Reduced-salt vegetable soup is not an established ingredient for home baking: the products reviewed are soups intended to be served, either in cartons or from the chilled aisle. If you’re looking for soup instead, compare the salt listed per 100 ml and per portion, then check the format, storage instructions and allergens for the product you choose.
You want a soup that’s ready to heat and compare the amount of salt on the label, rather than relying on the words ‘reduced salt’ alone. Anses recommends checking nutritional information and lists soups and broths among dietary sources of salt.
You choose soup in a carton or from the chilled aisle for a quick meal. Storage requirements before and after opening vary by product, so they’re just as important as the format when you’re shopping.
If you’re looking for an ingredient for a recipe, check the ingredients list rather than choosing a soup based on its salt content alone. The products described by Auchan and Carrefour are vegetable soups intended to be served; their use in baking is not established.
First decide whether you’re buying a baking ingredient or soup to eat. If you’re buying soup, compare the nutritional information and any storage requirements specific to its format.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Salt content | Compare the salt per 100 ml, then check the amount in the portion you plan to serve. If a reduction is claimed, check what it’s being compared with. | If I’m choosing soup to keep an eye on the salt in my meal, the amount listed matters more to me than the packaging claim. Around 42% of consumers may put checking this figure at the top of their list of concerns. |
| Use in baking | Check the product name and ingredients; for baking, start with the ingredients specified in the recipe. | When I’m making a cake or tart, I look for an ingredient that suits my recipe, not a ready-to-serve vegetable soup. This could be a priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| Format and ingredients | Check how to store the product before and after opening, as well as the allergens in the specific product. | If I plan to keep soup in a cupboard or need to avoid an ingredient, the format and ingredients determine my choice. Around 25% of consumers may prioritise these checks. |
Carrefour’s claim that Ferme d’Anchin soup has 30% less salt is based on the average salt content of chilled soups. It doesn’t replace the salt value listed for the product.
Compare the figures per 100 ml and per portion you plan to serve, then check what any claimed reduction is based on.
The Ferme d’Anchin and Florette products described by Auchan need to be kept chilled. The Liebig soups reviewed come in cartons: the format alone doesn’t establish the storage requirements for every soup carrying the same claim.
Check the instructions for the product you buy before planning how to transport, store and use it after opening.
Depending on the recipe, the ingredient lists for the soups reviewed include celery or dairy ingredients, among other things.
Check the ingredients and allergens on the exact packaging, even if you’ve bought a different format from the same brand before.
The products reviewed are described as vegetable soups to serve or heat, not as ingredients for cakes, tarts or biscuits.
For baking, follow the recipe’s ingredient list rather than substituting soup based solely on its ‘reduced salt’ claim.
The examples below relate to specific ranges and formats; a brand’s inclusion here doesn’t tell you about the features of all its soups.
Auchan’s product listings for Pur Soup 12 légumes and Mouliné 12 légumes describe carton soups labelled ‘reduced salt’.
The organic 8-vegetable soup reviewed is a chilled soup. Carrefour claims it contains 30% less salt than the average chilled soup.
Auchan describes its 1 L bottle of fresh 6-vegetable velouté as ‘reduced salt’.
Royco’s website features instant soups made by mixing powder with boiling water.
No. The claim indicates a reduction against a comparison product or figure; it doesn’t rank every soup. For example, Carrefour compares Ferme d’Anchin soup with the average chilled soup. To compare two products, check the salt content per 100 ml.
Don’t assume how it should be stored based on the ‘reduced salt’ claim alone. The Ferme d’Anchin and Florette products reviewed need to be kept chilled; check the instructions for the soup you choose before putting it away.
The product listings reviewed for Liebig, Ferme d’Anchin and Florette say to use the soup within 48 hours of opening. Follow the instructions on the packaging you’ve bought, particularly for fridge storage.