Choose plain bottled water if you want to avoid flavourings and sweeteners, or a no-added-sugar flavoured water if fruit flavour matters to your household. Check the ingredients as well as the sugar information: flavoured options can contain sweeteners, and a large bottle is only practical if you will use it within its after-opening instructions.
If the weekly shop calls for drinks without added sugar, distinguish a no-added-sugar product from one described as low sugar. The wording on the front and the ingredients and nutrition information serve different purposes.
Flavoured still water offers a fruit-flavoured alternative to plain water. Check the exact variety if sweeteners or other added ingredients matter to you.
Larger bottles can be shared at home; smaller-bottle multipacks keep portions separate. The right format depends on fridge space and how quickly an opened bottle will be used.
Decide whether you want plain or flavoured water, then compare the exact label and a pack size that fits how the bottles will be used.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar wording | Read the product claim, ingredients and sugars per 100ml. Volvic UK lists sugar as an ingredient in standard Touch of Fruit Lemon & Lime; its Sugar Free products are a separate range. | I want a drink without added sugar, rather than assuming every fruit-flavoured water meets that requirement. |
| Flavour and ingredients | Choose still or sparkling, plain or flavoured. Check the exact flavoured product for sweeteners: Sainsbury's describes its no-added-sugar Lemon & Lime options as drinks with sweetener. | Fruit flavour appeals to me, but I may prefer plain water if I do not want flavourings or sweeteners. |
| Bottle format | Compare bottle size, pack count, fridge space and after-opening instructions. Buxton lists still-water bottles from 500ml to 1.5L; Sainsbury's lists flavoured-water multipacks of 4 × 500ml. | For shared drinking at home, a larger bottle could work; for separate portions, I would choose smaller bottles. |
Volvic UK lists sugar as an ingredient in standard Touch of Fruit Lemon & Lime, while Touch of Fruit Sugar Free is a separate range. Similar flavour names do not establish the same ingredients.
Check the claim, sugars per 100ml and ingredients on the exact bottle you are buying.
A no-added-sugar flavoured drink can still contain a sweetener. Sainsbury's describes its no-added-sugar Lemon & Lime still and sparkling waters as drinks with sweetener.
If you want water without flavourings or sweeteners, look at plain-water options. Otherwise, compare the ingredient lists of the flavours you prefer.
After-opening instructions can affect whether a large shared bottle suits your household. The Sainsbury's flavoured-water products covered here instruct customers to refrigerate after opening and use within three days.
Choose a bottle size you can use as directed, or smaller individual bottles when portions will be opened at different times.
Makes plain water and a no-added-sugar flavoured still-water range.
Sells natural mineral water and distinct standard and Sugar Free Touch of Fruit ranges.
Offers plain natural mineral water, including still and sparkling formats.
Its water listings include plain-water formats and flavoured options.
Lists own-label no-added-sugar flavoured water in still and sparkling formats.
A bottled-water brand to consider when comparing plain mineral-water options.
These options cover plain bottled water and sugar-free flavoured still water, with both shared bottles and multipacks of smaller bottles.
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Six smaller bottles suit separately packed portions. The listing describes this still flavoured water as sugar free, with 0g sugars per 100ml; its ingredients include acesulfame K, sucralose, citric acid and a preservative. Refrigerate after opening and use within a week, as directed on the listing.
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This six-bottle pack offers larger bottles of strawberry-flavoured still water for shared use. The listing states no added sugar and 0g sugars per 100ml; its ingredient and allergen information names sucralose and sulphites. Keep opened bottles chilled and use within three days, as directed on the listing.
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A single larger bottle suits shared use if cherry flavour is wanted. The listing describes this flavoured water as sugar free with 0g sugars per 100ml; its ingredients include sucralose, acesulfame K, citric acid and a preservative. Refrigerate after opening and use within a week, as directed on the listing.
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Six large bottles provide a plain still-water option for home use. The listed ingredient is natural spring water, rather than a flavoured-water mixture. The listing directs you to refrigerate opened bottles and use within seven days.
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This six-pack offers individual 500ml bottles of natural mineral water rather than a flavoured drink. If specific ingredient or sugar information determines your choice, check the label of this pack before buying.
No. Sainsbury's describes its no-added-sugar Lemon & Lime flavoured waters as drinks with sweetener, while Volvic's Sugar Free Strawberry ingredient information lists acesulfame K and sucralose. Read the ingredients if avoiding a particular sweetener matters to you.
No. Volvic UK lists sugar as an ingredient in standard Touch of Fruit Lemon & Lime and sells Touch of Fruit Sugar Free as a separate range. Check the full product name and the label rather than relying on the fruit flavour alone.
A larger bottle suits shared use if it can be finished according to its after-opening instructions; a smaller-bottle multipack suits separate portions. Compare the pack count, bottle size and storage directions for the product you choose.
Follow the directions on the individual bottle. The Sainsbury's flavoured-water products covered here instruct customers to refrigerate after opening and use within three days; instructions for other products can differ.