Who is it for?

Barbecue hosts catering for a group

For a salad or side dish to share, work out how much drained tuna you’ll need. A large tin suits a dish that will be served soon after preparation, while several small tins let you open only what you need.

Shoppers stocking up the cupboard

If you’ll be using the tuna for several meals over the summer, check the drained weight per tin and the number of tins in the multipack. An opened tin and unopened tins need to be handled differently.

Shoppers who care about ingredients and sourcing

Whether it’s tuna in spring water or oil, the salt content, species and any sourcing claims: check these details on the product you choose rather than assuming they apply to every product from the same brand.

What should you look for?

First, decide whether you’d prefer tins you can open as needed or a large tin for a dish to share. Then check the ingredients and sourcing information for each product.

Multipack of small tins

Choose this if: you’ll be making salads or side dishes at different times.

Bear in mind: you’ll need to open several tins to get a large quantity at once.

Large tin

Choose this if: you’re making a dish to share that will be served soon after preparation.

Bear in mind: you’ll need to store any leftovers according to the instructions for that product.

Criterion What to check Who it matters to
Quantity and format Total drained weight and amount per tin, compared with the number of portions you’re planning. If I’m serving salad to a group without opening tins unnecessarily, I need to know how much tuna I can use; around 31% of shoppers prioritise this.
Managing your stock How many tins you’ll need to open for each meal and the storage instructions after opening. If I’m keeping tuna for several meals, I’d rather open only what I’m going to use. Around 31% of shoppers put this need first.
Ingredients and salt Covering liquid, ingredients and the salt content per 100 g for the product you choose. If I’m adding tuna to a dish that’s already seasoned, I want to know what’s in it before I open the tin; around 23% of shoppers prioritise this.
Species and sourcing The species listed and the exact wording of any certification or sourcing initiative. If the species or a sourcing claim influences my choice, I need to be able to identify it on the specific product. Around 15% of shoppers make this their priority.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Comparing multipacks by the number of tins alone

    Two multipacks can contain different drained weights. Carrefour lists a total drained weight of 280 g for its Classic’ 2 × 140 g multipack, while Auchan’s product listing for the Petit Navire 4 × 93 g multipack gives 0,372 kg.

    Check the total drained weight and compare it with the amount you need for your recipe.

  • Opening a large tin without planning for leftovers

    A dish to share may not use the whole contents. Storage instructions after opening vary by product.

    Choose a large tin if you plan to serve it soon after opening. Otherwise, smaller tins let you open them as needed.

  • Confusing certification with a commitment to improve

    Auchan describes the Saupiquet 3 × 140 g multipack as MSC-certified, but says the Petit Navire 4 × 93 g multipack comes from a fishery involved in a programme working towards this certification.

    Check the exact wording on the product you’re buying rather than assuming it applies to every product from the same brand.

  • Treating tuna in spring water and tuna in oil as the same product

    Carrefour’s Classic’ product listing gives skipjack tuna, water and salt as the ingredients; Lidl’s Sol&Mar product is packed in sunflower oil. This affects which ingredients you’ll need to account for in your dish.

    Check the covering liquid, ingredients and nutritional information before choosing tuna for your dish.

Brands to know when comparing formats

Petit Navire

Auchan stocks, among other options, a 4 × 93 g multipack of tuna in spring water. Petit Navire also offers a separate reduced-salt product.

  • Auchan lists the 4 × 93 g multipack at 0,372 kg drained weight.
  • The salt content listed for the reduced-salt product does not automatically apply to other Petit Navire tins.

Saupiquet

Auchan stocks a 3 × 140 g multipack of MSC-certified whole tuna in spring water.

  • The product listing gives the ingredients as skipjack tuna, water, salt and natural flavouring.
  • For this product, follow the after-opening storage instructions on the item you buy.

Carrefour Classic’

Carrefour’s product listing shows a 2 × 140 g multipack of whole tuna in spring water, with a drained weight of 140 g per tin.

  • The listed total drained weight is 280 g.
  • The ingredients and format of this multipack should not be assumed to apply to every Carrefour Classic’ product.

Pêche Océan

E.Leclerc’s Marque Repère range includes several sizes of tuna in spring water, including 140 g, 2 × 140 g, 280 g and 3 × 93 g.

  • These formats make it easier to compare the amount per tin with the meals you have planned.
  • Check the ingredients and drained weight of the specific product before comparing two multipacks.

Sol&Mar

Lidl stocks a 750 g drained-weight product of MSC-certified tuna in sunflower oil.

  • The stated quantity can help you work out how much you’ll need for a dish to share.
  • Don’t assume this tuna in oil is interchangeable with tuna in spring water without checking the ingredients.

A Joybuy product for a dish to share

This large tin of tuna in vegetable oil may be worth considering if your barbecue recipe calls for a substantial amount to be used after opening.

Saupiquet tuna in vegetable oil, 2,4 kg

Saupiquet tuna in vegetable oil, 2,4 kg

A large tin to consider for a dish to share when your recipe calls for tuna in vegetable oil. The 2,4 kg stated in the product name doesn’t specify how much tuna there is after draining, so check the drained weight to work out how much you’ll need for your dish.

After opening, the instructions for this product say to transfer the contents to a suitable food container, keep it between 0 and 4 °C and use within 48 hours.

View on Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

How do you compare two multipacks of tuna for a barbecue?

Compare the total drained weight before looking at the number of tins. Carrefour lists a total drained weight of 280 g for its Classic’ 2 × 140 g multipack; Auchan’s product listing for the Petit Navire 4 × 93 g multipack gives 0,372 kg. Check the ingredients too if you’re adding the tuna to a dish that’s already seasoned.

What should you do with leftover tuna after opening?

Follow the storage instructions for the product you’ve bought. For the Saupiquet 3 × 140 g multipack stocked by Auchan, the instructions say to transfer the leftovers to a suitable food container, keep them between 0 and 4 °C and use within 48 hours.

Is working towards MSC certification the same as being MSC-certified?

No, these descriptions refer to different things. Auchan describes the Saupiquet 3 × 140 g multipack as MSC-certified and says the Petit Navire 4 × 93 g multipack comes from a fishery involved in a programme working towards this certification. Check the wording on the pack you choose.

What should you look for on a tin of tuna?

Check the ingredients and declared allergens, drained weight, nutritional information and storage instructions for the product you choose. In its guidance dated 7 May 2025, the DGCCRF states that prepacked products must display mandatory information on their labels. Also check the precise wording of any species or sourcing claim that matters to you.