Hosts avoiding added sugar in drinks
Plain still water offers an unsweetened option alongside brunch. If guests also want a sweet-tasting drink, serve a separately labelled sugar-free flavoured option rather than treating the two as interchangeable.
Who is choosing?
For a Sunday brunch, the useful starting point is whether guests want plain water, a fruity taste or bubbles.
Guests who prefer fruity flavours
Check the nutrition panel for sugars per serving, then read the ingredients for sweeteners and other additions. Volvic UK lists 0g sugars per 250ml for its Strawberry Sugar Free 1.5L drink, while its Lemon & Lime low-sugar drink lists 5.8g per 250ml.
Guests who prefer sparkling water
Plain sparkling water provides bubbles without choosing a flavoured drink. The NHS notes an association between carbonated drinks and dental erosion due to acidity, so keep still water available for guests concerned about that distinction.
What should you check?
Start with the drink’s sugar content and ingredients, then decide whether flavour, carbonation and bottle format suit the people you are serving.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars per serving | Read the sugar figure and serving size, especially on flavoured drinks. Volvic UK lists 0g sugars per 250ml for Strawberry Sugar Free 1.5L but 5.8g per 250ml for its low-sugar Lemon & Lime drink. | I want a drink without listed sugars, rather than assuming that “low sugar” means none. |
| Ingredients | Compare the exact ingredient lists. Volvic UK’s Strawberry Sugar Free example lists acesulfame K and sucralose as sweeteners; Joybuy lists natural spring water as the ingredient in its Highland Spring plain still 6 x 1.5L pack. | If I want plain water rather than a sweet-tasting flavoured drink, the ingredient list matters as much as the sugar figure. |
| Carbonation | Check whether the bottle is still or sparkling. The NHS associates carbonated drinks with dental erosion due to their acid content, including drinks without sugar or sweeteners. | Bubbles would suit some guests, but I also want a still option for anyone concerned about dental erosion. |
| Bottle format | Check individual bottle sizes and the total pack quantity. Joybuy lists Highland Spring plain still water as 6 x 1.5L, totalling 9L; check each product’s directions for storage after opening. | For a group brunch, I need enough water to serve and a bottle format that works at the table. |
| Mineral composition | If mineral content matters to your choice, compare figures for the exact water. Highland Spring lists 5.6mg/L sodium for its still water, while Buxton lists 24mg/L for its still mineral water. | I may want to compare mineral profiles for taste or an individual dietary requirement, without assuming that all plain waters have the same composition. |
Common buying mistakes
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Treating low sugar as sugar-free
Volvic UK lists 5.8g sugars per 250ml serving for its low-sugar Lemon & Lime drink. That differs from the 0g sugars per 250ml listed for its Strawberry Sugar Free example.
Check grams of sugar against the stated serving size and the amount you intend to pour.
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Assuming sugar-free flavoured water is plain water
A sugar-free flavoured drink may still contain sweeteners and other ingredients. Volvic UK’s Strawberry Sugar Free example lists acesulfame K, sucralose, citric acid and flavourings.
Serve plain still water if an unflavoured drink is needed, and check the exact flavoured bottle’s ingredients before offering it as an alternative.
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Making sparkling water the only unsweetened option
The NHS associates carbonated drinks with dental erosion due to their acid content, whether or not they contain sugar or sweeteners.
Offer still water alongside sparkling water so guests can choose between them.
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Relying on an older online product description
Tesco notes that food product information can change. The current bottle is the relevant place to check ingredients, nutrition information and directions for use.
Read the label before serving, particularly when choosing a flavoured drink or following after-opening storage instructions.
Brand and retailer references
These examples illustrate differences between specific plain and flavoured waters; a brand name alone does not establish the ingredients of every variant.
Highland Spring
Highland Spring lists still spring water in several bottle sizes. Joybuy describes its plain still 6 x 1.5L pack as containing natural spring water, with 9L in total.
- The plain still pack provides an unflavoured option for serving a group.
- Check a flavoured Highland Spring product separately; its ingredients need not match the plain water.
Volvic
Volvic UK’s flavoured-water pages show why sugar-free and low-sugar varieties need separate label checks.
- Strawberry Sugar Free 1.5L lists 0g sugars per 250ml serving.
- Lemon & Lime lists 5.8g sugars per 250ml serving, despite its low-sugar description.
Buxton
Buxton lists plain natural mineral water in still and sparkling formats.
- Its still-water information includes a disclosed mineral profile, including 24mg sodium per litre.
- Anyone following an individual mineral restriction should check the exact bottle’s composition against their own requirements.
Evian
Evian publishes a mineral composition for its plain natural mineral water.
- Evian’s UK information lists 80mg/L calcium, 26mg/L magnesium and 6.5mg/L sodium.
- Those figures describe composition, not an overall dietary advantage over another plain water.
Tesco
Tesco Ashbeck 2L is described on Tesco’s product page as still natural mineral water.
- The page gives a specific after-opening instruction: refrigerate and consume within 3 days.
- Check the current pack rather than applying that instruction to other bottled waters.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s British Bottled Spring Water Still 2L is a plain spring-water example with published mineral figures.
- Its product information lists 8mg/L sodium, 38mg/L calcium and 12mg/L magnesium.
- Read the bottle label when the exact mineral profile matters to your choice.
Bottled-water examples by dietary route
This composite order illustrates how directly four specific drinks fit distinct brunch choices; it is not an overall judgement of quality or taste. Product descriptions come from Joybuy and Volvic UK, with the carbonation consideration from NHS guidance.
| Rank | Product | Main specifications | Why consider it | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Highland Spring Still Water 6 x 1.5L | Joybuy lists natural spring water as the ingredient; 9L total pack quantity. | An unflavoured still-water example for serving a group. Joybuy’s product description identifies the ingredient and pack quantity; the position reflects this dietary route, not an overall product comparison. | Joybuy |
| 2 | Volvic Touch of Strawberry Sugar Free 1.5L | Volvic UK lists 0g sugars per 250ml serving and names acesulfame K and sucralose among its ingredients. | A fruity sugar-free example when flavour matters, provided its listed sweeteners and other ingredients suit the guests. | Volvic UK |
| 3 | Highland Spring Sparkling Spring Water 6 x 1L | Joybuy lists natural sparkling mineral water as the ingredient and a 6L total pack quantity. | A plain sparkling example for guests who prefer bubbles. The NHS associates carbonated drinks with dental erosion due to acidity, so still water remains a useful alternative. | Joybuy |
| 4 | Volvic Touch of Fruit Lemon & Lime 500ml | Volvic UK lists 2.3g sugars per 100ml and 5.8g per 250ml serving. | A low-sugar flavoured example only when its stated sugar contribution fits the choice; it is not sugar-free. | Volvic UK |
Joybuy bottled-water options
These Joybuy options cover strawberry-flavoured sugar-free drinks, plain still water and plain sparkling water for a Sunday brunch. Compare the exact bottle labels when ingredients or nutrition figures affect your choice.
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Volvic Touch of Strawberry Sugar Free, 6 x 500ml
A strawberry-flavoured option in individual bottles for guests who prefer a sweet-tasting drink. The product is labelled sugar-free; check its current nutrition panel and ingredients if sugars or sweeteners affect your choice.
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Highland Spring Sugar Free Strawberry Still, 1.25L
A larger strawberry-flavoured still bottle to share at brunch. It is labelled sugar-free, but is not the same product as Highland Spring’s plain water; check the current ingredient and allergen information before serving guests with particular requirements.
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Highland Spring Still Water, 6 x 1.5L
A plain still-water option for serving a group. Joybuy lists natural spring water as its ingredient and a total pack quantity of 9L; it does not provide the fruity taste or bubbles some guests may prefer.
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SAN PELLEGRINO Sparkling Natural Mineral Water, 6 x 1L
A plain sparkling option in six 1L bottles for guests who prefer bubbles. Keep still water available if dental erosion is a concern: the NHS associates carbonated drinks with dental erosion due to their acid content.
Frequently asked questions
Is plain bottled water a sensible default for a lower-sugar brunch?
Yes, if you want an unsweetened drink without added flavourings or sweeteners. Joybuy lists natural spring water as the ingredient in its Highland Spring plain still 6 x 1.5L pack; offer a separate flavoured choice if guests prefer one.
Does low sugar mean the same thing as sugar-free?
No. Volvic UK lists 0g sugars per 250ml for Strawberry Sugar Free 1.5L, compared with 5.8g per 250ml for its low-sugar Lemon & Lime drink. Compare the stated serving sizes as well as the sugar figures.
Does sugar-free flavoured water contain sweeteners?
It can. Volvic UK lists acesulfame K and sucralose in its Strawberry Sugar Free 1.5L drink, so check the exact ingredients if you want to avoid sweeteners. Plain water is a different choice from a sugar-free flavoured drink.
Should I serve still water alongside sparkling water?
Serving both lets guests choose whether they want bubbles. The NHS associates carbonated drinks with dental erosion due to acidity, including drinks without sugar or sweeteners, which makes a still option particularly relevant when that is a concern.
When is it useful to compare minerals in bottled water?
Compare the exact bottle’s mineral information when composition matters to your taste preference or an individual dietary requirement. Highland Spring lists 5.6mg/L sodium for its still water, Buxton lists 24mg/L for its still water, Evian lists 6.5mg/L and Sainsbury’s lists 8mg/L for its British Bottled Spring Water Still; those figures do not establish an overall advantage for any one water.