Hosts keeping the choice simple
Plain still or sparkling water avoids the distinction between sugar-free and low-sugar flavoured drinks. Check the label on the exact bottle you serve.
Who is each option for?
Groups that want a flavoured drink
An explicitly sugar-free flavoured water offers another choice alongside plain water. Read its ingredients if guests have preferences about sweeteners or other added ingredients.
Hosts deciding how to serve the group
Shared bottles suit a table with glasses and room to pour; smaller individual bottles let guests keep separate drinks. Consider the number of players and the space around the board.
What should you check before buying?
Decide whether the drink must be plain or can be flavoured, then choose a bottle format that works at the table.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| No added sugar | Read the exact product label and ingredients. Do not treat “low sugar” as another way of saying “no added sugar”: Volvic describes its standard Touch of Fruit Strawberry as low in sugars and sweetened with some sugar and stevia leaf extract. | I want a drink that meets a strict no-added-sugar preference, not simply one described as low sugar. |
| Flavour and ingredients | Distinguish plain water from a sugar-free flavoured product. Check the particular flavour for sweeteners and other ingredients; Volvic lists sweeteners in its Touch of Fruit Mango Passion Sugar Free drink. | Some guests would like flavour, but I need to know what is in that option before serving it. |
| Bottle format | Compare the pack size with the number of players, available glasses and space beside the board. Tesco lists both 500ml multipacks and a 5L still-water bottle; Sainsbury’s lists a 2L still spring-water bottle. | Shared bottles work if we have glasses and somewhere to put them. Separate bottles may be easier when guests move around. |
| Still or sparkling | Check whether the plain water is still or sparkling before buying a multipack. Highland Spring describes its plain sparkling range as water with nothing added but bubbles. | I would choose still water for guests who do not want carbonation, or offer sparkling water if they do. |
What is easy to overlook?
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Assuming “low sugar” means no added sugar
A low-sugar flavoured drink can still contain added sugar. Volvic says its standard Touch of Fruit Strawberry contains some sugar alongside stevia leaf extract.
Choose plain water or check for an explicit sugar-free or no-added-sugars label, then read the ingredients on the exact bottle.
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Assuming sugar-free flavoured water is plain water
Flavoured products may contain ingredients that matter to guests. Volvic lists sweeteners in its Mango Passion Sugar Free drink.
Check the ingredients of the flavour and pack you intend to serve; offer plain water if guests prefer an unflavoured choice.
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Choosing bottle size without planning the table
Individual bottles mean more separate containers, while a shared bottle needs glasses and a place to stand away from the game board.
Count the players, check the available space and choose shared or individual servings accordingly.
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Using a listing in place of the bottle label
Tesco and Sainsbury’s advise shoppers to read product labels rather than rely solely on their online product information.
Check the pack’s current ingredients, nutrition information and storage instructions before serving it.
Which brands offer relevant options?
These brand ranges illustrate the distinctions to check; a brand name alone does not tell you the ingredients of a particular bottle.
Highland Spring
Offers plain still and sparkling water alongside flavoured products.
- Highland Spring describes its plain sparkling water as having “nothing added but bubbles”.
- Check flavoured products separately rather than assuming they have the same ingredients as the plain range.
Evian
Offers natural mineral water, including a 330ml bottle that Evian presents for events and parties.
- The smaller format provides individual bottles for guests.
- Check the exact bottle label if no added sugar is a strict requirement.
Volvic
Offers plain water and different flavoured-water ranges.
- Volvic identifies sugar-free flavoured variants, including Touch of Strawberry Sugar Free.
- Its standard Touch of Fruit Strawberry contains some sugar, while its Mango Passion Sugar Free drink lists sweeteners. Check the exact variant.
Buxton
Offers plain still and sparkling natural mineral water as well as other drinks.
- Buxton describes its plain still water as containing no calories.
- Do not apply the plain-water description to every Buxton product: its Grapefruit & Ginseng drink lists sugar syrup.
Tesco
Lists own-label still water in shared-bottle and multipack formats, alongside branded water.
- Its water listings include 5L and 6 × 2L own-label still-water formats.
- Tesco advises shoppers to read the product label rather than rely solely on the listing.
Sainsbury’s
Lists own-label British bottled still spring water in 2L and multipack formats.
- Its 2L still spring-water bottle is a shared-serving format.
- Sainsbury’s advises checking the product label rather than relying solely on its webpage.
Joybuy bottled water options
These options include plain still and sparkling water for a no-added-sugar table drink, plus sugar-free flavoured choices for guests who want strawberry flavour. Choose between shared bottles and separate servings as well as between plain and flavoured water.
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Highland Spring Still Water, 6 × 1.5L
Plain still water in six shared-size bottles. Have glasses available for table servings and check the pack label before serving.
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White Rock Still Spring Water, 6 × 2L
Six 2L bottles provide a shared still-water format. Allow space for the pack and use glasses for pouring at the table.
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Buxton Sparkling Water, 8 × 500ml
Eight individual bottles offer a plain sparkling option. Choose still water instead for guests who do not want carbonation.
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Highland Spring Sugar Free Strawberry Still Water, 6 × 1.25L
A strawberry-flavoured option labelled sugar free, in bottles suited to sharing. Check the exact label for sweeteners and sulphites if either matters to your guests.
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Volvic Touch of Strawberry Sugar Free, 6 × 500ml
Six individual strawberry-flavoured bottles labelled sugar free provide separate servings. This is not plain water; check the exact label if guests avoid sweeteners or flavourings.
Questions about serving bottled water
Does “low sugar” mean no added sugar?
No. A low-sugar drink can still contain added sugar: Volvic describes its standard Touch of Fruit Strawberry as low in sugars while saying it is sweetened with some sugar and stevia leaf extract. Check the exact product label if avoiding added sugar is your requirement.
Is sugar-free flavoured water the same as plain water?
No. A sugar-free flavoured drink can contain other ingredients; Volvic lists sweeteners in its Touch of Fruit Mango Passion Sugar Free water. Read the ingredients for the particular flavour before offering it to guests.
Should I buy shared or individual bottles for game night?
Shared bottles make sense when guests have glasses and there is somewhere to pour away from the board. Individual bottles give guests separate servings, but leave more containers on the table. Choose a pack size after counting the players and checking the available space.
What if a guest needs to check allergens?
Read the label of the exact drink before serving it to a guest with an allergy or intolerance. GOV.UK’s allergen-labelling guidance addresses ingredients in prepacked food and drink; do not assume that every flavoured water has the same ingredients as plain water.