We’ve had a look at label accuracy, liquid weight and net weight vs drained weight to see how much food is actually in cans. The trick is to look at the percentage on the ingredients list to find out the actual weight of canned foods (see below).
Do you check these details when buying canned food?
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Sometimes but usually only when comparing unit prices. Something I haven’t done is check whether these unit prices are based on net weights…always assumed they have.
I find that smaller items of product (beans, corn kernels etc) always seem to be full to the brim, while other things like artichokes, pineapple slices or baby beetroot seem to have a lot of empty space in the cans, possible due to can size not overly ideal dimensions for larger products.
Liquid in cans is also an interesting thing as it is very much dependent on the shape of the product, its dimensions and the ultimate ‘pore’ space between the items. Liquid in larger products always seems to be a higher percentage, but this could be due to the liquid in these cans draining quickly (baby beetroot) whereby slowly in say a can of lentils (which also has a higher viscosity).
Like @phb, I look when comparing prices.
I also look what the filler liquid is. Is it water, syrup, or a natural juice from the product, oil, etc?
Just fed up lately with what I am buying from the supermarket. When say I buy a can of Sirena tuna 185g and I only get 134g or 164g (after draining springwater) or in the case of Meredith Goat Cheese 100g and I only got 51.4g of goat cheese and the balance 46.8 was oil & peppercorns - surely this is false information on packaging. I understand that some foods require some additional water / oil to ensure these remain fresh & edible but, when I buy a particular size it is because I need that amount of the product and not of the stuff that will be disposed of. Has Choice looked into this issue - given the cost of food - is this another way that manufacturers are using shrinkflation without actually showing it in their packaging.
I merged your post into this older one that focuses on your point. It may not be what you hoped for but consider complexities or information overload for labelling a tin of tuna in water, oil, or oil and peppercorns. For the latter would one expect a breakout of tuna, oil, as well as peppercorns?
While inconvenient and probably a challenge to some consumers,@BrendanMays original post shows how to find the net weight of ‘the product’ rather than of the contents of the tin.
