If avoiding added salt is your priority, start with a product explicitly labelled ‘no added salt’, then check the ingredients and the ‘salt’ figure in the nutrition information. For a student dinner, choose a quantity that suits your recipe, and distinguish between whole tomatoes and chopped tomatoes: they need different preparation.
You’re looking for a cooking staple and are happy to check the label on the product you buy. Auchan and Carrefour list Jardin BiO étic products explicitly labelled ‘no added salt’: one is made with whole tomatoes, the other with chopped tomatoes.
You choose the tin size to match the portions you’re planning, so you don’t leave any unused. However, the quantity alone doesn’t tell you how much salt a product contains: Carrefour lists salt in the ingredients for its Classic’ product.
You’d rather use tomatoes that are already chopped than crush whole tomatoes yourself. Carrefour’s Jardin BiO étic chopped tomatoes are labelled ‘no added salt’, but their texture won’t suit every recipe that calls for whole tomatoes.
First choose according to your salt requirements, then consider the quantity you need and the texture your recipe calls for. A ‘no added salt’ claim and a numerical salt value don’t tell you the same thing.
| Criteria | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Added salt | The claim on the exact product variant and the ‘salt’ value per 100 g in the nutrition information. | If I’m making dinner without added salt from the tin, I want to know what’s in it; around 42% of consumers would make no added salt their priority. |
| Useful quantity | The tin size compared with the portions planned and the options for using up any leftovers. | When I’m cooking for one, I want to avoid leaving some of the tin unused; around 33% of consumers would put choosing the right quantity first. |
| Preparation | The texture shown on the label: whole peeled tomatoes or chopped peeled tomatoes. | When I want a quick dinner, I’d rather skip a preparation step; around 25% of consumers would prioritise quick preparation. |
The claim refers to added salt, not to there being no salt at all in the nutrition information. The DGCCRF states that the nutrition declaration gives the amount of salt.
Check the claim, ingredients list and ‘salt’ value per 100 g for the product you’re buying.
Tinned peeled tomatoes don’t necessarily contain no added salt: Carrefour lists salt in the ingredients for its Classic’ product.
If no added salt is important to you, check each recipe rather than relying on the ‘peeled tomatoes’ category alone.
Tomatoes that are already chopped don’t give you the same control over the size of the pieces as whole tomatoes do.
Choose chopped tomatoes if ready-to-cook pieces will work in your sauce. Choose whole tomatoes if you want to keep them whole or crush them yourself, then check the salt content separately.
Auchan lists 240 g of organic whole peeled tomatoes labelled ‘no added salt’; Carrefour lists organic chopped peeled tomatoes carrying the same claim.
Mutti’s product information for Pelati peeled tomatoes states that they contain 0.01 g of salt per 100 g. Carrefour lists whole peeled tomatoes and tomato juice as the ingredients for its Mutti product.
Cirio offers whole peeled tomatoes, suitable for dishes such as slow-cooked recipes.
Carrefour describes its Classic’ product as whole peeled tomatoes in juice.
E.Leclerc describes a product of whole peeled tomatoes in juice, with an ingredients list that includes tomatoes, tomato juice and an acidity regulator.
This 500 g MUTTI tomato purée is an option for recipes where purée works instead of whole peeled tomatoes. If salt is your top priority, check the ingredients and the ‘salt’ value on the packaging for the variant you choose.
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Consider this for a recipe that works with tomato purée rather than whole peeled tomatoes. Check the ingredients list and the ‘salt’ value per 100 g on the product you buy.
No. The claim refers to added salt, while the ‘salt’ line in the nutrition information gives a declared amount. The DGCCRF states that this amount is part of the nutrition declaration.
Auchan lists 240 g of Jardin BiO étic organic whole peeled tomatoes with this claim. Check that it appears on the variant and packaging you choose.
Yes, if ready-chopped pieces work in your recipe. Carrefour lists 400 g of Jardin BiO étic organic chopped peeled tomatoes labelled ‘no added salt’. If you want to keep the tomatoes whole or decide the size of the pieces yourself, choose the whole variety instead.
No. Mutti states that its Pelati peeled tomatoes contain 0.01 g of salt per 100 g, but this value alone doesn’t amount to a ‘no added salt’ claim. Check the ingredients list and nutrition information on the tin you buy.
Start with the number of portions you’re planning and the quantity of tomatoes your recipe calls for. If you don’t expect to use the whole tin, check the storage instructions on the packaging. Choose the texture and salt option that suit you separately.