If you want to spread mackerel across several meals, a multipack of smaller, separate tins lets you open only as much as you need. For lactose-free shopping, though, check the ingredients for the exact recipe you’re buying: some mackerel in sauce contains cream or milk proteins, and some products carry a ‘may contain traces of milk’ warning. Finally, check that your chosen pack size is available at your local shop or through its grocery collection service.
If you’re planning lunches, salads or sandwiches for different days, a multipack of smaller tins means you can open them one at a time. Check how many tins are included, their weight and whether the pack is available.
The recipe matters more than the word ‘mackerel’ on the label. Check the ingredients for each product, especially if it comes with a sauce. The DGCCRF reminds consumers that allergens in prepacked foods must be clearly highlighted in the ingredients list.
Plain, in oil, with mustard or marinated: ingredients vary from one recipe to another. Depending on the recipe, also check for other listed allergens, particularly mustard or sulphites, as well as any ‘may contain traces of milk’ warnings.
Start by checking the ingredients for the exact recipe. Then choose a quantity that suits the meals you have planned and check the storage instructions for after opening.
| What to check | Look for | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Dairy ingredients | Ingredients for the exact product: milk, cream, milk proteins, whey or lactose. If you need to avoid dairy strictly, also take any ‘may contain traces’ warnings into account. | When I need to avoid lactose in my shopping, I want to be able to rule out recipes containing dairy ingredients, even if they’re labelled as mackerel. Around 42% of consumers would prioritise this check. |
| Pack size for several meals | Number of tins, weight of each tin and whether they can be opened separately; availability at your chosen shop or through its grocery collection service. | When preparing several meals, I’d rather open one tin at a time than buy more than I can use. This would be the top priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| Recipe and storage | Other allergens in the recipe and the product’s specific storage instructions for after opening. | If I like to vary my meals, I want to choose a recipe that suits what I’m making and use up each tin once it’s open. Around 25% of consumers would put this need first. |
Carrefour Extra’s shallot recipe lists crème fraîche and milk proteins, unlike plain grilled recipes, which list mackerel, water and salt.
Read the label on the tin you’re buying and avoid recipes with dairy ingredients if you’re shopping to avoid lactose.
Some Auchan products with mustard and three-pepper seasoning carry a ‘may contain traces of milk’ warning. So, the absence of milk from the ingredients list alone may not meet every avoidance requirement.
If you need to avoid dairy strictly, check the ‘may contain traces’ information on the exact pack as well.
A multipack of separate tins can help you spread meals out, but its usefulness also depends on how much you eat each time you open one.
Check the storage instructions for each product. For its plain grilled fillets, Saupiquet advises keeping them in the fridge and eating them within two days of opening.
A Carrefour product listing features a multipack of three 110 g tins of plain grilled fillets.
The brand offers plain grilled fillets; a Carrefour listing also features a three-pack of 120 g tins in olive oil.
The range lets you compare plain grilled fillets with ready-made recipes.
Individual tins with wholegrain mustard or three-pepper seasoning offer other recipes to consider.
An E.Leclerc listing features individual 176 g tins of mackerel fillets in white wine.
No. Check the ingredients on the product you’re buying. The Petit Navire and Saupiquet plain grilled recipes mentioned here have simple ingredients, but ingredients can vary from one recipe to another.
Some contain dairy ingredients. Carrefour Extra’s shallot recipe lists crème fraîche and milk proteins, so it isn’t suitable if you’re choosing products to avoid lactose.
Yes. If you need to avoid dairy strictly, don’t rely on the ingredients list alone. Auchan listings for mackerel with mustard and three-pepper seasoning carry this warning; follow the guidance that applies to your circumstances.
Follow the instructions for the product you’ve bought. For its plain grilled fillets, Saupiquet advises refrigerating them after opening and eating them within two days.