Who is this for?

Desk workers who want a can

If a can is part of the brief, check the packaging as well as the drink inside. Still apple juice, sparkling apple juice and sparkling apple-based drinks are distinct choices for lunch.

People checking their juice serving

Can volume matters if you are considering how much juice to have with lunch. The NHS advises limiting fruit juice and smoothies to a combined 150ml a day and having them at mealtimes.

Shoppers choosing single-serve multipacks

Compare the number and size of individual drinks you will use. If a metal can is optional, small apple-juice cartons from Tesco and Sainsbury's are another format to consider.

What should you check?

Settle on still or sparkling first, then compare the individual serving, nutrition label and number of drinks in the pack.

Priority What to check Your needs
Drink type Read the ingredients and juice percentage. The Cawston Press sparkling drink lists 49% pressed apple juice; the M&S apple-and-elderflower drink lists 59% apple juice from concentrate. I want to know whether I am opening still apple juice or a sparkling drink with water and other flavours.
Serving size Compare the volume of one can or carton, not just the pack total. The NHS advises a combined limit of 150ml a day for fruit juice and smoothies, consumed at mealtimes. A whole 250ml or 330ml drink may be more than the amount of juice I intend to have with lunch.
Sugars label Check sugars per 100ml and per can on the same product label. Cawston Press lists 4.3g per 100ml; the M&S label lists 21.8g per 330ml can. I check the serving figure rather than rely on fruit wording. In the Food Standards Agency and Ipsos Northern Ireland's 2024 survey of 611 respondents, approximately 49% actively used traffic-light labelling when shopping for food; that figure is about label use, not apple-juice preferences.
Pack and storage Check unit count, unit volume and the storage directions on the pack. The listed options include four-can, 12-can and small-carton multipacks. I need individual drinks I can keep for future lunches without opening a large shared container.

Common buying mistakes

  • Assuming every apple-branded can is plain juice

    Cawston Press lists pressed apple juice and sparkling water, while the M&S drink also contains elderflower extract. Neither is the same drink type as a still apple juice.

    Check the ingredient list, juice percentage and whether the drink is carbonated before choosing a pack.

  • Comparing packs without checking individual cans

    A four-pack of 250ml cans and a four-pack of 330ml cans provide different serving volumes. Nutrition figures may also be stated per 100ml or per can.

    Compare unit volume and sugars using clearly identified label measures, rather than treating the same pack count as the same serving.

  • Treating a whole can as a 150ml juice portion

    A 250ml can of fruit juice is larger than the NHS's advised combined daily limit of 150ml for fruit juice and smoothies.

    If you are following that guidance, consider the amount you will pour with lunch rather than assuming the container defines a portion.

  • Committing to a multipack before deciding on flavour

    The listed canned options differ in carbonation, cloudy appearance and elderflower flavour. The still Juist listing contains 12 cans, while the Cawston Press and M&S listings contain four each.

    Choose the drink type first; a smaller pack is not a useful substitute if it contains a flavour or carbonation you do not want.

Brand and retailer references

These examples show why a familiar brand name is less useful than the exact product description when choosing cans for lunch.

Cawston Press

Cawston Press lists Sparkling Cloudy Apple in a four-pack of 250ml cans.

  • The drink lists 49% pressed apple juice, sparkling water and 4.3g sugars per 100ml.
  • It is a sparkling apple-juice drink, not plain 100% apple juice.

M&S

The M&S apple-and-elderflower sparkling drink is listed as four 330ml cans.

  • Its ingredient list specifies 59% apple juice from concentrate and 3% elderflower extract.
  • The label lists 21.8g sugars per can; this is a flavoured sparkling drink rather than plain apple juice.

Tesco

Tesco Groceries lists Growers Harvest apple juice from concentrate as six 200ml beverage cartons.

  • The listed ingredients include 99% apple juice from concentrate, and the nutrition information gives 20.2g sugars per carton.
  • The packaging is a carton, so it does not meet a requirement for metal cans.

Sainsbury's

Sainsbury's lists Pure Apple Juice from concentrate in a three-pack of 200ml cartons.

  • The listing describes it as 100% fruit juice and states 18.4g sugars per carton.
  • It is a carton multipack rather than a can multipack.

Tropicana and Copella

Tesco Groceries lists Tropicana pressed apple juice in 900ml and 1.5L formats and Copella apple juice in 300ml and 1.35L formats.

  • Check the packaging and pack count of any specific listing before treating it as a single-serve can multipack.

Joybuy product options

This Joybuy option is a six-pack of lightly sparkling apple juice in 250ml units. If you specifically need cans, confirm the container type on the product page before ordering.

Appletiser 100% Apple Juice Lightly Sparkling six-pack

Appletiser 100% Apple Juice Lightly Sparkling 6 × 250ml

This lightly sparkling apple juice multipack offers individual 250ml drinks for lunch. Choose it if you want a sparkling rather than a still drink; check the container type if cans are essential. A full 250ml serving is larger than the NHS's advised combined daily limit of 150ml for fruit juice and smoothies.

View on Joybuy

Questions about apple drink multipacks

Does a larger apple juice can count more than once towards 5 A Day?

No. The NHS says fruit juice, vegetable juice and smoothies count only once towards 5 A Day, and advises limiting them to a combined 150ml a day. A larger container does not create additional portions for that purpose.

Should I have juice with lunch or between meals?

The NHS advises having juices and smoothies at mealtimes. If you are choosing a drink for a desk lunch, consider the amount you will have as well as when you will drink it.

Are apple-branded canned drinks always plain apple juice?

No. Cawston Press Sparkling Cloudy Apple lists 49% pressed apple juice with sparkling water, and the M&S apple-and-elderflower drink lists 59% apple juice from concentrate alongside other ingredients. Check the exact product's ingredients and carbonation rather than relying on the word ‘apple’.

Can I substitute a carton multipack for cans?

Yes, if the container itself is not important to you. The listed Tesco and Sainsbury's small apple-juice multipacks use 200ml cartons, not cans, so check the individual product's ingredients, volume and storage directions before substituting one.