New research has uncovered alarming levels of salt in supermarket soups across the United Kingdom, with nearly a quarter of products tested exceeding government voluntary targets. The study, conducted by the campaign group Action on Salt and Sugar (AoSS), analysed nearly 500 varieties of tinned and chilled soups available in major UK supermarkets.
Widespread Non-Compliance with Salt Guidelines
The comprehensive analysis revealed that 23% of all soups examined contained excessive amounts of salt. When breaking down the figures, researchers found that 48% of branded soups and 6% of supermarket own-brand products still exceeded the government's voluntary salt target of 0.59 grams per 100-gram serving.
Among the most concerning findings was Soup Head's Tom Yum soup, which contained 3.03 grams of salt in a 300-gram pack. This amount represents more than half an adult's recommended total daily limit and contains more salt than two McDonald's cheeseburgers combined.
Other High-Salt Offenders Identified
The research highlighted several other problematic products, including Daylesford Organic minestrone soup with 1 gram of salt per 100 grams and Baxters luxury Cullen Skink containing 0.95 grams per 100 grams. According to front-of-pack labelling guidelines, one in six soups would receive a red warning for high salt content, while only eleven products would qualify for green labelling.
Significant Health Implications
Excessive salt consumption represents a serious public health concern, as it can lead to high blood pressure, which significantly increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes. The World Health Organization estimates that just under two million deaths annually are linked to excessive salt intake.
The NHS recommends that adults consume no more than 6 grams of salt daily, equivalent to one level teaspoon. However, adults in England currently consume an average of 8.4 grams per day, representing a 40% increase over the recommended maximum.
Industry Response and Reformulation Efforts
Sonia Pombo, head of impact and research at AoSS, emphasised the need for stronger government action, stating that progress on salt reduction has stalled despite the UK previously being a world leader in this area. "Government must get back on the front foot with stronger incentives to drive reformulation," she urged.
In contrast to the concerning findings for many branded products, every soup tested from major supermarket chains including Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Waitrose, Co-op, Lidl and Covent Garden had salt levels at or below government targets.
Manufacturer Statements and Commitments
Several manufacturers responded to the findings with commitments to reduce salt content. A spokesperson for Veetee, which produces Soup Head's Tom Yum soup, stated they would "continue to assess opportunities to reduce salt and improve nutritional profiles across our range."
Heinz acknowledged their ongoing efforts, noting they have been reducing salt in products since the mid-1980s, while emphasising the complexity of reducing sodium without compromising taste. Mr Organic confirmed they have been working on recipe development to reduce salt across their soup range over the past five months.
Daylesford Organic disputed the reported figures for their minestrone soup, claiming a packaging misprint led to incorrect data. They stated laboratory analysis confirms the actual salt content is 0.67 grams per 100 grams, with corrected packaging already in production.
Broader Industry Perspective
Andrea Martinez-Inchausti, assistant director of food at the British Retail Consortium, highlighted the retail industry's commitment to helping improve customer health while acknowledging the challenge of balancing salt reduction with maintaining product quality and taste. "The clear labelling on packaging ensures that consumers are fully aware of the salt content in the products they buy," she noted.
Dell Stanford, a senior dietitian at the British Heart Foundation, pointed out that reducing salt represents a quick and cost-effective way to decrease high blood pressure risk. However, she emphasised that since most salt consumed is added to foods before purchase, individuals have "little ability to reduce their intake through individual choice alone."
The Department of Health and Social Care responded by outlining current government initiatives, including a modernised food nutrient scoring system with salt criteria, restrictions on junk food advertising, limits on volume price promotions for less healthy foods, and mandatory reporting on healthy food sales.
