Hosts making G&T-style drinks
A tonic with quinine flavouring gives the drink its characteristic bitter direction. If the sugar requirement is strict, check the claim on the particular tonic as well as its flavour.
Who is choosing the mixers?
Groups with different caffeine preferences
A caffeine-free cola gives cola-preferring guests a different soft-drink option. It does not replace tonic in a drink planned around tonic bitterness.
Shoppers distinguishing ‘light’ from no added sugar
A lighter-sounding name is not enough to establish a no-added-sugar claim. Fever-Tree lists fructose in its Refreshingly Light Indian Tonic, so the exact product label matters.
What should you check?
Choose the drink style first, then check the sugar wording, ingredients and pack format of the product you plan to serve.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar wording | Look for an explicit no-added-sugar or no-sugar statement on the specific product. Read the ingredients and sugars per 100 ml rather than relying on ‘light’ or ‘diet’ alone. | I want the mixer’s actual claim and label to match the sugar requirement, not just a lighter-sounding name. |
| Drink flavour | Check whether the drink is a quinine tonic, a citrus lemonade or a cola. For tonic, consider whether its bitter or botanical profile suits the planned serve. | For a G&T-style drink, I want tonic bitterness. For a citrus or cola-based drink, I would choose that flavour instead. |
| Sweeteners | Read the current ingredient list for sweeteners guests need to avoid. Check the pack warning where aspartame or a source of phenylalanine is relevant. | Before pouring for several guests, I need to know whether the chosen no-sugar drink contains a sweetener they avoid. |
| Serving format | Compare bottle size with the number of planned pours. If offering separate mixer choices, consider whether individual cans suit the serving plan. | A sharing bottle works for repeated pours; individual cans let guests choose their own mixer without opening every option at once. |
What is easy to overlook?
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Assuming ‘light’ means no added sugar
Fever-Tree lists fructose in Refreshingly Light Indian Tonic and says its Light Lemon Tonic contains sugar. Fentimans described its Light range as reduced sugar, at 4.8 g per 100 ml, in its 2019 announcement.
For a strict requirement, use the claim and ingredients on the current pack rather than the word ‘light’.
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Forgetting to check sweeteners
No-sugar and no-added-sugar drinks need not be sweetener-free. M&S lists sucralose in its Diet Indian Tonic Water, while the Joybuy listing for Schweppes Slimline Tonic Water lists aspartame.
Check each label against guests’ dietary requirements. If offering plain soda water as another option, check its label too.
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Buying the right sugar option for the wrong drink
Pepsi MAX Caffeine Free is a cola, whereas Schweppes Slimline is a tonic with quinine flavouring. They lead to different-tasting serves even when both meet a no-sugar requirement.
Decide whether the brunch drinks call for tonic, lemonade or cola before choosing a pack.
Relevant brand references
These ranges illustrate different mixer styles and label checks; a brand name alone does not establish the claim of every variant.
Schweppes
Coca-Cola Great Britain describes Schweppes Slimline Tonic Water as no sugar. A 12 × 150 ml can format is also listed for this tonic.
- A tonic option for individual G&T-style serves.
- The Joybuy ingredient listing includes aspartame; no sugar does not mean sweetener-free.
Fever-Tree
Its Refreshingly Light tonic variants offer a botanical route, including an Indian tonic that Fever-Tree describes for pairing with spirits.
- Worth considering when the tonic’s flavour pairing matters more than a strict no-added-sugar requirement.
- Refreshingly Light Indian Tonic lists fructose, and Fever-Tree says its Light Lemon Tonic contains sugar.
Fentimans
Fentimans offers botanical tonic waters and mixers intended to complement or contrast the flavour of a spirit.
- A flavour-led option when planning a botanical-style drink.
- Fentimans described its Light range as reduced sugar, at 4.8 g per 100 ml, in 2019; check the current variant rather than treating ‘Light’ as a no-added-sugar claim.
Britvic / Pepsi MAX
Britvic distributes Pepsi MAX products in Great Britain. Pepsi MAX Caffeine Free provides a no-sugar, caffeine-free cola route.
- An alternative for guests choosing cola rather than tonic.
- Cola does not provide the quinine flavour of tonic water.
Tesco
Tesco lists No Added Sugar Cloudy Lemonade in a 2-litre bottle.
- A sharing-bottle format for a lemonade-style drink.
- Check the current bottle for its full ingredients and any guest-specific dietary requirements.
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's lists own-brand Diet Indian Tonic Water among its mixers.
- A tonic format to consider when shopping for group serves.
- Check the particular bottle’s current sugar claim and ingredients before choosing it for a strict no-added-sugar requirement.
Joybuy options for brunch
These Joybuy options cover an individual-serve tonic and canned cola or lemonade alternatives for guests who prefer a different drink style.
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Schweppes Slimline Tonic Water 12 × 150 ml
A tonic choice for individual G&T-style brunch serves. The listing identifies quinine flavouring and 0 g sugars per 100 ml. It lists aspartame and a source of phenylalanine, so check the label against guests’ requirements.
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Pepsi MAX Caffeine Free 24 × 330 ml
A caffeine-free cola option for guests who do not want tonic. The Joybuy listing states 0 g sugars per 100 ml and lists aspartame, acesulfame K and a source of phenylalanine; check the label for dietary requirements.
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Diet Coke No Caffeine 24 × 330 ml
Another canned cola choice for guests avoiding caffeine rather than seeking a bitter tonic. Its listing reports 0 g sugars per 100 ml and identifies aspartame, acesulfame K and a source of phenylalanine; check the current label before serving.
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7 Up Lemonade Zero 24 × 330 ml
A canned lemonade alternative when the planned drink calls for citrus rather than tonic bitterness. The listing reports 0 g sugars per 100 ml and identifies aspartame, sucralose, acesulfame K and a source of phenylalanine; check the label for guest-specific needs.
Common questions
Does ‘light’ mean a mixer has no added sugar?
No. Fever-Tree lists fructose in Refreshingly Light Indian Tonic and says its Light Lemon Tonic contains sugar. Fentimans described its Light range as reduced sugar in 2019. Check the claim and ingredients on the exact pack you are buying.
What should I check on a no-added-sugar label?
Read the current product claim, ingredients and sugars information together. A no-added-sugar claim is not the same statement as no sugar: the Food Standards Agency’s 2023–24 surveillance report notes that a product making a no-added-sugar claim must also indicate when it contains naturally occurring sugars.
Is a no-sugar tonic necessarily sweetener-free?
No. M&S Diet Indian Tonic Water lists sucralose, and the Joybuy listing for Schweppes Slimline Tonic Water lists aspartame. Check the specific product label if a guest avoids either sweetener.
Should I choose bottles or cans for brunch?
Choose a bottle for repeated pours or a shared jug, and consider cans if guests will select individual drinks. M&S Diet Indian Tonic Water is listed in a 1-litre bottle, Tesco No Added Sugar Cloudy Lemonade in a 2-litre bottle, and the Schweppes Slimline option shown here in 150 ml cans.
Can caffeine-free cola replace tonic in a G&T-style drink?
It offers a different drink, not the same flavour match. Pepsi MAX Caffeine Free is a no-sugar, caffeine-free cola; choose tonic when the planned serve calls for quinine bitterness, and cola when guests want a cola-based drink or soft drink.