Families changing an after-school drink
If you want water alongside a snack instead of a sugary drink, plain still water keeps the choice straightforward. Check the ingredients before treating a flavoured no-added-sugar drink as the same thing.
Who is this for?
Families choosing bottles for bags and home
Individual 500ml bottles can be packed for activities or served separately. Larger bottles suit pouring at home but need a different storage and serving routine.
Families considering a flavoured option
If flavour is part of the decision, distinguish still from sparkling drinks and read beyond the sugar-free or no-added-sugar wording. The ingredient list may include sweeteners or acids.
What should you check?
Plain still water
Choose it when: You want an uncomplicated regular drink alongside a snack.
Consider: A child who expects flavour may not want this option; choose a bottle size that works for serving or carrying it.
Still flavoured water
Consider it when: Flavour is important and you have checked the exact product’s ingredients.
Consider: Sugar-free does not mean sweetener-free. Healthier Together advises avoiding artificial sweeteners for children aged 1 to 5.
Sparkling flavoured water
Consider it when: You specifically want a fizzy, flavoured drink and have checked its label.
Consider: It is not plain still water. Healthier Together advises avoiding fizzy drinks for children aged 1 to 5.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars | Check whether the drink is plain or flavoured. For a flavoured drink, read the sugars figure per 100ml and consider the amount in the bottle. | I want a drink alongside a snack without choosing a sugary drink on the strength of its front label alone. |
| Ingredients | Read the full ingredient list and any sweetener statement. Volvic Touch of Fruit Lemon & Lime Sugar Free lists acesulfame K and sucralose on its Joybuy product page. | If I want water without sweeteners or flavourings, I need to distinguish plain water from a flavoured drink labelled sugar free. |
| Bottle format | Compare the number and volume of bottles. Decide whether individual 500ml bottles or a larger bottle for pouring fits the occasion. | We need bottles a child can carry for activities, or a larger format to serve after getting home. |
| Water type | Check whether the label says still or sparkling. If natural mineral water matters to you, check that description on the exact bottle; official recognition is required before water can be marketed as natural mineral water in England, according to Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs guidance. | When choosing for a younger child, I want to know whether I am picking still water or a fizzy drink, not just whether it says no added sugar. |
Common buying mistakes
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Treating “no added sugar” as another name for plain water
A flavoured drink can carry that wording and still contain sweeteners or other added ingredients. Sainsbury’s Lemon & Lime sparkling water, for example, lists sucralose and citric acid.
Read the ingredient list if you want to avoid those additions; choose plain still water if that is the drink you intend to buy.
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Assuming sparkling and still drinks suit the same routine
A no-added-sugar sparkling drink is still fizzy and may contain sweetener. Healthier Together advises avoiding fizzy drinks and artificial sweeteners for children aged 1 to 5.
For that age group, choose plain still water for the regular drink. For an older child, check the particular drink’s ingredients rather than assuming its sugar claim settles the choice.
Brand and retailer examples
These examples show why the exact product and bottle format matter more than a brand name alone.
Highland Spring
Its plain still spring water includes a 12 × 500ml format listed by Joybuy.
- The Joybuy listing for that format identifies natural spring water as its ingredient.
- Check the pack format: a large bottle serves a different purpose from individual bottles for a bag.
Evian
Evian offers natural mineral water in different bottle and multipack formats.
- For its 1L product, Evian states a mineral composition that includes 80mg/L calcium, 26mg/L magnesium and 6.5mg/L sodium.
- Use the label of the size you actually choose; the stated composition is not a reason to assume it suits every serving routine.
Volvic
Volvic sells plain water as well as flavoured options, including Touch of Fruit Lemon & Lime Sugar Free in six 500ml bottles.
- The Joybuy listing states 0.0g sugars per 100ml for that flavoured product.
- Its ingredient list includes acesulfame K and sucralose, so it is not sweetener-free or unflavoured water.
Buxton
Buxton plain still natural mineral water appears in both larger bottles and 500ml multipacks in Tesco listings.
- An eight-bottle 500ml multipack is one listed format for individual servings.
- Check the bottle count and volume of the particular pack before deciding how it fits your routine.
Tesco
Tesco’s own-label plain still natural mineral water includes a 12 × 500ml format.
- The format offers individual bottles rather than one large container for pouring.
- Tesco advises reading the current product label because ingredients and nutrition information can change.
Sainsbury’s
Its own-label Lemon & Lime no-added-sugar drink is a sparkling, flavoured option sold in four 500ml bottles.
- The Sainsbury’s ingredient listing makes its carbonation and flavour additions identifiable.
- It lists citric acid and sucralose, so it is not a plain-water substitute for someone avoiding those ingredients.
Joybuy water options
These options cover bottles for pouring at home, individual bottles and still flavoured alternatives. Check the exact label when deciding between plain and flavoured water.
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Highland Spring Still Water 6 × 1.5L
Six 1.5L bottles make this a format for pouring with snacks at home rather than packing an individual bottle for a child to carry.
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Volvic Touch of Fruit Lemon & Lime Sugar Free Still Water 6 × 500ml
Six individual bottles suit a portable, flavoured option. The Joybuy listing states 0.0g sugars per 100ml but lists acesulfame K and sucralose; this is not plain or sweetener-free water. Healthier Together advises avoiding artificial sweeteners for children aged 1 to 5.
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Highland Spring Still Water 10L
This 10L still-water format is for serving at home, not for carrying as an individual after-school bottle.
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Highland Spring Sugar Free Lemon & Lime Still Water 1.25L
This larger still bottle is a flavoured option for serving at home rather than an individual portable portion. Its listed limitations include sucralose, so it is not sweetener-free. The product information also warns that the cap has small parts and is not suitable for children under 36 months.
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evian Mineral Water 6 × 500ml
Six individual 500ml bottles offer a format for carrying or serving separately. If still water is important for your after-school routine, confirm the water type on the bottle label.
Frequently asked questions
Is “no added sugar” the same as sweetener-free?
No. Sainsbury’s no-added-sugar Lemon & Lime sparkling drink lists sucralose, while the Joybuy listing for Volvic Touch of Fruit Lemon & Lime Sugar Free lists acesulfame K and sucralose. Read the ingredient list and any sweetener statement on the bottle.
What is a straightforward bottled-water choice for a regular after-school drink?
Choose plain still water if you want a drink without the flavourings or sweeteners found in some alternatives. The NHS recommends water to replace lost fluids, while Healthier Together identifies water and milk as drinks for children; neither point requires a particular bottled-water brand.
Is fizzy no-added-sugar water suitable for a young child’s regular snack drink?
For children aged 1 to 5, Healthier Together advises avoiding fizzy drinks and artificial sweeteners, so plain still water is the more straightforward routine choice. A no-added-sugar sparkling drink can contain both carbonation and sweetener; check its ingredients rather than relying on the sugar claim.
What does “natural mineral water” mean on a bottle in England?
It is a recognised product category, not simply another way to describe any bottled water. Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs guidance says producers must obtain official recognition before marketing water as natural mineral water in England; check the exact bottle’s description when comparing products.