no added sugar” mean a soup is sugar-free?

No. A no-added-sugar soup can still have sugars in its nutrition declaration: Sainsbury’s lists 2.6g per 100g for Heinz No Added Sugar Cream of Tomato Soup. Check both the “of which sugars” line and the ingredients.

Should I compare sugars per can or per 100g?

Start with per 100g when comparing like-for-like ready-to-heat soups, then consider how much you will eat. The NHS notes that a manufacturer’s portion may differ from your own.

Does a lower sugars figure tell me anything about salt?

No. Check salt separately on each soup’s nutrition panel. Tesco lists 3.9g sugars and 0.35g salt per 100g for Low Fat Tomato Soup, while Sainsbury’s lists 2.6g sugars and less than 0.5g salt per 100g for Heinz No Added Sugar Cream of Tomato Soup.

Can I choose a cream-of-tomato soup if I need to avoid milk?

Do not assume it is milk-free. The listings for Heinz No Added Sugar Cream of Tomato Soup and Campbell’s Cream of Tomato Condensed Soup identify milk ingredients; Campbell’s also identifies celery. Check the current pack for the specific product.

Can I compare condensed soup directly with a ready-to-heat tin?

Only when the nutrition figures use a matching preparation basis. Campbell’s states its condensed Cream of Tomato Soup values “as consumed”, so check how it is prepared before comparing those values with a ready-to-heat soup’s panel.