For an afternoon cold coffee with 0g listed sugars, Tesco Finest concentrate meets that description when diluted as directed with water; milk or syrup added afterwards changes the finished drink. If limiting afternoon caffeine matters more, Nolo offers a water-decaffeinated oat latte, but its no-added-sugar wording does not mean zero sugar: Sainsbury's lists 4.8g sugars per 250ml.
If you want a cold coffee alongside an afternoon snack without making it a sweetened latte, compare sugars in the drink you will actually serve. With a concentrate, that means checking the stated dilution and counting anything you add.
Cold brew is not automatically low in caffeine. Check the amount for your intended serving, or look for an explicitly decaffeinated option if that better fits your plans.
An oat-based, dairy-free latte and a lactose-free milk latte meet different requirements. Read the ingredients and allergen statement for the exact drink rather than relying on its appearance or the word “latte”.
Compare the drink as you intend to serve it, then weigh caffeine, ingredients and the preparation involved.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Listed sugars | Compare “of which sugars” per 100ml and per prepared serving. Tesco Groceries lists 0g per 200ml glass of Tesco Finest concentrate made with 100ml concentrate and 100ml water; Sainsbury's lists 4.8g per 250ml Nolo latte. | I want to know how much sugar will be in my glass, including any milk or syrup I add. “No added sugar” alone does not answer that. |
| Caffeine | Check caffeine for the amount you plan to drink and whether the product is decaffeinated. Tesco Groceries lists 159mg caffeine per 100ml for Solo concentrate; do not use that figure as the caffeine content of another cold brew. | For a later afternoon drink, I would rather check the caffeine amount than assume cold brew is mild. |
| Milk and allergens | Read the ingredients and allergen statement. Sainsbury's describes Nolo as dairy-free and oat-based; Tesco Groceries says its lactose-free Starbucks Skinny Latte still contains milk and is unsuitable for people with a milk allergy. | I need the ingredients to match my requirements. Lactose-free milk would not meet a need to avoid milk. |
| Preparation | Check whether the drink is ready to serve or needs diluting. Tesco Finest directs you to mix 100ml concentrate with 100ml cold water; M&S describes its Classic Latte Cold Brew as ready to drink chilled. | Sometimes I want to pour a drink straight from the fridge; at other times I would rather control the dilution and additions myself. |
A drink can contain sugars without having sugar added. Sainsbury's lists 4.8g sugars per 250ml for Nolo despite its no-added-sugar wording.
Check “of which sugars” on the nutrition panel for the serving you expect to drink.
Concentrates can contain substantial caffeine: Tesco Groceries lists 159mg per 100ml for Solo, which also carries warnings for children, pregnant or nursing women and people sensitive to caffeine.
Check the amount for your intended serving. If pregnancy is relevant, NHS guidance sets a limit of 200mg caffeine a day; consider caffeine from other drinks and foods too.
Tesco Finest's stated values for a prepared glass apply when 100ml concentrate is mixed with 100ml water. Milk or syrup changes the nutrition of the finished drink.
Compare products on their stated preparation basis, then account for your own additions.
Lactose-free dairy drinks still contain milk. Tesco Groceries explicitly says its lactose-free Starbucks Skinny Latte is not suitable for people with a milk allergy; Nolo is an oat-based, dairy-free drink.
Use the exact product's ingredients and allergen statement to check whether it meets your requirements.
Its unsweetened cold-brew concentrate is an option for preparing a black cold coffee with water at home.
Solo's black coffee concentrate is a distinct choice from a milk-based cold-brew latte.
Nolo's decaffeinated oat cold-brew latte combines a dairy-free formulation with a ready-to-drink format.
Its Classic Latte Cold Brew is a chilled, ready-to-drink coffee made with semi-skimmed milk.
This coffee liquid is a portioned option to mix with cold water for an afternoon drink. Check its pack details if caffeine, calorie figures or the cold-brew preparation method affect your choice.
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For a cold coffee alongside an afternoon snack, the product directions say to mix one 25ml pouch with about 200ml cold water. Its nutrition table lists 0g sugars per 100ml; check the table's serving basis before comparing your prepared drink with a ready-to-drink coffee.
Check the current pack for caffeine per prepared drink if you are limiting it. The description uses both “cold brew” and “instant soluble”, so confirm the preparation method if that distinction matters to you. Its stated calorie figures per serving and per 100ml do not align when converted to the same quantity; check the pack before comparing calories.
No. Sainsbury's lists 4.8g sugars per 250ml for Nolo despite its no-added-sugar wording, while Tesco Groceries lists 3.7g per 100ml for Starbucks Skinny Latte, which also says no added sugar. Check “of which sugars” for the amount you will drink.
Check the specific drink rather than assuming cold brew is low in caffeine. Tesco Groceries lists 159mg caffeine per 100ml for Solo concentrate, whereas Sainsbury's describes Nolo's oat cold-brew latte as water-decaffeinated. If you are pregnant, NHS guidance sets a limit of 200mg caffeine a day, and Solo carries a warning against use during pregnancy.
No. Lactose-free dairy coffee can still contain milk: Tesco Groceries says its Starbucks Skinny Latte is lactose-free but unsuitable for people with a milk allergy. Check the ingredients and allergen statement on the exact product.
Check the ingredients and allergens, sugars per 100ml and per serving, the date mark and any preparation or storage directions. GOV.UK food-labelling guidance identifies ingredients, allergens, date marking and nutrition information among the information required on pre-packed food labels. Check caffeine information where it is given, particularly for a concentrate.
Follow the storage and use-after-opening directions on the exact pack. Do not assume a concentrate and a ready-to-drink latte have the same instructions.