Hosts serving a mixed-age group
Individual cans make it straightforward to offer different flavours. If guests have different preferences, distinguish regular, zero-sugar and caffeine-free variants by their exact labels.
Who are the drinks for?
Shoppers choosing a zero-sugar option
Look at sugars per can on the nutrition panel. Zero-sugar cola and lemon-and-lime variants are different from their regular counterparts; check ingredients too, particularly if sweeteners matter to your guests.
Hosts including guests who avoid caffeine
Do not assume a zero-sugar drink is caffeine-free. Standard Pepsi Max and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar list caffeine, whereas Coca-Cola GB describes Fanta Orange as caffeine-free. Check the precise variant before serving.
What should you check before choosing?
Work out how many cans you need, then compare the recipes and flavours you want to offer.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Servings | Check both can volume and pack count. The listed options include eight- and 24-can packs of 330ml cans. | I want enough individual cans for the expected guests, allowing for any other drinks I plan to serve. |
| Sugar and sweeteners | Read sugars per 330ml on the exact variant. Joybuy lists 0g sugars per 330ml for Pepsi Max and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, and 15g for Fanta Orange. Check the ingredients for sweeteners. | A mix of regular and zero-sugar drinks would let guests choose a recipe they prefer. |
| Caffeine | Check the ingredients or an explicit caffeine-free label. Pepsi Max and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar list caffeine; Coca-Cola GB describes Fanta Orange as caffeine-free. | If someone avoids caffeine, I want a clearly identifiable alternative to standard cola. |
| Flavour | Decide whether the group wants cola, orange or lemon-and-lime, and check the recipe within that flavour. Flavour and sugar or caffeine content are separate choices. | Offering a second flavour matters more to me than buying every can in one variety. |
| Empty cans | Set aside a container for empties. The Environment Agency says not to put household metal waste on a bonfire; check your council’s accepted recycling route. | I need somewhere guests can leave cans without putting them near the fire. |
What is easy to overlook?
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Assuming every multipack provides the same number of servings
An eight-can pack and a 24-can pack each contain individual cans, but they cover different numbers of drinks.
Count the expected drinkers and check the pack quantity before deciding whether one pack is enough.
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Assuming zero sugar means caffeine-free
Pepsi UK and Joybuy list caffeine in standard Pepsi Max, despite its 0g sugars per 330ml. Joybuy also lists caffeine in Coca-Cola Zero Sugar.
Check the exact variant’s ingredients and offer a separately identifiable caffeine-free drink when needed.
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Choosing only standard cola when guests avoid caffeine
Cola recipes do not all have the same caffeine status. Coca-Cola Original Taste and Dr Pepper list caffeine, while Coca-Cola GB describes Fanta Orange as caffeine-free.
Include a drink explicitly labelled caffeine-free and keep its cans easy to distinguish.
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Putting empty cans on the bonfire
Environment Agency guidance says household metal waste should not be disposed of on a bonfire.
Collect empties separately and follow your local council’s accepted recycling instructions.
Which brands and ranges are relevant?
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and Coca-Cola Original Taste are distinct cola recipes available in can multipacks.
- Joybuy lists a 24 x 330ml Coca-Cola Zero Sugar pack with 0g sugars per can.
- Coca-Cola GB lists caffeine in Original Taste, and Joybuy lists caffeine in Zero Sugar. Check the exact recipe rather than relying on the brand name.
Pepsi
Pepsi Max is a zero-sugar cola; Pepsi Max Caffeine Free is a separate variant.
- Pepsi UK lists 0g sugars per 330ml for standard Pepsi Max.
- Standard Pepsi Max lists caffeine and sweeteners, so check that a pack explicitly says Caffeine Free if that distinction matters.
Sprite
Tesco Groceries lists Sprite Zero Sugar in an 8 x 330ml lemon-and-lime can pack.
- Its eight-can format is an option when fewer cans of one flavour are wanted.
- Check the exact Sprite variant and its label rather than assuming every lemon-and-lime drink has the same recipe.
Fanta
Fanta Orange is a fruit-flavour option listed in 330ml can multipacks.
- Coca-Cola GB describes Fanta Orange as caffeine-free.
- Joybuy lists 15g sugars per 330ml for its eight-can pack, so it is not a zero-sugar option.
Dr Pepper
Tesco Groceries lists regular Dr Pepper and Dr Pepper Zero in eight-can packs.
- The regular and Zero variants give shoppers a choice of recipes in the same named flavour range.
- Coca-Cola GB lists caffeine in both variants; Zero does not mean caffeine-free.
Tesco
Tesco Groceries lists own-label cans alongside branded fizzy-drink multipacks.
- Its listed formats include Tesco Xero Cola 8 x 330ml and Tesco Diet Lemonade 6 x 330ml.
- Check each product’s pack count, ingredients and nutrition label separately; an own-label range is not one recipe.
Joybuy can multipacks
These cans cover larger cola and lemon-and-lime packs, plus a smaller orange-flavour pack. Compare the stated variant and pack count with the mix of drinks your Bonfire Night guests need.
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Pepsi Max Caffeine Free 24 x 330ml
A 24-can cola pack for a gathering where guests want the explicitly caffeine-free Pepsi Max variant. Check the pack’s nutrition and ingredients if sugar content or sweeteners also matter.
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PEPSI Max 24 x 330ml
For a group wanting individual cans of zero-sugar cola, this pack contains 24 x 330ml cans. Pepsi UK lists 0g sugars per 330ml for standard Pepsi Max, but its ingredients include caffeine and sweeteners; it is not the Caffeine Free variant.
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Coca-Cola Zero Sugar 24 x 330ml
This 24-can pack offers individual zero-sugar cola servings. Joybuy lists 0g sugars per 330ml and caffeine in the ingredients, so choose a different variant for guests avoiding caffeine.
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7UP Zero 24 x 330ml
A 24-can lemon-and-lime choice if you want to offer a non-cola flavour in individual 330ml servings. Check the exact pack label for its nutrition, ingredients and caffeine information.
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Fanta Orange 8 x 330ml
Eight individual cans can provide an orange-flavour choice alongside another pack. Coca-Cola GB describes Fanta Orange as caffeine-free, while Joybuy lists 15g sugars per 330ml; check whether eight servings meet your plans.
Bonfire Night drinks FAQs
How many 330ml cans should I buy for Bonfire Night?
Start with the number of guests likely to want a can and the other drinks you will offer. A 24 x 330ml pack contains 24 individual cans; an 8 x 330ml pack contains eight. If you want a second flavour, consider its pack count separately rather than assuming everyone will choose it.
Are zero-sugar fizzy drinks caffeine-free?
Not necessarily. Pepsi UK lists caffeine in standard Pepsi Max, and Joybuy lists it in Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, although both list 0g sugars per 330ml. Choose a variant explicitly labelled caffeine-free and check its ingredients when caffeine avoidance matters.
What drinks should I provide if children are coming?
Include water. NHS guidance says children should avoid sugary fizzy drinks; if you also offer other soft drinks, check the exact pack’s sugar content, ingredients and any sweetener statements rather than assuming variants of a brand are alike.
Can empty drink cans go on the bonfire?
No. Environment Agency guidance says household waste including metal should not be disposed of on a bonfire. Collect empty cans separately and check which recycling collection or centre your local council accepts.