Sainsbury's
Open Food Facts brand roll-up for Sainsbury's, current as of September 2026. Screening averages and flag shares live in the short-answer band below. This hero only situates the catalog slice.
The short answer
Sainsbury's averages 99.6/100 across the 85 of 331 tracked products that carry an ingredient list, and 3.5% of those contain at least one separately flagged ingredient. The figure summarizes Open Food Facts labels cross-referenced with FDA SAFFA and CSPI; it does not establish recall status, allergy suitability, or the composition of products outside this snapshot.
- 99.6/100
- average ingredient-screening score across 85 scored products
- 331
- tracked products in this brand roll-up
- 3.5%
- scored products with at least one flagged ingredient
- 56.5%
- of NOVA-classified products that are ultra-processed (Group 4)
Source snapshot current as of September 2026; open individual products before making a product-specific decision.
Portfolio reading
Use the distribution, then open the outliers
With 331 tracked products, the useful signal is the shape of the portfolio rather than one headline score. The current concern-sorted list begins Chorizo ring; Chicken breasts with smoked bacon; 6 Roast Turkey Breast Slices; 3.5% of records contain at least one flagged ingredient while the overall mean is 99.6/100. Open those outliers first, then compare neighboring formulations. The aggregate does not establish recall status, allergen suitability, or the composition of an item outside this snapshot.
Catalog evidence
Ingredient-list coverage comes before the score
Only 85 of 331 tracked Sainsbury's records (25.7%) include an ingredient list. The remaining 246 cannot be screened, so the 99.6/100 mean describes the labelled subset rather than the whole brand.
Next check: use the product rows below to verify the labelled subset, then compare the current package for any unscored item.
What the Data Says About Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's: 331 products tracked, 85 with an ingredient list, avg safety score 99.6/100, 3.5% of those scored products has at least one flagged ingredient.
Because ingredient lists cover only 25.7% of tracked records, this average is a description of the labelled subset, not a brand-wide tier. The coverage gap is the dominant limitation. Scoring methodology + dye-pledge context →
Among the 804 brands with 50+ products (the typical brand in that group flags 18% of its catalog), Sainsbury's's 3.5% flagged share is 14.5 points below that cohort median.
Processing mix (NOVA)
Sainsbury's processing intensity
Sainsbury's's NOVA-classified set is 69 products: 56.5% ultra-processed (Group 4, 39 items) with Group 4 (ultra-processed) largest at 39. That ultra-processed share sits 21.8 points below the 78.3% median for 1,323 brands with 50+ products. NOVA is processing intensity, not additive safety.
Shelf mix
Where Sainsbury's shows up in Open Food Facts
In Open Food Facts shelf labels, Sainsbury's concentrates in Plant-based foods and beverages (37, 49% of this top-five); Meats and their products (15); Meals (11); Snacks (8); Dairies (5).
Average score by leading shelf label
| Shelf | Scored n | Avg | Flagged |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plant-based foods and beverages | 28 | 100/100 | 0% |
| Meats and their products | 9 | 97.8/100 | 22.2% |
| Snacks | 7 | 100/100 | 0% |
| Meals | 6 | 100/100 | 0% |
| Seafood | 5 | 100/100 | 0% |
Cohort context
Flagged-ingredient share among large brands
Sainsbury's's 3.5% flagged share is measured across 85 scored products. The chart places that rate against the 50 brands with 50+ scored products in this snapshot, the same qualifying cohort used on the rankings page.
Sainsbury's flagged share vs large-brand cohort
3.5% of scored products carry at least one flagged ingredient
4% 0th percentile is at or above the flagged share of 0% of the 50 qualifying brands we track
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more qualifying brands. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Distribution as text
- 0%–10%
- 0 qualifying brands (0%)
- 10%–20%
- 0 qualifying brands (0%)
- 20%–30%
- 0 qualifying brands (0%)
- 30%–40%
- 0 qualifying brands (0%)
- 40%–50%
- 0 qualifying brands (0%)
- 50%–60%
- 0 qualifying brands (0%)
- 60%–70%
- 0 qualifying brands (0%)
- 70%–80%
- 3 qualifying brands (6%)
- 80%–90%
- 25 qualifying brands (50%)
- 90% and above
- 22 qualifying brands (44%)
Source Open Food Facts × FDA SAFFA × CSPI · September 2026
Portfolio shape
How scores cluster inside this brand
The brand average (99.6/100) summarizes 85 scored products. This distribution shows whether that mean sits on a tight cluster or a wide spread, a few low-scoring SKUs can matter even when the headline average looks strong.
Sainsbury's product score distribution
Brand average 99.6/100 across 85 scored products
100 3rd percentile sits above 3% of the 85 scored products we track
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more scored products. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Distribution as text
- 80–90
- 2 scored products (2%)
- 90–100
- 1 scored products (1%)
- 100 and above
- 82 scored products (96%)
Source Open Food Facts product labels × FDA SAFFA × CSPI · September 2026
Sodium Nitrite is the flagged ingredient Sainsbury's uses most
Across the 85 Sainsbury's products scored here, Sodium Nitrite appears in 2. Only 1,491 other brands here use it (4.2%), which makes it a more particular choice than the flags that dominate the catalogue. A flag records that a named source raised a concern about an ingredient. It is not a finding that a product is unsafe to eat.
| Flagged ingredient | Sainsbury's products | Why it is flagged |
|---|---|---|
| Sodium Nitrite | 2 | Preservative with a recorded concern |
| Carrageenan | 1 | Concern recorded by a review body; no ban cited |
Counts are products in this database whose ingredient list names the flagged ingredient. Flags come from FDA enforcement actions, CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings and US state ingredient laws; see the methodology for how each source is applied.
Visible product sample
Label complexity does not determine the screening result
Each point is one of the 50 concern-sorted Sainsbury's records shown below. Horizontal position is the number of resolved ingredients on that product's stored label; vertical position is its source-derived screening score. The dashed medians (6 ingredients and 100/100) divide this displayed sample only. A longer label is not automatically worse: open a specific product to inspect its flagged rows and source coverage.
- Shown records
- 50
- Median label
- 6 ingredients
- Median score
- 100/100
The outlined point is Chorizo ring, the displayed record with the most flagged ingredients (1). Bubble size represents flagged ingredient count plus one, so zero-flagged products remain visible. The score is derived from FDA SAFFA and CSPI fields; this chart does not establish recall status, dietary suitability, or a health outcome.
Read the plotted values
- Chorizo ring: 8 resolved ingredients, 85/100, 1 flagged.
- Chicken breasts with smoked bacon: 14 resolved ingredients, 85/100, 1 flagged.
- 6 Roast Turkey Breast Slices: 5 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Blackcurrant Jam: 6 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Pear Halves in refined fruit juice: 6 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Grated parmigiano reggiano dop: 2 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Tuna steak in spring water: 2 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Onion granules: 1 resolved ingredient, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Red Leicester Ploughmans: 1 resolved ingredient, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Corn thins: 4 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Vegetable biryani: 35 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Beans, Tenderstem Broccoli and Babycorn: 3 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Luxury Coleslaw: 20 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Cajun chicken breast grill: 14 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- frozen oven chip: 8 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Chargrilled chicken breast slices: 6 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Sainsbury's Health Matters A-Z MULTIVITAMINS: 38 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Southern Fried Chicken Breast Mini Fillets: 34 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Organic Cheese and Herb Stars: 7 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Roasted pistachios nuts: 1 resolved ingredient, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Almonds, Raisins & Cherries: 6 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Chunky Country veg: 28 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Tomato & Mozzarella Tortelloni: 24 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Americano Instant coffee: 2 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- West Country farmhouse cheddar: 2 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Grated mild. British cheddar: 2 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Resealable for freshness Reseal for freshness Ged: 3 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- 24 Pigs In Blankets: 2 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Sri Lankan coconut curry soup: 30 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Braised Beef & Mash: 36 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Oats & Honey Balance: 19 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Caesar Dressing: 17 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Roast Beef: 3 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- FREE RANGE EGG POT: 1 resolved ingredient, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Roast British chicken legs with a brown sugar marinade: 5 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Ruby red grapefruit segments in fruit juice: 1 resolved ingredient, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Sage & Onion Chicken Breast Slices: 15 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Garlic & Herb Chicken: 14 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- black beans in water: 3 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Moroccan style chickpea soup: 21 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Shorties: 16 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Lentilles Vertes: 1 resolved ingredient, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Sliced mushrooms: 1 resolved ingredient, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Broccoli Florets: 1 resolved ingredient, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Smoked rindless back bacon rashers: 1 resolved ingredient, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Wholemeal Wheat Tortilla Wraps: 17 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- High Protein Peanut Granola: 22 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Chicken giant couscous roasted veg salad: 31 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Chargrilled chicken breast chunks: 4 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Pak Choi: 1 resolved ingredient, 100/100, 0 flagged.
Products by Sainsbury's
Showing 50 display-quality records, sorted by concern level (most flagged first); 281 tracked records with unusable upstream names remain in the aggregate but are not shown.
Nationwide brands with similar catalog profiles
Two PlainFoodSafe-derived peer sets for Sainsbury's: closest on tracked product count (331 here) and closest on average ingredient screening score (99.6/100 here). Rows stay link-disjoint so each axis is a distinct neighborhood, not a largest-catalog strip.
Similar product count
Nearest other brands by Open Food Facts product count (floored at ≥50).
Similar average screening score
Nearest other brands by average ingredient screening score (floored at ≥50 scored products), distinct from the count row.
Counts and averages from Open Food Facts labels screened against FDA SAFFA and CSPI Chemical Cuisine; neither axis is a health outcome.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sainsbury's food safe? ▼
Sainsbury's has an average safety score of 100/100 across the 85 of 331 tracked products that carry an ingredient list. 3.5% of those contain flagged ingredients.
How many Sainsbury's products are tracked? ▼
Our database tracks 331 Sainsbury's products. 85 include an ingredient list and can be screened against FDA SAFFA and CSPI data; 246 cannot be scored from this snapshot.
How processed is the Sainsbury's catalog? ▼
Sainsbury's has 69 NOVA-classified products; 56.5% are ultra-processed (Group 4, 39 items) and Group 4 is the largest slice. NOVA describes processing intensity, not whether additives on a label are flagged.
Which shelves dominate the Sainsbury's catalog? ▼
In Open Food Facts shelf labels, Sainsbury's concentrates in Plant-based foods and beverages (37, 49% of this top-five); Meats and their products (15); Meals (11); Snacks (8); Dairies (5).
Does Sainsbury's use artificial dyes? ▼
Open the individual product pages below to see which Sainsbury's items list a synthetic dye on their label. For whether the company has committed to removing dyes, the FDA and CSPI both publish corporate-commitment trackers; we no longer restate those commitments here.
What to do with this Sainsbury's profile
Use this roll-up as orientation, then verify the specific package you hold against its ingredient panel and the named official sources.
- Start with Chorizo ring, the displayed product with the most flagged ingredients (1) in this sample. Open the outlier product
- Sodium Nitrite appears in 2 scored Sainsbury's products, review why each source flags it before treating the brand average as uniform. Review flagged ingredient counts
- Compare Sainsbury's's 99.6/100 average and 3.5% flagged share against other brands before treating either figure as a recall or clearance signal. Brand safety rankings
- Cross-check any additive concern against FDA SAFFA and CSPI Chemical Cuisine rather than relying on this derived index alone. Scoring methodology
A flagged ingredient records a source concern, not a recall, ban, or medical clearance. Always verify the current package label and consult official sources for product-specific decisions.
Citation & disclaimer notes
Brand scores aggregate ingredient-level FDA SAFFA + CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings across Open Food Facts product data. See our methodology. Retrieved and formatted by PlainFoodSafe.Disclaimer: Informational purposes only; not professional advice. A flagged ingredient is not a recall or a ban. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Every figure on PlainFoodSafe is rendered directly from OpenFoodFacts and FDA data, no number is typed in by an editor. Brand figures are computed directly from OpenFoodFacts and FDA data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of September 2026.
