Almost one in four store-bought soups exceeds the government's salt targets, with some cans containing most of the maximum daily limit of 6g for an adult, according to one study.
Action on Salt and Sugar (AoSS) found that 48% of branded soups exceeded the maximum salt target, compared to just 6% of supermarket own-brand alternatives.
The group analyzed 481 ready-to-eat soups sold at major UK retailers and found that 23% still exceed the Government's voluntary maximum salt target of 0.59g per 100g, which should have been met by the end of 2024.
The saltiest product was Soup Head Tom Yum soup, which contained 1.01g of salt per 100g or 3.03g in a 300g packet, more than two McDonald's cheeseburgers.
A Tom Yum Soup spokesperson said the brand “always continues to look for ways to improve our products for the consumer, and absolutely salt is very, very high on that priority list, especially with this flavor.”
AoSS warned that suggested serving sizes on packets could underestimate actual salt intake, with many brands indicating a 200g serving (half a can), although consumers were likely to eat more in a single meal.
Other high-salt examples included Daylesford Organic Minestrone Soup (1g per 100g) and Baxters Luxury Cullen Skink (0.95g per 100g).
Under front-of-pack labeling guidelines, one in six soups (16%) would receive a red warning for their high salt content, while only 11 products (2%) would get a green label.
Across the range, the average serving offered 1.43g of salt, while 51 products (11%) contained more than 2g in a single suggested serving – more than a third of the maximum daily limit for an adult.
Sonia Pombo, head of impact and research at Action on Salt and Sugar, said: “Soup is often marketed as a healthy, everyday option, but our findings show it can be a major source of hidden salt.
“Almost one in four soups still exceeds the maximum salt target, even though food companies were expected to meet it more than a year ago. 12 months on, that level of non-compliance is disappointing and difficult to justify.
“The UK used to be a world leader in salt reduction, but progress has stalled. The government must take the lead again with stronger incentives to drive reformulation and proper accountability, so the healthier option becomes the default, not the exception.”
Asda said: “We are really proud to have set a healthy sales target based on the Nutrient Profile model – as seen in the data, all Asda brand soups surveyed in this report are healthy based on this classification.
“Reformulation and new product development are a key part of achieving this goal and salt content is a key consideration in our decision making when it comes to product formulation.”
Heinz said: “We have been reducing the amount of salt in our products since the mid-1980s and are proud to offer a wide variety of soups that meet different dietary needs.
“This includes the introduction of our no-added-sugar Heinz tomato cream, which contains 25% less salt than our classic recipe.
“Reducing sodium without compromising taste and quality is a complex process and there is still work to be done. We continue to invest in technical solutions that prioritize nutrition, taste and quality.”
Daylesford said: “The salt content figure of 1g per 100g for Daylesford Minestrone soup quoted in this report was based on a printing error on the packaging which has been independently verified as incorrect.
“Laboratory analysis confirms that the actual salt content is 0.67 g per 100 g, 33% less than reported. The corrected packaging is now in production. We regret this error and are committed to accurate nutritional labeling.”
Andrea Martínez Inchausti, deputy director of food at the British Retail Consortium, said: “The retail industry is fully committed to helping improve the health of its customers and the report shows that retailers are leading the way in product reformulation.
“Of course, it is important to strike a balance between lowering salt levels while maintaining the quality and taste that consumers expect. Clear packaging labeling ensures that consumers are fully aware of the salt content in the products they purchase.”
