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Who are these criteria useful for?

People who shop for organic food

You want to check that a stock cube is organic while looking at its ingredients, without assuming you can work out its nutritional values from the word ‘organic’ alone.

People keeping an eye on sugars

You want to compare the sugar content of cooking aids and distinguish a stated nutritional value from the simple presence of sugar in the ingredients.

Households watching salt or allergens

You need to check the salt, allergenic ingredients and any ‘may contain’ warnings for the exact recipe you’re thinking of buying.

What should you compare before buying?

When shopping for organic food, start with the ingredients and nutritional values for the exact product, then check the salt, allergens and dilution instructions according to what matters most to you.

Criteria	What to check	Who it matters to
Organic status and ingredients	The product name, organic claim and ingredients list for the exact product.	When shopping for organic food, you want to know what the cube actually contains, rather than stopping at the logo. Ingredients would be the top priority for around 38% of consumers.
Sugar content	The ‘of which sugars’ line, any indication of added sugars and the basis used: dried product or prepared stock.	If you’re trying to limit sugars in your cooking aids, you need comparable values rather than a simple ingredients list. This would be a priority for around 37% of consumers.
Salt and allergens	The salt value, listed allergens, ‘may contain’ warnings and dilution instructions.	Before adding a cube to a family meal, you need to make sure its recipe suits any requirements relating to salt or allergens. Around 25% of consumers would put this need first.

Mistakes to avoid

Assuming ‘organic’ means low in sugars

Carrefour’s product listings for organic stock cubes include sugar in the ingredients. So organic status alone isn’t enough to determine the sugar content.

Check the nutritional values for the exact product. If ‘reduced sugars’ is important to your choice, make sure the claim appears on that product instead of assuming it from the organic logo.
Comparing a dried cube with prepared stock

E.Leclerc gives the values for Bio Village stock per 100 g of product as sold. A value for diluted stock doesn’t describe the same amount of product.

Compare values given in the same units and for the same state of the product, and take the stated dosage for each stock into account.
Focusing on sugars and forgetting everything else

The recipes reviewed also list salt and allergenic ingredients or traces, including celery or wheat, depending on the product.

Read the ingredients, listed allergens and salt value for your chosen cube before deciding whether it suits your needs.
Assuming a product is available everywhere

Stock availability can vary depending on the shop and the collection option you choose.

Check the product with the shop, click-and-collect service or delivery service you plan to use before completing your basket.

Brands to consider

These ranges include recipes worth comparing, but the brand name is no substitute for reading the label on the product you choose.

MAGGI

The range includes organic stock, including cubes sold under the name KUB OR Bio.

Carrefour’s listing for MAGGI Organic Stock gives you an ingredients list to check for the product in question.
The list includes sugar and wheat, among other ingredients, so it doesn’t by itself show that the product is low in sugars.

Knorr

The range includes organic stock and products that meet other criteria, including those relating to salt.

Knorr Organic Vegetable Stock gives you an organic vegetable stock recipe to consider.
Carrefour’s listing includes sugar in the ingredients. Also check the allergens and ‘may contain’ warnings for this product.

Carrefour Bio

Carrefour Bio Organic Vegetable Stock comes in a pack of 8 x 10 g cubes.

Carrefour states that this product contains 12,5 g of added sugars per 100 g.
This value isn’t directly comparable with a total sugar content or a value for reconstituted stock; the ingredients list also includes celery.

Bio Village

The brand’s range includes organic vegetable stock tablets with herbs.

For this product, E.Leclerc states that it contains 15,1 g of sugars and 49,0 g of salt per 100 g of product as sold.
When comparing products, distinguish between the product as sold and prepared stock. Also check availability with your chosen shop.

Jardin BiO étic

The range includes beef, vegetable and chicken stock cubes, with features that vary by product.

Auchan’s listing for the beef cube details its ingredients, including powdered beef and unrefined cane sugar.
To compare its sugars with those in another cube, check the basis used for the nutritional values shown for the exact product, as well as its allergens.

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Frequently asked questions

Does an organic stock cube always contain less sugar?

No. The word ‘organic’ alone doesn’t tell you the sugar content of a stock cube. Carrefour’s listings for organic stock include sugar in the ingredients, so check the nutritional values for each product to compare their sugar content.

How can you check the allergens in a stock cube?

Read the ingredients list, highlighted allergens and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the label for the exact product. The DGCCRF points out that pre-packed food labels include the ingredients list, among other details. An organic recipe needs the same checks as any other.

Do you need to add salt when using a stock cube?

First check the salt value and dosage for the cube you’re using. The preparation instructions for that particular product will help you decide how to season your dish, without automatically following the instructions for a different stock cube.

What should you look for on the label when comparing two stocks?

Check the product name, ingredients and nutritional information, which the DGCCRF lists among the details provided on food labels. To compare sugars or salt, make sure the values relate to the same quantity and the same state of the product, dried or prepared.