Hawk verdict: Supermarket own-brand baked beans are not nutritionally worse than Heinz, and in some cases are slightly lower in sugar and salt. At around a third of the price, they offer significantly better value for most households. Heinz is mainly a taste preference choice, while Branston sits in the middle for those who are brand-aligned but price-aware.
The question
Are supermarket own-brand baked beans genuinely worse than branded options like Heinz, or is the difference mostly marketing and habit?
Why this matters
Baked beans are a regular staple in many UK households, particularly families with children. They’re cheap, filling, and turn up everywhere from breakfasts to quick teas. Because they’re bought often, even small price differences per tin add up over time. Many shoppers also assume that higher-priced brands automatically deliver better nutrition or quality. This investigation looks at whether that assumption holds up when you examine the evidence.
Products compared
- Heinz Baked Beans
- Asda Own-Brand Baked Beans
- Branston Baked Beans (for the brand-aligned)
Ingredients and formulation
Ingredient lists are often where brand assumptions live or die, so we started here.
Heinz Baked Beans use a tomato-based sauce with added sugar and salt, along with flavourings. The formulation is familiar and consistent, but includes more sugar than many shoppers expect for a product often treated as a savoury staple.
Asda Own-Brand Baked Beans use a very similar core ingredient set: beans, tomato sauce, sugar, and salt. The difference is not the presence of these ingredients, but their balance. Sugar and salt levels are slightly lower per 100g compared to Heinz.
Branston Baked Beans sit between the two. They typically contain a higher proportion of beans and a thicker sauce, with sugar levels closer to supermarket own-brand than to Heinz.
Across all three, there are no unusual additives or aggressive processing techniques. The real differences come down to sweetness, saltiness, and how much of the tin is actually beans rather than sauce.
Nutritional comparison
Looking at nutrition per 100g helps strip away portion size confusion.
All three products are broadly similar in calories and protein, reflecting the fact they’re based on the same core ingredient: haricot beans. Fibre levels are also comparable.
Where differences appear is in sugar and salt. Heinz tends to be slightly higher in both, while Asda’s own-brand comes out lower. Branston usually sits closer to own-brand than to Heinz, particularly on sugar.
None of the products would be considered nutritionally “bad” in isolation, but if baked beans are a frequent part of meals — especially for children — these small differences become more relevant over time.
Price and value
This is where the gap widens.
Supermarket own-brand baked beans typically cost around 30% of the price of Heinz when compared tin-for-tin, and even less when bought in multipacks. Branston sits in the middle, cheaper than Heinz but still noticeably more expensive than own-brand.
When you factor in the similar nutritional profiles and ingredient quality, the price premium for Heinz is difficult to justify on objective grounds alone.
Practical household fit
Taste matters, particularly in households with children, and brand familiarity does play a role here. Heinz has a distinctive sweetness that some people strongly prefer. Branston’s thicker sauce and higher bean content appeal to those who dislike watery beans.
However, in everyday meals — on toast, with sausages, or as part of a larger dish — many households find little meaningful difference between Heinz and supermarket own-brand once brand expectations are removed.
For bulk use, batch cooking, or meals where beans aren’t the star of the plate, own-brand options integrate just as well.
What surprised us
The biggest surprise was how closely supermarket own-brand beans stack up nutritionally to Heinz, despite the large price gap. The assumption that cheaper automatically means worse simply doesn’t hold here.
Another quiet finding: Branston’s reputation for quality aligns more with formulation than with nutrition — it’s about texture and preference, not health superiority.
The verdict
If you are strongly attached to the taste of Heinz, and that familiarity matters in your household, paying more may feel worthwhile.
If your priority is value, nutrition, and everyday practicality, supermarket own-brand baked beans — particularly Asda’s — make a strong case. They deliver comparable nutrition at a fraction of the cost.
If you’re brand-aligned but price-aware, Branston offers a middle ground: a different texture and balance without the full Heinz premium.
There is no universal “best” baked bean. But there is clear evidence that paying more does not automatically buy you better nutrition.
Alternatives worth considering
Other supermarket own-brand baked beans often follow similar formulations and are worth checking on a label-by-label basis. Reduced-sugar versions may also suit households aiming to cut overall sugar intake, though they often come at a higher price.
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