Shoppers looking for zero sugar
If zero sugar matters for a mixed or alcohol-free drink, check the sugars figure per 100ml rather than relying on words such as “light”. Read the ingredients too if particular sweeteners matter to you.
Who needs to check which details?
Hosts comparing mixer calories
Compare energy values per 100ml, then consider how much mixer will go into each Bonfire Night serve. For alcoholic drinks, include the alcohol separately in that comparison.
Hosts serving guests with ingredient restrictions
Check the current pack for the exact flavour and format before serving it. The NHS states that aspartame is unsuitable for people with phenylketonuria (PKU), so a zero-sugar label alone cannot settle that choice.
What should you compare on the label?
Start with the requirement that matters for each drink—zero sugar, a particular ingredient restriction or the energy in the planned serve—then compare products on the same per-100ml basis.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar | Compare sugars per 100ml on the exact product. Tesco Groceries lists 0g for Schweppes Slimline and 4.9g for standard Schweppes Indian Tonic; Fentimans lists 3.4g for Naturally Light. | I need to know whether a mixer actually has 0g sugars. A “light” name is not enough to tell me. |
| Energy per serve | Read kcal per 100ml and account for the volume poured. For an alcoholic serve, consider the alcohol separately: the NHS says alcohol provides 7 calories per gram. | If I am comparing drinks for a gathering, I want the figures to reflect the amount of mixer in each glass, not just the label’s reference quantity. |
| Sweeteners | Read the ingredient list and any phenylalanine warning. Tesco Groceries lists aspartame in Schweppes Slimline; the NHS states that aspartame is unsuitable for people with PKU. | A guest may need to avoid a particular ingredient even when the mixer contains no sugar. |
| Current pack details | Check the ingredients and dietary information on the physical pack for the exact flavour and format before serving. Product information can change. | When I am serving someone with an allergy, intolerance or ingredient restriction, I need the details for the cans or bottle I actually bought. |
What is easy to overlook?
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Assuming “light” means zero sugar
Fentimans lists 3.4g sugars per 100ml for Naturally Light Tonic Water, while Tesco Groceries lists 0g for Schweppes Slimline. Those labels do not describe the same sugar content.
Compare sugars per 100ml first, then use the amount you plan to pour when considering each serve.
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Choosing by sugar content without reading the ingredients
Schweppes Slimline is listed with aspartame and a phenylalanine warning. The NHS states that aspartame is unsuitable for people with PKU.
Read the ingredient list and warning on the exact pack, especially when serving a guest with an ingredient restriction.
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Counting the mixer but overlooking the alcohol
A lower-calorie mixer changes only the mixer portion of an alcoholic drink. The NHS states that alcohol itself provides 7 calories per gram.
Consider both the mixer volume and the spirit measure when comparing planned serves.
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Relying on an online ingredient list at serving time
A product’s ingredients or dietary information may change, which matters when guests have restrictions.
Keep the physical packs available and identify each mixer clearly on the drinks table.
Brand and product-line references
Compare the named varieties rather than assuming that a brand’s standard and light tonics have the same nutrition or ingredients.
Schweppes
Slimline and standard Indian Tonic are distinct choices for the drinks table.
- Tesco Groceries lists Slimline at 0g sugars and 2kcal per 100ml.
- Its listed sweeteners include aspartame. Tesco Groceries lists standard Schweppes Indian Tonic at 4.9g sugars per 100ml, so the varieties should not be substituted by brand name alone.
Fever-Tree
Refreshingly Light Indian Tonic offers a different choice from the brand’s regular Premium Indian Tonic.
- Fever-Tree describes Refreshingly Light Indian Tonic as having 50% fewer calories than its Premium Indian Tonic.
- The Refreshingly Light ingredient information includes fructose; check the current nutrition panel if zero sugar is required.
Fentimans
Naturally Light Tonic Water and Premium Indian Tonic Water have separate product information.
- Fentimans lists Naturally Light at 18kcal per 100ml.
- Naturally Light also lists 3.4g sugars per 100ml, so it does not meet a 0g-sugar requirement.
Joybuy mixer options
These options include tonic water, ginger ale and a lemon-and-lime soft drink for a Bonfire Night drinks table. Check each pack against the sugar and ingredient requirements of the people you are serving.
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Schweppes Slimline Tonic Water, 12 × 150ml
A tonic option to check when 0g sugar is the priority for individual serves. The Joybuy product information lists 0g sugars and 2kcal per 100ml, and names aspartame and a source of phenylalanine; the NHS states that aspartame is unsuitable for people with PKU. Check the current pack before serving.
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Fever-Tree Refreshingly Light Premium Indian Tonic Water, 15 × 150ml
An Indian tonic option for individual serves when zero sugar is not essential. Fever-Tree describes its Refreshingly Light Indian Tonic as lower in calories than its regular Premium Indian Tonic; check this pack’s sugars and ingredients before choosing it for a dietary requirement.
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Fever-Tree Refreshingly Light Mediterranean Tonic Water, 8 × 150ml
A Mediterranean tonic in individual 150ml cans for a drinks table. If guests need zero sugar or must avoid a particular sweetener, check this variant’s own nutrition panel and ingredients rather than using figures for another Fever-Tree tonic.
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Fever-Tree Refreshingly Light Ginger Ale, 8 × 150ml
A ginger ale alternative to tonic for individual mixed drinks. Compare the sugar and energy figures on this pack with the other mixers you are considering; “Refreshingly Light” does not itself establish a 0g-sugar value.
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7UP Zero, 24 × 330ml
A lemon-and-lime soft drink rather than a tonic, in 330ml cans for a gathering. Check the current pack’s sugars, sweeteners and warning statements if choosing it for a guest with an ingredient restriction.
Frequently asked questions
Is light tonic water the same as zero-sugar tonic water?
No. Fentimans lists 3.4g sugars per 100ml for Naturally Light Tonic Water, whereas Tesco Groceries lists 0g for Schweppes Slimline. Check the sugars figure on the exact pack rather than treating the names as interchangeable.
Which of these tonics lists 0g sugars?
Tesco Groceries lists Schweppes Slimline Tonic Water at 0g sugars per 100ml. Check the current pack and its ingredient list too: a zero-sugar figure does not mean it is free from sweeteners.
Is a zero-sugar mixer suitable for someone with PKU?
Not if it contains aspartame. Schweppes Slimline is listed with aspartame, and the NHS states that aspartame is unsuitable for people with phenylketonuria (PKU). Check the ingredients and warning on the exact pack.
Does a zero-sugar mixer make an alcoholic drink low calorie?
A zero-sugar mixer does not establish the calories in the whole drink. The NHS states that alcohol provides 7 calories per gram, so consider the alcohol measure as well as the mixer volume.
Should I check the physical pack before serving mixers?
Yes, particularly when a guest has an allergy, intolerance or ingredient restriction. Tesco Groceries advises reading the product label because food products can be reformulated and online information may not reflect the pack being served.