For an adult occasion without a standard-strength spirit, choose a ready-to-drink alternative or pair a mixer with a separately checked 0.0% base; the mixer alone does not make a drink low alcohol. Check the exact alcohol by volume (ABV) on each pack if avoiding alcohol completely, as Drinkaware notes that drinks described as alcohol-free can still contain a small amount. For younger school-age people, choose an ordinary soft drink rather than an adult-style no/low substitute.
The right back-to-school drink depends on whether it is for an adult social occasion, complete alcohol avoidance or a younger person’s lunch or outing.
If a drink is part of a return-to-term gathering, consider what it replaces. An alcohol-free or low-alcohol choice changes the occasion’s alcohol intake when it takes the place of a regular-strength drink, rather than being added alongside it.
Check the exact ABV of a ready-to-drink product or of both parts of a mixed drink. Drinkaware cautions that an alcohol-free description alone does not establish complete alcohol avoidance.
An ordinary soft drink is a clearer choice for a school-age lunch or outing than an adult-style no/low alternative. Drinkaware cautions that alcohol-free drinks can contain small amounts of alcohol and are not suitable for under-18s.
Choose when: An adult wants a prepared social drink without measuring a separate spirit or mixer.
Bear in mind: A non-alcoholic name does not replace checking the individual pack’s ABV.
Choose when: An adult wants to select the tonic, ginger ale or other mixer and the base separately.
Bear in mind: The base must be checked separately; a mixer cannot establish the finished drink’s ABV.
Choose when: The drink is for a younger school-age person rather than an adult no/low occasion.
Bear in mind: Do not assume an adult-style product is suitable for under-18s because its name says alcohol-free.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Alcohol content | Read the ABV on a ready-to-drink pack and on any base added to a mixer. UK government guidance published in 2018 describes drinks labelled low alcohol as 1.2% ABV or below; that description does not apply to a mixer merely because it says light or slimline. | I need to know the alcohol content of the whole serve, not just the name of the tonic or soda. |
| Replacing a drink | Decide which regular-strength drink a no/low option will replace. Where units are relevant, the NHS calculates them as ABV multiplied by volume in ml, divided by 1,000. | At an adult gathering, I want an alternative to my usual alcoholic drink rather than an additional drink. |
| Flavour and format | Choose between a complete ready-to-drink serve and a separately mixed drink. Check the individual product’s flavour and pack size; light or zero-sugar wording describes a different consideration from ABV. | For a social occasion, I might prefer a prepared drink, or I might want to choose the mixer and base myself. |
| Age suitability | Distinguish ordinary soft drinks from adult-style alcohol alternatives. Drinkaware cautions that products described as alcohol-free can contain small amounts of alcohol and are not suitable for under-18s. | For a younger person’s lunch or outing, I am choosing a school-age drink rather than an adult-style no/low substitute. |
Slimline, light and zero-sugar names do not establish the ABV of a mixed drink. Adding a standard-strength spirit still adds alcohol.
Check the base drink’s ABV separately from the mixer. If choosing a product described as low alcohol, check its stated ABV against the UK government guidance threshold of 1.2% ABV or below.
Drinkaware says drinks described as alcohol-free can contain a small amount of alcohol. That distinction matters when complete avoidance is needed.
Read the exact ABV on the current pack rather than relying on the description on the front.
Drinkaware cautions that alcohol-free drinks can contain residual alcohol and are not suitable for under-18s.
For younger school-age people, choose an ordinary soft drink instead of a product designed as an adult alcohol alternative.
A no/low drink does not reduce the alcohol in a separate regular-strength drink. The choice matters most when it replaces one.
For an adult occasion, decide which regular drink the alternative will take the place of; check serving volume and ABV if tracking units.
These ranges illustrate different drink formats; the brand name alone does not establish an individual product’s ABV or suitability.
Fever-Tree has mixer and non-alcoholic ready-to-drink products, including named alternatives listed by Tesco Groceries.
Schweppes Slimline Tonic Water is one tonic format listed by Tesco Groceries.
Fentimans presents a tonic-water and mixer range with botanical flavour options.
In a 2023 announcement, Britvic described 330ml Indian Tonic Water cans in classic and zero-sugar variants.
These options cover an adult-style ready-to-drink alternative, mixers for a separately chosen base and an ordinary juice drink for a school-age lunch or outing. Check the current pack when exact alcohol content or ingredients matter.
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A ready-to-drink adult-style alternative for an occasion when you do not want to add a separate spirit. The product information describes it as 0.0% vol but also says no more than 0.05% ABV, so check the current pack if complete avoidance is essential. It is marked 18+ and is not a school-age drink.
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An ordinary orange juice drink to consider for a school-age lunch or outing, rather than an adult-style no/low substitute. The pack contains 24 bottles of 200ml. Check the current label if particular ingredients or an exact ABV matter.
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A tonic mixer for an adult serve where you choose the base separately. The pack contains 15 cans of 150ml. ‘Light’ does not establish the finished drink’s alcohol content; check the base drink’s ABV.
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A tonic option when you want to choose a separate base or serve the mixer on its own. The pack contains 12 cans of 150ml. ‘Slimline’ is not an alcohol claim: check anything added to the tonic, and check the current pack if sweetener ingredients matter.
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A ginger-ale mixer for a serve with a separately chosen base, or a drink on its own. The pack contains eight cans of 150ml. ‘Light’ does not establish low alcohol in a mixed drink; check the ABV of the base you add.
No. A standard-strength spirit still adds alcohol when mixed with tonic or soda. To calculate units in the alcohol you add, the NHS formula is ABV multiplied by volume in ml, divided by 1,000.
UK government guidance published in 2018 describes drinks labelled low alcohol as having an ABV of 1.2% or below. Check the individual product’s stated ABV; ‘light’ and ‘slimline’ do not establish that it is low alcohol.
Yes. Drinkaware cautions that drinks described as alcohol-free can contain small amounts of alcohol. If complete avoidance matters, read the exact ABV on the current pack rather than relying on the front-of-pack description.
Choose an ordinary soft drink instead. Drinkaware says alcohol-free products can contain small amounts of alcohol and are not suitable for under-18s; an adult-style no/low name is not a reason to treat one as a school-age refreshment.
Use it in place of a regular-strength alcoholic drink, rather than alongside the usual drinks. Check the serving size and ABV of a low-alcohol choice if you are counting units.