Regular multipack shoppers
If tuna features in several weekly meals, compare drained weight and can size to judge how much usable tuna each pack provides.
Who these choices suit
Shoppers choosing by packing medium
For salads, sandwiches or meal prep, check whether the tuna is packed in spring water, brine or oil. Read the exact product’s ingredients and nutrition panel rather than assuming products in the same medium are identical.
Convenience and sourcing-led shoppers
If avoiding draining or choosing a particular sourcing claim matters to you, check that the feature applies to the exact pack. Its storage instructions still matter once a can is opened.
What to check when choosing
Start with the amount you expect to use across the week, then choose a packing medium and preparation format that suit those meals.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Usable tuna for repeat meals | Compare drained weight, can size and pack count. | If tuna goes into several family meals, I want cans that fit the portions I will actually use. About 42% of consumers put usable quantity for repeat meals first. |
| Packing medium and nutrition | Check whether the tuna is in spring water, brine or oil, then read the exact product’s nutrition panel. | For salads or sandwiches, I want a packing medium that suits the dish without guessing from its name what the nutrition panel says. This is the primary need for about 33% of consumers. |
| Preparation and sourcing | Confirm any no-drain feature and look for a certification or sourcing statement on the exact pack. | When I need tuna ready to add to a meal, avoiding the draining step matters; a product-specific sourcing claim may also guide my choice. About 25% of consumers put preparation or sourcing first. |
Buying pitfalls
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Judging the pack by can count alone
Four cans do not tell you the drained weight of each can or whether its size fits the meals you have planned.
Compare pack count, can size and the labelled drained weight together.
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Assuming every packing medium has the same nutrition
Princes lists different fat and energy values for its spring-water and sunflower-oil chunks. The packing medium also affects how you might use the tuna in a dish.
Choose the medium for the intended meal, then compare nutrition on the exact labels using the same stated basis.
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Overlooking instructions for an opened can
The Asda and M&S spring-water product pages instruct shoppers to refrigerate unused contents in a non-metallic container and use them within two days.
Choose a can size you can use and follow that product’s opened-pack instructions for any leftovers.
Brands to consider
Tesco
Tesco Groceries lists own-label tuna in standard multipacks as well as a Stockwell & Co single can.
- Its listed formats give weekly shoppers different can counts to compare.
- Check the drained weight and packing medium of the particular pack.
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's Groceries lists own-label tuna chunks in several packing media, including spring water and brine.
- The range offers a packing-medium choice within a multipack format.
- Check each product’s drained weight and nutrition panel separately.
Asda
Asda lists a 4 x 145g own-label spring-water chunks multipack.
- Its product page identifies the tuna ingredient and gives opened-pack storage instructions.
- Those details describe this spring-water pack, not every Asda tuna product.
Princes
Princes lists spring-water chunks in single cans and several multipack sizes.
- The listed sizes include 145g singles and 4 x 145g packs.
- Its spring-water and sunflower-oil chunks have different stated nutrition values; compare the exact versions.
John West
John West offers a No Drain spring-water chunks format, which the manufacturer describes as ready to open and eat.
- The named format avoids a separate draining step.
- Check for the No Drain name on the exact pack; it does not describe every John West tuna multipack.
M&S
M&S describes its four-pack of spring-water tuna chunks as containing sustainably sourced tuna.
- The product page provides a sourcing statement and opened-pack storage instructions for this pack.
- Check the exact product if that sourcing statement is part of your decision.
Joybuy tuna options
These options cover branded multipacks in brine, spring water and sunflower oil, alongside smaller no-drain packs for repeat meals.
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Princes Tuna Chunks in Brine, 4 x 145g
A four-can brine pack to consider for repeat meals. Check its labelled drained weight and salt value when comparing it with other packs.
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John West Tuna Chunks in Spring Water, 4 x 125g
A four-can spring-water option for regular meals. Its stated can size differs from the 145g packs here, so compare drained weights for the portions you need.
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John West No Drain Tuna Chunks in Spring Water, 3 x 100g
The no-drain format suits meals where you want to skip draining the tuna. This pack contains three 100g cans rather than four larger cans.
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Princes Tuna Chunks in Sunflower Oil, 4 x 145g
A four-can option when sunflower oil suits the dish you plan to make. For a nutrition comparison with drained tuna in another medium, check that the labels use the same measurement basis.
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John West No Drain Tuna Chunks in Sunflower Oil, 3 x 100g
This three-can no-drain pack combines smaller stated can sizes with a sunflower-oil packing medium. Check that both the format and medium suit the meals you have planned.
Common questions
Does a four-can pack always provide more usable tuna?
Not necessarily: compare the labelled drained weight as well as the number and size of cans. The listed multipacks here include both 125g and 145g cans, so can count alone does not settle which portions suit your meals.
Should I choose tuna in spring water, brine or oil?
Choose the packing medium for the dish you intend to make, then check the exact product’s ingredients and nutrition panel. Princes lists different fat and energy values for its spring-water and sunflower-oil chunks; do not assume either set of figures applies to every tuna product in that medium.
How should I store tuna left over from an opened can?
Follow the instructions on that can. The Asda and M&S spring-water product pages instruct shoppers to put unused contents in a non-metallic container, refrigerate them and use them within two days; Food Standards Scotland also advises checking the label for opened-pack instructions.
Does an MSC logo cover every tuna product from a brand?
No. Check the certification on the exact pack: the cited Asda own-label and Princes spring-water multipack pages identify those particular products as MSC-certified, not their entire ranges.