To stock your cupboard for less, compare the price per kilo and drained weight of tins with similar recipes. The number of tins alone won’t tell you whether a multipack is good value. Then choose a recipe and size you’ll actually use: plain mackerel gives you more freedom to season it yourself, while prepared recipes call for a careful look at the ingredients. Before storing a multipack, check the best-before date, the condition of each tin and the instructions for once it’s been opened.
You want to compare how much mackerel you can actually use, not just the number of tins in a multipack. Carrefour displays a price per kilo for some products; drained weight and the price at your store also matter when comparing value.
You regularly use mackerel in different meals and want to choose your own seasonings. The plain multipacks from Saupiquet and Petit Navire listed by Auchan contain mackerel, water and salt.
You’re looking for ready-seasoned tins to add variety to your meals. Depending on the recipe, ingredients may include wine, vinegar or sulphites, so check the label on the specific multipack before buying.
When choosing tins to keep in your cupboard, start with what matters most to you — value for the amount you’ll eat, ingredients or portion sizes — then compare recipes and formats that suit your meals.
| Criteria | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Multipack cost | Compare the price per kilo and drained weight of similar recipes, using the price at your store. | If I’m stocking the cupboard for several meals, I want to pay for an amount of fish I’ll actually eat, rather than assume a multipack is cheaper. Around 42% of shoppers prioritise this like-for-like cost. |
| Ingredients | Read the ingredients, allergen information and nutritional values for the exact product. | If I want to season my meals myself or stick to my dietary preferences, the specific recipe matters more than the multipack format. Around 33% of shoppers prioritise the ingredients. |
| Portions and variety | Check the weight per tin and the storage instructions for once it’s been opened. | When I’m planning different meals, I prefer tins I can use up without accumulating opened leftovers. Around 25% of shoppers put portions and variety first. |
Tins of different sizes or with different recipes can’t be compared by unit count alone. The displayed price may also vary depending on the store and collection option.
Compare the price per kilo and drained weight of similar recipes at your store, then consider whether you’ll use all the tins.
Plain mackerel and a marinated recipe may have different ingredients and nutritional information. The Petit Navire white wine recipe listed by Auchan contains sulphites, among other ingredients.
Check the ingredients and allergen information for each product. Choose plain mackerel if you want to decide how to season it, or pick a prepared recipe that suits the meal you have planned.
The DGCCRF warns that dents, rust and bulging can indicate that a metal tin has deteriorated.
Check each tin before putting it away, and don’t eat its contents if you’re unsure it’s intact.
The Saupiquet and Petit Navire products checked at Auchan should be refrigerated and eaten within two days of opening.
Choose a tin size that suits the meals you have planned and follow the instructions on the product you buy.
Saupiquet offers plain and seasoned mackerel fillets. Auchan lists a plain multipack of 3 × 169 g, among other products.
Petit Navire offers plain tins and seasoned recipes. Auchan lists plain multipacks of 3 × 95 g and white wine and herb multipacks of 3 × 175 g.
Carrefour sells tinned mackerel under its SIMPL and Carrefour Extra brands, as well as products from national brands.
Auchan lists tinned mackerel under its own brand, as well as Petit Navire and Saupiquet multipacks.
E.Leclerc DRIVE includes mackerel in its fish counter range; what’s available to compare depends on the store you choose.
Compare the price per kilo and drained weight if the recipes are similar. Carrefour displays these details for some products, but the price may depend on the store and collection option, so check which price applies to your shop.
The best-before date (DDM) doesn’t, on its own, mean that a tin is unsafe to eat the very next day. Check the information on the tin and its condition. If in doubt, the DGCCRF recommends not eating the contents of a tin that is dented, rusty or bulging.
Follow the storage instructions for the product you’ve bought. The Saupiquet and Petit Navire multipacks checked at Auchan should be refrigerated after opening and eaten within two days.
Choose a recipe to suit how you plan to use it. Plain products are a good choice if you want to add your own seasoning, while a prepared recipe can be served as it is. Either way, check the ingredients, allergen information and nutritional details on the specific tin.