Who is this selection for?

Hosts serving mixed groups

Offer a cola, a zero-sugar choice and a different fruit or citrus flavour if guests have varied preferences. Check whether the drinks you choose cover different needs rather than repeating the same type of cola.

Late-evening hosts

If someone prefers to avoid caffeine, look for an expressly caffeine-free variant. A zero-sugar label alone does not establish that a cola is caffeine free.

Hosts checking individual requirements

Compare the ingredients and nutrition information on each exact pack before serving a guest who needs to check sugar, caffeine, sweeteners or another ingredient.

What should you check before choosing?

Start with distinct flavours, then check which exact variants cover sugar and caffeine preferences.

Priority What to check Your needs
Flavour choice Choose between cola, lemon-lime and fruit flavours. Check the exact variant when choosing between standard and zero-sugar versions. I want guests who do not fancy cola to have a genuinely different flavour.
Sugars Compare sugars per 100ml on the exact pack. The Coca-Cola Company lists 10.6g per 100ml for Coca-Cola Original Taste and 0g for Coca-Cola Zero Sugar; PepsiCo lists 4.5g for Pepsi Classic and 0g for Pepsi Max. A guest wants a drink labelled with 0g sugars per 100ml, so I need to pick the zero-sugar variant rather than assume every cola has the same nutrition information.
Caffeine Look for an explicit caffeine-free name or declaration. The Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo list caffeine in their standard zero-sugar colas, while Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Caffeine Free and Pepsi Max No Caffeine are separate variants. If someone avoids caffeine, I need an option clearly identified as caffeine free, not just zero sugar.
Ingredients Read the exact pack for sweeteners and other ingredient declarations. Check its nutrition information too when a guest has a particular requirement. I want to check what each drink contains before putting it out for guests with individual requirements.

Common selection mistakes

  • Assuming zero sugar means caffeine free

    Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and Pepsi Max list caffeine, so neither standard variant meets a caffeine-free request.

    Read the full variant name and ingredients; choose one expressly labelled caffeine free when that distinction matters.

  • Judging sugar content by fruit or citrus flavour

    Fanta Orange contains 4.5g sugars per 100ml according to The Coca-Cola Company. A fruit flavour does not establish a zero-sugar label.

    Compare the nutrition panel for the exact flavour and variant.

  • Buying several colas but no other flavour

    Different cola variants can cover sugar and caffeine preferences without offering a fruit or citrus alternative.

    If the group has varied tastes, include a different flavour alongside the cola choices.

  • Overlooking ingredients in zero-sugar drinks

    Zero sugar does not describe every ingredient. The manufacturer information for Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and Pepsi Max lists sweeteners.

    Check the current pack's ingredients and relevant declarations before serving anyone with a specific requirement.

Brand and drink references

These brand examples illustrate different drink types; check the exact product name when choosing a variant.

Coca-Cola

The range includes Original Taste, Zero Sugar and a separately named Zero Sugar Caffeine Free cola.

  • The Coca-Cola Company lists 10.6g sugars per 100ml for Original Taste and 0g for Zero Sugar.
  • Standard Coca-Cola Zero Sugar lists caffeine; choose the explicitly caffeine-free variant if that is the requirement.

Pepsi

Pepsi Classic, Pepsi Max and Pepsi Max No Caffeine cover separate cola variants.

  • PepsiCo lists 0g sugars for Pepsi Max and identifies Pepsi Max No Caffeine as a separate no-caffeine option.
  • Standard Pepsi Max lists caffeine, while Pepsi Classic lists 4.5g sugars per 100ml.

Sprite

Sprite offers a lemon-and-lime alternative to cola, including standard and Sprite Zero variants.

  • The Coca-Cola Company identifies Sprite Zero as the zero-sugar variant.
  • Check the exact pack rather than treating the standard and Zero variants as interchangeable.

Fanta

Fanta Orange provides an orange-flavoured alternative to cola.

  • The Coca-Cola Company describes Fanta Orange as caffeine free.
  • Fanta Orange lists 4.5g sugars per 100ml; check the exact name and label if choosing a zero-sugar variant.

Dr Pepper

Dr Pepper and Dr Pepper Zero offer another flavoured fizzy-drink choice.

  • The Coca-Cola Company lists 4.3g sugars per 100ml for Dr Pepper and 0g for Dr Pepper Zero.
  • Standard Dr Pepper lists caffeine; check the exact variant if a guest avoids it.

Fizzy drinks on Joybuy

These options include zero-sugar cola, a caffeine-free cola and fruit or citrus flavours for a board game night. Check the exact pack when a guest has a specific ingredient requirement.

7 Up Lemonade Zero, 24 × 330ml

7 Up Lemonade Zero, 24 × 330ml

A non-cola lemonade choice in a pack of 24 × 330ml cans. Check the exact pack's ingredient and caffeine declarations for guests with specific requirements.

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Pepsi Max Caffeine Free, 24 × 330ml

Pepsi Max Caffeine Free, 24 × 330ml

A cola option for guests seeking a separately labelled caffeine-free variant. This pack contains 24 × 330ml cans; PepsiCo lists 0g sugars for Pepsi Max No Caffeine. Check the pack's sweetener declarations for individual requirements.

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Fanta Orange, 8 × 330ml

Fanta Orange, 8 × 330ml

An orange-flavoured alternative for guests who do not want cola, in a pack of 8 × 330ml cans. The Coca-Cola Company describes Fanta Orange as caffeine free and lists 4.5g sugars per 100ml, so it is not a zero-sugar choice.

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Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, 24 × 330ml

Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, 24 × 330ml

A zero-sugar cola in a pack of 24 × 330ml cans. The Coca-Cola Company lists 0g sugars per 100ml for this variant, but its ingredients include caffeine and sweeteners; it is not the caffeine-free version.

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Tango Apple Sugar-Free, 24 × 330ml

Tango Apple Sugar-Free, 24 × 330ml

An apple-flavoured option for guests seeking a non-cola sugar-free variant, in a pack of 24 × 330ml cans. Check the exact pack for caffeine and sweetener declarations before serving guests who need those details.

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Questions about choosing fizzy drinks

Does zero sugar mean a fizzy drink is caffeine free?

No. The Coca-Cola Company lists caffeine in Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, and PepsiCo lists it in standard Pepsi Max. For a caffeine-free cola, choose an expressly named variant such as Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Caffeine Free or Pepsi Max No Caffeine.

What mix works for a board game night with varied tastes?

Start with a familiar cola, a zero-sugar choice and a fruit or citrus drink so guests have more than one flavour route. If anyone avoids caffeine, ensure one of those exact variants is explicitly caffeine free; The Coca-Cola Company describes Fanta Orange as one fruit-flavoured example.

What should I check when a guest has an ingredient requirement?

Read the exact pack's ingredient list, relevant declarations and nutrition information before serving it. UK food-labelling guidance from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and the Food Standards Agency covers ingredient and allergen information on prepacked foods; the words ‘zero sugar’ alone do not describe a drink's other ingredients.