A specially marketed reduced-sugar tin is not essential to this comparison: check total sugars per 100g and the ingredients, because naturally occurring tomato sugars appear in the label figure. Four plain chopped-tomato listings from Sainsbury's, Tesco Groceries and Napolina show 2.6g to 4.0g sugars per 100g; for a late supper, tin size, texture, salt and leftover instructions also affect which one is practical.
If you want a tomato base for pasta, eggs, soup or beans, the per-100g panel lets you compare total sugars across tins. Read the ingredients as well: naturally occurring tomato sugars are included in the total-sugars figure, as NHS Scotland guidance explains.
If a 400g tin would leave more than you need, pack size matters alongside the nutrition panel. Sainsbury's labels its 227g chopped-tomato tin as one serving; check the storage directions if you choose a larger tin and expect leftovers.
Finely chopped tomatoes may suit a sauce in which you do not want large pieces. Mutti describes its Polpa as finely chopped, while Napolina describes its standard chopped tomatoes as chunky; those are the brands' format descriptions, not cooking-test results.
Start with the per-100g label for a like-for-like comparison, then choose a pack and tomato format that fit the meal.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Total sugars | Compare total sugars per 100g on plain tins, then read the ingredients. In the listed products, Stamford Street Co. shows 2.6g, Sainsbury's 3.5g, Napolina 3.6g and Tesco Italian Chopped Tomatoes 4.0g per 100g, according to their respective Sainsbury's, Tesco Groceries and Napolina listings. Those figures do not establish how much sugar was added. | I want to compare the total-sugars figures without mistaking naturally occurring tomato sugars for added sugar. |
| Texture and preparation | Check whether the tomatoes are whole, standard chopped or finely chopped. Mutti describes Polpa as finely chopped; Napolina describes its standard chopped tomatoes as chunky. Tesco Groceries gives a product-specific instruction to heat its Italian Chopped Tomatoes gently for 3–4 minutes. | For a quick sauce, I would rather use small tomato pieces; for a dish where pieces are welcome, a chunkier tin may fit. |
| Tin size and leftovers | Check the pack weight against the amount you will use. Sainsbury's labels its 227g chopped-tomato tin as one serving; its directions say to transfer any remainder to a non-metallic container, refrigerate it and use it within two days. Follow the directions on the tin you buy. | Cooking for one, I may use a smaller tin rather than open a 400g tin without a plan for the rest. |
| Salt | Compare salt per 100g as well as sugars. Sainsbury's lists 0.07g for its standard chopped tomatoes, Tesco Groceries lists 0.09g for Tesco Italian Chopped Tomatoes, and Napolina lists 0.10g for its standard chopped tomatoes. Mutti's manufacturer page lists 0.30g for Polpa; check the current UK pack when comparing it on a shelf. | Even when the sugars figure suits my shopping criterion, I want to see how the salt figure compares with the other tins I am considering. |
The nutrition panel includes sugars naturally present in tomatoes, so its total alone does not tell you whether sugar was added.
Compare total sugars per 100g, then read the ingredients for any listed sugar or sweetening ingredients.
A figure for a whole tin cannot be compared directly with one for a smaller tin or a serving.
Use the per-100g figures first, then consider how much tomato you expect to put in the meal.
Leftovers need to be handled within the directions for that product. Sainsbury's chopped-tomato labels instruct you to transfer leftovers to a non-metallic container, refrigerate them and use them within two days.
Consider its 227g tin if that is enough for the meal, or plan another use for a larger tin and follow its label.
Tins with different sugar figures can also differ in tomato texture and listed salt, both of which may matter to the supper you are making.
Check the tomato format and salt per 100g alongside sugars before deciding.
These label and format examples help distinguish particular tomato products; they do not describe every product made by each brand.
Napolina offers standard chopped tomatoes in single-tin and multipack formats, alongside flavoured variants.
Mutti describes its Polpa chopped tomatoes as finely chopped, with a consistent texture.
Tesco Groceries lists standard 400g Italian Chopped Tomatoes and a separate garlic-flavoured tomato product.
Sainsbury's lists standard chopped tomatoes in 400g and 227g tins, as well as a Stamford Street Co. chopped-tomato product.
These options include peeled plum and chopped tomatoes in 400g tins and four-tin packs. Choose the format and quantity for your supper, then check the current pack label for the details you need.
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This 400g peeled-tomato tin is an option for a supper where you plan to break down the tomatoes as you cook. Check its current nutrition panel and post-opening directions if you will have any left over.
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The finely chopped format suits a supper sauce when you want smaller tomato pieces. Joybuy's listing for this four-tin pack gives 2.8g sugars and 0.30g salt per 100g; check the current pack label and consider whether four 400g tins fit your plans.
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This 400g plum-tomato tin offers a whole-tomato format for a dish where you can break down the tomatoes yourself. Compare its per-100g sugars and salt on the pack, and check the storage directions if one supper will not use the tin.
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These chopped tomatoes offer a chunkier format for a supper sauce. Tesco Groceries lists 3.6g sugars and 0.10g salt per 100g for this Napolina four-tin pack; check the current pack label and whether four 400g tins suit how often you cook with tomatoes.
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This 400g peeled plum-tomato tin suits a recipe in which you can use or break down whole tomatoes. Check its per-100g nutrition panel and the pack's directions for storing any remainder after opening.
No: total sugars and added sugar are different measures. NHS Scotland guidance explains that naturally occurring sugars in fruit and vegetables appear in the total-sugars figure. Compare total sugars per 100g for a consistent comparison, and read the ingredients for any listed sweetening ingredients.
The NHS food-label guide describes 5g total sugars or less per 100g as low. The four plain chopped-tomato listings compared here give 2.6g to 4.0g per 100g; the label figure still needs to be read alongside the ingredients, salt and amount you intend to use.
A smaller tin may be practical if you expect to use it all: Sainsbury's labels its 227g chopped tomatoes as one serving. A 400g tin can also work if you have a use for the remainder and follow that product's storage directions.
Follow the directions on the exact product you open. Sainsbury's chopped-tomato directions say to transfer leftovers to a non-metallic container, refrigerate them and use them within two days; do not assume every tin has the same storage period.
Napolina's cooking guidance suggests simmering the sauce longer or using onion or carrot to change its flavour. That is a cooking option rather than a requirement; choose ingredients that suit the dish you are making.