Households cutting back on sugary drinks
Compare plain water, sugar-free flavoured water and low-sugar drinks by the exact variant. A fruit flavour or a broad range name does not tell you how much sugar a drink contains.
Who is this for?
Shoppers who prefer flavoured water
If flavour is important, check both the sugars figure and the ingredient list. A sugar-free variety may use sweeteners, while a low-sugar variety may still contain sugar.
Households ordering multipacks
Compare total litres and bottle size as well as the drink itself. Larger bottles need storage space; smaller bottles may be more convenient to carry.
What should you check?
Decide first whether you want plain or flavoured water, then compare sugar, sweeteners and carbonation on the exact product you intend to order.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar | Read sugars per 100ml and the ingredients on the exact variant. Volvic UK distinguishes its sugar-free Touch of Fruit range from its standard range, which contains sugar and stevia leaf extract. | I want to know whether my flavoured water is sugar-free, rather than assuming that a low-sugar label means the same thing. |
| Sweeteners | Check the ingredient list if you want to avoid a particular sweetener. A sugar-free claim does not mean a flavoured drink contains no sweeteners. | Fruit flavour matters to me, but I also want to know what gives the drink its sweetness. |
| Still or sparkling | Check whether the product is still or carbonated, separately from its sugar content. The NHS associates carbonated drinks with dental erosion due to acidity, regardless of sugar or sweetener status. | I enjoy fizz, but I do not want to treat sugar-free sparkling water as identical to still water in every respect. |
| Pack format | Compare bottle size and total litres. Check the selected product and any substitution settings before completing an online order. | For home storage, larger bottles may work; for carrying a bottle, I would rather check the smaller formats. |
Common buying mistakes
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Treating low sugar as sugar-free
Volvic UK says its standard Touch of Fruit range contains sugar and stevia leaf extract; it is separate from the Sugar Free range. The shared fruit-flavoured branding does not make their formulations interchangeable.
Compare sugars per 100ml and the ingredients on the exact bottle or product page.
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Assuming sugar-free fizz is the same as still water
Sugar content is only one consideration. The NHS associates carbonated drinks with dental erosion because of their acidity, including drinks without sugar.
If you prefer fizz, choose it as a separate preference rather than using a sugar-free label to settle the still-versus-sparkling decision.
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Choosing a multipack by bottle count alone
Six small bottles and six large bottles provide different total volumes and call for different storage space.
Check both the number of bottles and their individual size before adding a pack to your order.
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Assuming added ingredients mean no sugar
Buxton lists sugar syrup and sucralose in its Peak IMMUNO Grapefruit & Ginseng drink, with 2.0g sugars per 100ml. Its ingredients differ from those of plain water.
Check the nutrition panel and ingredient list for the specific flavoured product, regardless of other claims on its label.
Relevant brands and ranges
Highland Spring
Offers plain still and sparkling water as well as sugar-free flavoured still-water varieties.
- The still, sparkling and flavoured options let you choose format separately from flavour.
- For a flavoured variety, check its full ingredient list rather than relying on the sugar-free name alone.
evian
A plain natural mineral-water reference for shoppers comparing bottle formats.
- evian describes its core natural mineral water as having no added ingredients.
- Choose the bottle format that suits the order; a plain-water product does not provide a fruit-flavoured option.
Volvic
Its Touch of Fruit and Touch of Fruit Sugar Free ranges make the exact range name important.
- Volvic UK identifies Sugar Free as a separate range from its standard flavoured water.
- The standard Touch of Fruit range contains sugar and stevia leaf extract, so do not choose it on the assumption that it is sugar-free.
Buxton
Its plain mineral waters and flavoured Peak range serve different ingredient preferences.
- Buxton identifies its plain still product as natural mineral water.
- Its Peak IMMUNO Grapefruit & Ginseng product lists sugar syrup and sucralose; check the precise product rather than applying a plain-water assumption across the brand.
Tesco
An own-label reference for comparing still, sparkling and larger-pack water formats in an online grocery order.
- Tesco Groceries lists own-label natural mineral water in several bottle and multipack formats.
- Check the selected product and delivery postcode when ordering; a category listing does not establish which variant will be available for a particular order.
Joybuy water options
These options cover plain still water, plain sparkling water and sugar-free still flavoured water in different pack sizes. Compare the exact variant before ordering.
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Volvic Touch of Strawberry Sugar Free Flavoured Water 6x500ml
A strawberry-flavoured, sugar-free option in smaller bottles for carrying individually. The product information identifies sucralose and acesulfame K; check the current ingredients if either sweetener matters to you.
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Buxton Sparkling Water 8x500ml
A sparkling-water multipack for shoppers who want fizz in 500ml bottles. If dental considerations affect your choice, the NHS notes that carbonated drinks are associated with dental erosion due to acidity regardless of sugar content.
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Highland Spring Sugar Free Strawberry Still Flavoured Water 6x1.25L
A larger-bottle sugar-free flavoured option for a household order. The product information identifies sucralose and sulphites; check the current label if either ingredient is relevant to your purchase.
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Highland Spring Still Water 6x1.5L
A plain still-water option for stocking up at home. Six 1.5L bottles provide 9L in total, so check that the pack suits your storage space.
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evian Mineral Water 6x500ml
A plain mineral-water option in smaller bottles. evian describes its core natural mineral water as having no added ingredients; check the selected bottle if you need its mineral composition.
Questions about bottled water
Is plain bottled water the clearest option if I want no sweeteners?
Yes, when the ingredient list contains water only. For example, Joybuy’s Buxton Still Natural Mineral Water 6x1.5L listing identifies natural mineral water as its ingredient; check the exact product rather than assuming every drink from a water brand has the same ingredients.
Does ‘no added sugar’ mean a drink is sugar-free?
No. Better Lives Healthy Futures NHS explains that a drink can contain sugar even when none has been added. Check sugars per 100ml on the nutrition panel and read the ingredients for the precise flavoured-water variant.
Can sugar-free flavoured water contain sweeteners?
Yes. Read the ingredient list if you avoid a particular sweetener. The NHS advises that people with phenylketonuria (PKU) should avoid aspartame, which can appear on labels as aspartame or E951.
Is sugar-free sparkling water equivalent to still water for teeth?
No. The NHS associates carbonated drinks with dental erosion due to acidity regardless of whether they contain sugar or sweeteners. Decide whether you want fizz separately from checking the sugar content.
What should I check before ordering a bottled-water multipack?
Confirm the exact flavour or plain-water variant, bottle size and total volume. Then check the selected product, availability for your delivery postcode and any substitution setting before completing the order.