Weekly-meal shoppers
If you plan several tuna meals, separately sealed tins let you open one portion at a time. Check the drained weight alongside the tin count: Tesco Groceries lists its 4 × 145g spring-water pack as 4 × 102g drained.
Who is buying?
Quick-lunch planners
If you prepare sandwiches or salads away from the kitchen, avoiding the draining step may be useful. John West offers a No Drain three-pack, while Princes has a separate ready-to-use Drained Tuna range; check the exact format rather than assuming every tin from either brand works the same way.
Sourcing-led shoppers
If catch method or certification affects your choice, read the claim on the individual product. The checked Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury's multipack pages describe MSC certification; Sainsbury's also describes its tuna as pole-and-line caught. Marks & Spencer describes its 160g single tin as pole-and-line caught, but it is not a multipack.
What matters when choosing?
For a weekly shop, establish how much tuna each tin provides after draining, then decide whether preparation time or particular label details change your choice.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Usable quantity | Check the drained weight, number of separate tins and best-before date. Gross tin weight includes liquid. | When planning several meals, I need enough tuna without opening more tins than a meal requires. About 42% of consumers put usable quantity and weekly portion planning first. |
| Preparation | Check whether the product is a standard tin, No Drain or pre-drained, and confirm the pack format. | For a desk lunch or quick sandwich, I would rather open the tuna and use it straight away. Ready-to-use preparation is the primary concern for about 33% of consumers. |
| Label details | Read the exact pack for its fish allergen declaration, salt per 100g and product-specific sourcing claims. | If a stated catch method, salt declaration or dietary suitability determines what I buy, pack size comes after those details. About 25% of consumers prioritise these label checks. |
Common buying mistakes
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Using gross weight as the amount of tuna
Liquid contributes to the stated tin weight. Tesco Groceries lists its four 145g spring-water tins as four 102g portions after draining.
Check the drained weight on the exact pack when working out how many meals it will cover.
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Assuming spring-water tins have the same salt content
The checked Sainsbury's pack declares 0.12g salt per 100g drained; the checked Tesco and Asda packs each declare 0.90g per 100g drained.
If salt matters to your selection, compare the nutrition panels for the particular packs you are considering.
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Confusing standard tuna with a no-drain product
John West No Drain and Princes Drained Tuna are distinct ready-to-use ranges. A standard multipack from either brand does not acquire that format simply because the brand also sells it.
Check the full product name and preparation instructions if you need tuna that can be used without draining.
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Following one leftover rule for every tin
Opened-storage instructions differ: the checked Sainsbury's product says to use refrigerated leftovers within one day, while the checked Tesco, Asda, Princes and M&S products say within two days.
Open only what the meal needs, transfer leftovers to a non-metallic container, refrigerate them and follow the exact label. Food Standards Scotland also advises checking labels for opened-storage instructions.
Brands to consider for a weekly tuna shop
Tesco
Tesco Groceries lists an own-label 4 × 145g spring-water multipack, with 4 × 102g drained.
- The product page describes this pack as MSC-certified.
- Its label states 0.90g salt per 100g drained and instructs shoppers to transfer and refrigerate leftovers, then use them within two days.
Asda
ASDA Groceries lists an own-label 4 × 145g pack of skipjack tuna chunks in spring water.
- The checked product page carries an MSC claim for this pack.
- It declares 0.90g salt per 100g drained; its opened-storage instructions call for refrigeration in a non-metallic container and use within two days.
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's lists an own-label 4 × 145g spring-water multipack and describes its tuna as pole-and-line caught from MSC-certified fisheries.
- The checked pack declares 0.12g salt per 100g drained.
- Its label says to transfer opened contents to a non-metallic container, refrigerate and use within one day.
Princes
Princes lists spring-water tuna chunks in 145g tins and 3 × 80g, 4 × 145g, 6 × 145g and 8 × 145g formats. Its Drained Tuna range is separate.
- The listed formats give shoppers several tin-count options for repeated meals.
- The checked 4 × 145g spring-water product declares 0.85g salt per 100g drained; check the label of any other format rather than applying that figure across the range.
John West
John West offers a No Drain spring-water three-pack for occasions when using tuna without a draining step matters.
- John West describes the No Drain pack as having twist-and-pull SmartStrip packaging.
- The checked No Drain product declares 0.8g salt per 100g. Confirm the No Drain name when selecting it: other John West tuna multipacks may require draining.
M&S
Marks & Spencer lists a 160g spring-water tuna tin rather than a multipack in the checked range.
- Marks & Spencer describes this specific tuna as pole-and-line caught and responsibly sourced under its Forever Fish policy.
- It is a single-tin option, so check whether its format fits a shop intended to cover several meals.
Joybuy tuna multipacks
These selections are separately packed tuna for repeat weekly meals, in brine, spring water or sunflower oil. The John West four-pack shown here is standard spring-water tuna, not its No Drain product.
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Princes Tuna Chunks in Brine, 4 × 145g × 12 packs
This larger bundle may suit repeated tuna meals when you have room to store the separate packs. The title specifies 12 packs of 4 × 145g brine-packed tuna; check the bundle contents and total drained weight against your meal plan. Contains fish.
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Morrisons Fad Free Tuna Chunks in Spring Water, 145g six-pack
The six-pack named in the title could provide separate tins for meals across the week, but another stated net quantity is 145g. Confirm the actual number of tins, total contents and drained weight before choosing this spring-water pack. Contains fish.
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John West Tuna Chunks in Springwater, 4 × 125g
Four separate spring-water tins may suit meals spread through the week. This is a standard 4 × 125g pack, not the John West No Drain product; drain it as directed and check the pack's drained weight when planning portions. Contains fish.
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Princes Tuna Chunks in Brine, 4 × 145g
This four-tin brine pack provides separately sealed portions for routine meals. Check its drained weight to judge the usable amount, and follow the pack's draining and opened-storage instructions. Contains fish.
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Princes Tuna Chunks in Sunflower Oil, 4 × 145g
Choose this four-tin format if sunflower oil is the packing medium you want for meals during the week. It contains 4 × 145g tins; check the drained weight and exact label when planning portions. This is not the spring-water variant. Contains fish.
Questions about tinned tuna
How do I compare the amount of tuna in different multipacks?
Compare the stated drained weight and number of tins, not just the gross pack weight. Tesco Groceries, for example, lists its 4 × 145g spring-water pack as 4 × 102g after draining.
How long can I keep tuna after opening a tin?
Follow the exact product label and refrigerate transferred leftovers. The checked Sainsbury's pack says to use them within one day; the checked Tesco, Asda, Princes and M&S products say within two days. Food Standards Scotland advises checking labels for opened-storage instructions.
Does tinned tuna count as oily fish?
No. The NHS states that fresh and canned tuna do not count as oily fish in its fish guidance.