When cooking for a large family, start by choosing the factor that matters most to you: a “reduced salt” claim tells you nothing about sugars. Compare the “salt” line if you want to keep track of how much salt the cube adds, or the “of which sugars” line if sugars are your main concern. Then check the recommended amount, ingredients and allergens before choosing a pack size to suit your meals.
If you use stock cubes in soups, with starchy foods or in slow-cooked dishes, be sure to distinguish between a “no added salt” recipe and a “reduced salt” one. The values given for a serving of prepared stock show you how much each adds to your dish.
If sugars are your main concern, look for the exact claim on the product you’re considering and check the “of which sugars” line in the nutritional information. A reduced-salt claim alone doesn’t answer this question.
The number of cubes matters when you’re preparing several meals, but you should also check the recommended amount for the volume you’re cooking, the type of stock and the ingredients. A large pack doesn’t guarantee that the recipe will suit everyone in your household.
Start with salt or sugars, depending on your main concern, then check whether the recommended amount and ingredients suit the meals you’re making.
| Criteria | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Salt | Compare the “salt” line on the same basis, either per serving or for the same volume of prepared stock, and check the recommended amount. “Reduced salt” and “no added salt” refer to different recipes. | When I often cook for several people, I want to know how much salt the cube adds before seasoning. Around 42% of consumers would put managing salt at the top of their list. |
| Sugars | Check the “of which sugars” line and look for any sugar-related claims on the exact product. “No added sugar” doesn’t mean “sugar-free”. | If sugars are the deciding factor for me, a claim about salt isn’t enough to help me choose a recipe. Sugars would be the main concern for around 33% of consumers. |
| Pack size and ingredients | Check the number of cubes, the recommended amount for the volume you’re cooking, the type of stock, the ingredients list and the allergens. | When cooking larger quantities regularly, I want a practical pack without overlooking ingredients that suit my household. Convenience and ingredients would come first for around 25% of consumers. |
These claims refer to different things. Knorr’s reduced-salt stocks and Rapunzel stock described as “no added sugar” therefore don’t automatically meet the same need.
Decide what matters most to you, then check the relevant claim and the “salt” or “of which sugars” line in the nutritional information for the product you’ve chosen.
The stated reduction is relative to a comparison product. Knorr says its reduced-salt Vegetable Stock contains 1.4 g of salt per serving, compared with the average for stocks on the market, excluding reduced-salt products.
If the amount added to your dish is what determines your choice, compare the figures on the same basis. Knorr’s no-salt Vegetable Stock, by contrast, contains 0.02 g of salt per serving.
The number of cubes doesn’t tell you how many you’ll need for your pan or what ingredients the stock contains. Products from Auchan, Carrefour, Rapunzel and E.Leclerc list different ingredients and allergens.
Before buying several packs, check the recommended amount, ingredients and allergen information on the exact product.
Knorr offers, among other products, a reduced-salt Vegetable Stock and a no-salt Vegetable Stock: two options to compare depending on what you’re looking for.
The KUB OR range includes stock cubes, including a version labelled “−25% salt”.
Rapunzel offers a low-salt vegetable stock cube that also carries a “no added sugar” claim.
E.Leclerc lists Bio Village organic vegetable stock with herbs, supplied as 8 tablets weighing 80 g in total.
No, these claims refer to two different things. When choosing a stock cube, check the claim on the product and the “of which sugars” and “salt” lines in its nutritional information separately. “−25% salt” tells you nothing about sugars.
No: “−25% salt” means the salt content is reduced compared with a benchmark, not that there is no salt. Knorr France states that its reduced-salt Vegetable Stock contains 1.4 g of salt per serving, compared with 0.02 g per serving for its no-salt Vegetable Stock. These figures apply to these two specific recipes.
Read the ingredients list and allergen information on the exact product, even if the stock is described as plant-based or organic. The recipes listed by Auchan, Carrefour and Rapunzel may flag wheat, celery or possible traces of other allergens.
Follow the recommended amount for the volume you’re preparing, then taste your dish before adding salt. Anses recommends reading food labels and limiting the amount of salt added during cooking and at the table. How much salt the stock adds depends on the recipe and the amount you use.