Hosts setting up a shared drinks table
Plain water keeps the main choice straightforward. If guests will pour their own drinks, six 1.5L bottles provide 9L in the Buxton, evian and Highland Spring packs listed by Joybuy.
Who is each option for?
Hosts offering a flavoured alternative
A sugar-free flavoured drink can sit alongside plain water. Check the particular product rather than the flavour name: Volvic’s sugar-free strawberry water lists sweeteners, while its standard Touch of Fruit range is described by Volvic as containing a little sugar.
Hosts planning individual portions
Smaller sealed bottles are useful when guests will carry drinks away from the serving table. Highland Spring’s 12 × 500ml pack, listed by Joybuy, provides 6L in individual bottles.
What should you check before buying?
Plain bottled water
Choose it: As the main BBQ supply when you want water without flavouring or sweetening ingredients.
Trade-off: It does not give guests a fruit-flavoured choice.
Sugar-free flavoured water
Choose it: As an additional option for guests who prefer a flavoured drink.
Trade-off: Sugar-free need not mean unsweetened; Volvic Touch of Strawberry Sugar Free lists acesulfame K and sucralose.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Added sugar | Read the ingredients as well as the front label. In Great Britain, the Advertising Standards Authority and Committee of Advertising Practice explain that a “no added sugars” claim excludes added sugars and other foods used for sweetening; “low in sugars” is a different claim. | I want to serve water without added sugar, not pick a flavoured drink solely because its label says “low in sugars”. |
| Flavour and sweeteners | For flavoured water, check the sugars figure per 100ml and the sweeteners in the ingredients. Volvic lists 0g sugars per 100ml for Touch of Strawberry Sugar Free, alongside acesulfame K and sucralose. | A flavoured option would be welcome, but I also want to know whether it contains sweeteners. |
| Bottle format | Compare the bottle size, number of bottles and total quantity. Joybuy lists six 1.5L bottles as 9L for its Buxton and evian still-water packs; its Highland Spring 12 × 500ml pack totals 6L. | Guests can pour water at the drinks table, but some may want a bottle to carry around. |
| Still or sparkling | Check whether the pack is labelled still or sparkling, particularly when ordering individual bottles. Carbonation is a separate choice from added sugar. | I want still water available even if I also put out sparkling bottles for guests who like them. |
| Current pack details | Check the current ingredients, bottle count and delivered quantity before ordering, especially for similarly named products or water boxes. | I need the format delivered to match the drinks table I am planning. |
Common buying mistakes
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Picking “low in sugars” when you mean no added sugar
Volvic says its standard Touch of Fruit range is sweetened with a little sugar and stevia leaf extract. A low-sugars description does not make that range interchangeable with plain water for this requirement.
Read the ingredients and the precise claim on the pack. Plain water with water as the listed ingredient is the simpler choice.
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Assuming sugar-free means unsweetened
Volvic Touch of Strawberry Sugar Free lists 0g sugars per 100ml, but its ingredients include acesulfame K and sucralose.
If avoiding sweeteners matters to your guests, keep plain water available and check any flavoured option separately.
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Buying only small bottles for a shared drinks table
Pack formats provide different total quantities: a six-pack of 1.5L bottles contains 9L, while Highland Spring’s 12 × 500ml pack contains 6L.
Work out how much water you want at the shared table, then add smaller bottles where individual portions are useful.
Individual bottles also mean more bottles to collect for recycling after the BBQ.
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Assuming a listing guarantees the pack you can order
A product’s ingredient profile and serving format do not establish its current stock or delivery availability.
Confirm the current listing and pack label before checkout. If you switch to a similarly named flavoured product, check its ingredients again.
Brand and retailer references
Highland Spring
Spring-water options include plain still multipacks and a separate flavoured range.
- Joybuy lists natural spring water as the ingredient for its 6 × 1.5L and 12 × 500ml plain still packs.
- Highland Spring describes its flavoured range as sugar free; check the chosen pack’s ingredients if sweeteners are also a concern.
Buxton
Natural mineral water is available in several bottle sizes, according to Buxton Water.
- The Buxton still 6 × 1.5L pack listed by Joybuy contains 9L and lists natural mineral water as its ingredient, with 0g sugars per 100ml.
- Check still and sparkling product names separately when selecting a pack.
evian
A natural mineral-water option with a still 6 × 1.5L format for shared serving.
- Joybuy lists natural mineral water as the ingredient and 0g sugars per 100ml for that 9L still multipack.
- For other evian pack sizes, check the particular listing’s bottle count and whether it specifies still water.
Volvic
Its plain water and flavoured Touch of Fruit lines call for different label checks.
- Volvic lists 0g sugars per 100ml for Touch of Strawberry Sugar Free.
- That strawberry product contains acesulfame K and sucralose. Volvic describes its standard Touch of Fruit range as containing a little sugar and stevia leaf extract.
Tesco
Tesco Groceries lists plain-water multipacks and separate sugar-free flavoured-water options.
- Its listings include 1.5L multipacks and smaller-bottle formats, allowing a comparison of shared and individual serving.
- Check the current product page and pack for the specific format and ingredients you intend to buy.
Joybuy water options
These Joybuy options cover unflavoured mineral or spring water in individual bottles, larger bottles and a water box. The Buxton pack is explicitly sparkling, so it serves a different preference from still water.
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evian Mineral Water 6 × 500ml
Six individual bottles provide a format guests can take away from the shared drinks area. The listed ingredient is water. Check the pack if you specifically need still rather than sparkling water.
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Icelandic Glacial Natural Mineral Water PET 12 × 1.5L
The 1.5L bottles offer a larger format for a shared drinks area, and the listed ingredient is natural mineral water. Check the pack if serving still water is important.
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Buxton Sparkling 8 × 500ml
This sparkling option suits guests who want carbonation in individual bottles. Its listed ingredients are natural mineral water and carbon dioxide; choose a still pack separately if you want both choices available.
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Highland Spring Still Water Box with Tap
A tap-equipped box offers a dispensing point for a shared drinks table, and its listed ingredient is natural spring water. Confirm the box size, pack configuration and delivered quantity before ordering, as the product descriptions give differing details.
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Icelandic Glacial Natural Mineral Water PET 1.5L
The 1.5L bottle is an option for serving at a table without choosing an individual 500ml portion. Its listed ingredient is natural mineral water; check the label if you specifically need still water.
Frequently asked questions
Is “no added sugar” the same as “low in sugars”?
No. For a “no added sugars” claim in Great Britain, the Advertising Standards Authority and Committee of Advertising Practice explain that the product must contain neither added sugars nor other foods used for sweetening. Volvic describes its standard Touch of Fruit range as low in sugars but sweetened with a little sugar and stevia leaf extract, so check the exact product rather than treating the two descriptions as equivalent.
Can sugar-free flavoured water contain sweeteners?
Yes. Volvic Touch of Strawberry Sugar Free lists 0g sugars per 100ml and contains acesulfame K and sucralose. If guests also prefer to avoid sweeteners, offer plain water and read the ingredients of any flavoured drink.
Should I buy 1.5L bottles or 500ml bottles for a BBQ?
Use larger bottles where guests can pour drinks at a shared table, and add 500ml bottles if individual portions will be useful. Joybuy lists six 1.5L Buxton or evian still-water bottles as 9L; its Highland Spring 12 × 500ml pack contains 6L.
Do I need sparkling water as well as still water?
Not to meet a no-added-sugar requirement. Choose sparkling water as an additional format if guests want carbonation, and check the ingredients of the particular pack. Keep still water available if you are serving guests who prefer it.