Canteen buyers planning individual lunch drinks
A 24 × 330ml pack gives staff 24 cans to count and serve individually. Check the pack format alongside the drink itself when planning how many cans to order.
Who is choosing the range?
The right mix depends on whether the lunch service needs a standard zero-sugar cola, a caffeine-free choice or both.
Workplaces offering a zero-sugar cola
Compare the nutrition panel for the exact can. Tesco and ASDA list 0g sugars per 330ml for the specified Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and Pepsi Max packs, while ASDA lists 15g per 330ml for its Pepsi Cola pack.
Canteens serving people who avoid caffeine
Look for a specifically named caffeine-free variant. Tesco lists a Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Zero Caffeine 24 × 330ml pack; the standard Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and Pepsi Max listings identify caffeine in their ingredients.
What should you check before ordering?
Decide which drink variants belong in the range, then check the exact can size, nutrition and ingredients for each one.
Standard zero-sugar cola
Choose when: The canteen wants a 330ml cola with 0g sugars per can; the listed Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and Pepsi Max 24-packs fit that requirement.
Keep in mind: Their standard formulations list caffeine, so this route does not meet a caffeine-avoidance requirement.
Caffeine-free, zero-sugar cola
Choose when: A separate cola without caffeine or sugar is needed; Tesco lists Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Zero Caffeine in a 24 × 330ml pack.
Keep in mind: Check the full variant name rather than relying on the words ‘zero sugar’ alone.
Sugared cola
Choose when: The canteen deliberately wants to offer a regular cola alongside its zero-sugar choices.
Keep in mind: Sugar figures are product-specific: ASDA lists 15g per 330ml for its Pepsi Cola pack, while the Joybuy Pepsi Regular product description lists 34g per 330ml.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar per can | Read sugars per 330ml on the exact product label. The specified Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and Pepsi Max packs list 0g; ASDA’s Pepsi Cola listing gives 15g, while the separate Joybuy Pepsi Regular description gives 34g. | I want staff to be able to distinguish zero-sugar cans from regular cola without assuming that different Pepsi products have the same nutrition figures. |
| Caffeine | Check the full variant name and ingredients. The listed standard Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and Pepsi Max formulations contain caffeine; the named Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Zero Caffeine variant does not. | If caffeine avoidance matters in our canteen, I need a clearly identified caffeine-free can, not just a zero-sugar one. |
| Pack and serving size | Confirm the can count and volume for each order. The specified multipacks contain 24 individual 330ml cans. | Individual cans make it straightforward to count stock against the number of lunch drinks served. |
| Product information | Check the delivered cans or case for current ingredients, nutrition, allergen information and storage instructions. Keep the information accessible to canteen staff. | I need the information used at service to match the drinks actually on the shelf, particularly when ordering a different variant. |
Common ordering mistakes
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Treating every cola can as the same sugar choice
The specified zero-sugar cans list 0g sugars per 330ml, whereas ASDA’s Pepsi Cola listing gives 15g per 330ml. Choosing by brand and pack size alone can change the drink offered.
Record sugars per can for each exact product and keep regular and zero-sugar cola clearly distinct in the range.
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Assuming zero sugar means no caffeine
The listed standard Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and Pepsi Max products contain caffeine. The separately named Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Zero Caffeine product is a different variant.
When caffeine avoidance is required, check for an explicit caffeine-free designation and confirm it against the delivered label.
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Using an old listing for drinks served today
Ingredients and nutrition information can change, and a similar-looking pack may be a different formulation. Outdated details are particularly unhelpful when staff need to answer ingredient questions.
Keep the current case or can label and update the canteen’s product information when a new delivery or variant arrives.
Brand references for cola multipacks
Compare named products and their labels rather than treating every drink from a brand as having the same ingredients or nutrition.
Coca-Cola
The specified UK listings include standard and caffeine-free Coca-Cola Zero Sugar 24 × 330ml packs, giving canteens two distinct zero-sugar variants to consider.
- Tesco and ASDA list 0g sugars per 330ml for the specified standard Zero Sugar pack; Tesco also lists a Zero Sugar Zero Caffeine pack.
- Standard Coca-Cola Zero Sugar contains caffeine. Coca-Cola GB lists 10.6g sugars per 100ml for Original Taste, so its nutrition must not be substituted for the Zero Sugar variants.
Pepsi
The specified listings cover Pepsi Max zero-sugar cans and regular Pepsi Cola cans, which should be checked as separate products.
- ASDA lists Pepsi Max in a 24 × 330ml pack with 0g sugars per can.
- The specified Pepsi Max listing includes caffeine and sweeteners. Sugar figures for regular Pepsi listings differ, so use the label for the exact pack ordered.
RC Cola
RC Cola International describes an international cola portfolio. A canteen considering this brand should identify the exact UK multipack before comparing it with named 24 × 330ml products.
- The brand offers another cola name to consider when approaching suppliers.
- Check the proposed pack’s UK label, can count, ingredients and nutrition rather than transferring figures from another brand or product.
Joybuy cola multipacks
These 24 × 330ml Joybuy options cover a caffeine-free zero-sugar Pepsi Max variant, standard zero-sugar colas and a regular Pepsi cola. Compare their exact labels before deciding which variants to serve together.
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Pepsi Max Caffeine Free 24 × 330ml
A separately named option when the canteen needs cola without sugar or caffeine. The pack contains 24 individual 330ml cans; its product information lists sweeteners and a source of phenylalanine. Check the delivered label before service.
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Pepsi Max 24 × 330ml
A standard zero-sugar cola for individual lunch servings. Its product information lists 0g sugars per 330ml can, along with caffeine, sweeteners and a source of phenylalanine; this is not the caffeine-free variant.
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Coca-Cola Zero Sugar 24 × 330ml
Another standard zero-sugar option in 24 individual 330ml cans. Its product information lists 0g sugars per can and identifies caffeine, sweeteners and a source of phenylalanine; choose a specifically caffeine-free variant if that distinction matters.
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Pepsi Regular Cola 24 × 330ml
A separate sugared-cola choice if the canteen wants to offer one alongside zero-sugar cans. This Joybuy product description lists 34g sugars per 330ml can and identifies caffeine; check its delivered label rather than using nutrition figures from a different Pepsi Cola listing.
Frequently asked questions
Should regular or zero-sugar cola be the main canteen option?
Choose a zero-sugar pack as the main option if the requirement is 0g sugars per 330ml can: the specified Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and Pepsi Max packs both list that figure. Offer regular cola separately if the canteen wants that choice, and check its exact label rather than assuming all regular-cola packs share a sugar figure.
Is zero-sugar cola caffeine-free?
Not necessarily. The specified standard Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and Pepsi Max listings include caffeine; Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Zero Caffeine and the separately named Joybuy Pepsi Max Caffeine Free product are caffeine-free variants. Confirm the full product name and delivered ingredients.
What information should canteen staff keep at hand?
Keep current packaging or supplier information for the exact cans being served so staff can check ingredients and allergen details. Food Standards Agency guidance addresses allergen information for food businesses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, while Food Standards Scotland provides guidance for Scotland.
Can the canteen keep using an online nutrition listing?
Use it to shortlist a product, then check the delivered can or case before service. Ingredients, nutrition and storage instructions can change, and a similarly named variant may not have the same details.