For an airport using the 100ml liquid limit, a permitted mini concentrate can travel in hand luggage; put a larger bottle in hold luggage or buy one after security if the shop confirms stock. GOV.UK says the limit applies at most UK airports, but rules vary, so check every airport on your route. For a lower-sugar choice, compare the prepared drink’s sugars and ingredients: “no added sugar” does not mean sugar-free.
If you want no-added-sugar cordial or squash for the journey, check the liquid rules at your departure and transfer airports before choosing a bottle. GOV.UK says containers over 100ml cannot pass security at most UK airports, even when partly full.
If sugar content matters to your choice, compare the “of which sugars” and energy figures for the drink as prepared, then read the ingredients for the sweeteners used. A no-added-sugar label alone does not establish that a drink contains no sugar.
A larger cordial bottle may suit a trip with hold luggage or a confirmed purchase after security. Check the rules for each airport rather than assuming a bottle permitted on one leg can pass through security on another.
Choose it when: Every relevant airport permits the container size; Waitrose & Partners lists Robinsons Mini No Added Sugar Orange Squash in a 66ml bottle.
Bear in mind: Concentrate needs water for dilution, and a mini squash may not be the cordial style you want.
Choose it when: You can pack the bottle in hold luggage or have confirmed a suitable purchase after security.
Bear in mind: Do not rely on a particular airport shop or assume a larger bottle can pass through every security lane.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Security rules | Check container capacity and the current rules at departure, transfer and return airports. GOV.UK says most UK airports do not permit liquid containers over 100ml through security, even partly full; Heathrow publishes an allowance of up to 2 litres, while Gatwick also specifies container restrictions. | I want to take a drink through security without relying on the rule from a different airport. |
| Sugar on the label | Compare “of which sugars” and energy per 100ml on the same diluted-drink basis. Check the dilution instructions before comparing a concentrate with a ready-to-drink product; “no added sugar” does not mean zero total sugars. | I’m looking for a lower-sugar drink and want to know what is in it once prepared. |
| Ingredients | Read the current pack for sweeteners and declared allergens. NHS guidance says aspartame is unsuitable for people with phenylketonuria (PKU); check for it if that condition is relevant. | A particular sweetener or allergen may affect which bottle I choose. |
| Water and timing | Check how the concentrate is diluted and where you will obtain water. If buying after security, confirm the particular shop stocks a suitable drink rather than depending on a specific flavour or size being available. | Will I have what I need to prepare the drink, or would packing a bottle in hold luggage be simpler? |
GOV.UK says most UK airports restrict containers over 100ml, while Heathrow and Gatwick publish different allowances. A bottle permitted at departure may face a different rule on a transfer or return journey.
Check each named airport’s current security guidance before packing a larger bottle in hand luggage.
Fruit-based drinks can still contain sugars. Waitrose & Partners lists 1.1g sugars per 100ml for its Cherries & Berries cordial diluted 1:6, and 0.3g per 100ml diluted for Vimto No Added Sugar Squash.
Compare the “of which sugars” figures using the same prepared-drink measure, and check the stated dilution.
No-added-sugar recipes use different sweeteners, and some products declare allergens. NHS guidance states that aspartame is unsuitable for people with PKU.
Read the current pack’s ingredients and allergen declaration before travelling, particularly where you have a specific dietary requirement.
A small concentrate may fit a 100ml-rule security lane, but it still needs water before drinking.
Check its dilution instructions and plan where you will obtain water after security.
These examples show different bottle formats and label details; check the current product and your airport’s rules before choosing.
Waitrose & Partners lists Robinsons Mini No Added Sugar Orange Squash as a 66ml concentrate, a format to consider for airports applying the 100ml container limit.
Tesco Groceries lists a 1-litre no-added-sugar lime cordial with sweeteners.
Sainsbury's lists a 1-litre no-added-sugar lime cordial with 30% fruit juice from concentrate and sweetener.
Waitrose & Partners lists both a 66ml Robinsons mini squash and a no-added-sugar Cherries & Berries cordial.
Marks & Spencer describes its cordials as drinks to dilute with still or sparkling water.
These no-added-sugar squash concentrates come in bottles larger than 100ml. Consider them for hold luggage or a confirmed purchase after security, and check each airport’s rules if you intend to carry one through security.
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This lemon squash concentrate is an option when you can pack larger bottles in hold luggage or arrange a purchase after security. Each 1L bottle exceeds the limit at airports applying the 100ml rule; compare the prepared-drink nutrition and check the current ingredients if either matters to your choice.
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This squash concentrate suits a plan involving hold luggage or a confirmed purchase after security. Each 850ml bottle exceeds the limit at airports applying the 100ml rule; use the diluted-drink nutrition when comparing it with another concentrate and check the current ingredients for dietary requirements.
Yes, if the container meets that airport’s current liquid rules. GOV.UK says containers over 100ml cannot pass security at most UK airports, even when partly full, but rules vary. Check departure, transfer and return airports separately.
The airport’s container-size rule is the key check, so confirm its current guidance before decanting cordial. Close the travel bottle securely and keep the original ingredient information available if you need to check a sweetener or allergen.
No. A fruit-based drink can contain sugars without added sugar: Waitrose & Partners lists 1.1g sugars per 100ml for its Cherries & Berries cordial diluted 1:6. Check “of which sugars” and whether the figure describes concentrate or the prepared drink.
Rely on that plan only if the particular airport shop confirms the drink you want is available. Otherwise, consider a concentrate in a container permitted through your security lane or a larger bottle in hold luggage.