Organisers serving a mixed group
Use plain still water as the default when attendees have different drink preferences. Keep other varieties clearly separate so people can identify what they are taking.
Who needs which water options?
The useful distinction is between a plain-water default and optional drinks for attendees who want flavour or carbonation.
Organisers adding a sugar-free flavour choice
Choose a labelled sugar-free variant rather than assuming all flavoured water has the same sugar content. Check its ingredients too: the Volvic sugar-free variants described by Volvic contain sweeteners.
Planners serving receptions or meal tables
Plain sparkling water can provide a fizzy choice alongside still water. Decide whether individual bottles or larger bottles suit the way drinks will be served.
What should you check before ordering?
Plain still water
Choose it when: you need a straightforward default for tables and breakout areas.
Consider: it offers no flavour variety, so a separate optional drink may suit the event brief.
Sugar-free flavoured water
Choose it when: you want a zero-sugar flavour option alongside plain water.
Consider: sugar-free variants can contain sweeteners and other added ingredients.
Plain sparkling water
Choose it when: a fizzy, unflavoured choice fits reception or meal service.
Consider: carbonation is a preference, so keep still water available.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar content | Read the exact product’s nutrition panel, including whether figures are per 100ml, serving or bottle. Check for “sugar free” rather than treating “low sugar” as the same description. | I want a plain-water default and need to know that any flavoured alternative meets the event’s zero-sugar brief. |
| Drink variety | Distinguish plain still, plain sparkling and flavoured water. Keep the options separately labelled at the point of service. | A fizzy or flavoured choice would be useful, but I do not want it to replace still water for everyone. |
| Ingredients | Check the full ingredient list of each flavoured variant for sweeteners and other additions. Volvic lists sweeteners in its cited sugar-free variants; its Peach & Raspberry Vitality variant also lists a preservative and vitamin B6. | I need staff and attendees to be able to identify what is in each drink, not just whether it is labelled sugar free. |
| Caffeine | Check functional-water labels separately. Buxton states that Peak FOCUS contains 75mg caffeine and 9.2g sugars per bottle and carries a high-caffeine warning. | I would not put a caffeinated functional drink in place of the conference’s plain-water supply. |
| Serving format | Match bottle size and quantity to individual or shared service. For larger containers, confirm how water will be dispensed and what serving equipment is needed. | Individual bottles suit unattended pick-up points; for shared service, I need a workable setup at the venue. |
Which bottled-water mix-ups matter?
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Assuming every flavoured water is sugar free
Volvic describes its regular Touch of Fruit Strawberry as low sugar, while its Sugar Free Strawberry variant lists 0g sugars per 250ml serving. They are different products for a zero-sugar brief.
Specify the intended variant and check its nutrition panel before describing it on an event drinks list.
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Treating functional water as plain water
Buxton states that Peak FOCUS contains 75mg caffeine and 9.2g sugars per bottle. The brand also warns that its high caffeine content is not recommended for children or pregnant or breastfeeding women.
Keep plain still water available; if a functional drink is requested, present it as a separately labelled option.
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Providing sparkling water as the only choice
Plain sparkling water adds carbonation, but attendees who want still water would have no equivalent option.
Serve sparkling alongside still water and label both clearly at tables or pick-up points.
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Assuming a listing confirms event supply
A listed bottle size does not establish that the required quantity can be delivered to your venue on the conference date.
Confirm the exact product, quantity, delivery window and any proposed substitutions with the supplier or caterer.
Which brands and ranges are relevant?
These brand and retailer ranges illustrate different drink formats; the exact variant and its label matter more than the brand name alone.
Highland Spring
Offers plain still spring water in several individual bottle sizes and a separate sugar-free flavoured range.
- Highland Spring lists 330ml, 500ml and 750ml bottles in its still-water range.
- The brand describes its flavoured range as sugar free, but flavoured bottles should still be labelled separately from plain water.
Volvic
Offers plain mineral water and Touch of Fruit sugar-free flavoured variants.
- Volvic lists 0g sugars per 250ml serving for its cited Sugar Free Strawberry and Peach & Raspberry Vitality variants.
- Those variants contain sweeteners; the cited Peach & Raspberry Vitality variant also lists a preservative and vitamin B6.
Buxton
Has plain still and sparkling mineral-water ranges as well as distinct functional flavoured drinks.
- Buxton describes its plain still and sparkling waters as having no calories.
- Peak FOCUS is not the same drink as plain water: Buxton lists sugar and caffeine for that product.
evian
Offers mineral water in individual and larger glass-bottle formats.
- evian presents its 33cL bottle for meetings and events.
- The brand presents its 75cL glass bottle for sharing, so plan how it will be served rather than counting it as an individual portion.
Tesco
Its listed water range includes own-label plain water and branded sugar-free flavoured options.
- Tesco Groceries lists an own-label still-water 12 × 500ml pack and Volvic Sugar Free Strawberry flavoured water.
- Confirm the exact range and deliverable quantity for the event location before ordering.
Sainsbury's
Its listed range includes own-label British spring water, no-added-sugar flavoured water and branded options.
- Sainsbury's lists a 12 × 500ml British spring-water pack and no-added-sugar flavoured-water multipacks.
- “No added sugar” and “sugar free” are different label descriptions; check the exact product against the catering brief.
Joybuy water options for conference service
These options cover individual sparkling bottles, sugar-free flavoured water in two serving formats, and a larger plain still-water container. Choose the format that fits your service plan while keeping a plain-water option available.
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Buxton Sparkling Water, 8 × 500ml
The eight individual bottles suit a separately labelled fizzy-water option alongside still water. Buxton describes its plain sparkling-water range as having no calories.
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Volvic Touch of Strawberry Sugar Free, 6 × 500ml
The six individual bottles provide a labelled sugar-free strawberry option alongside plain water. Check the ingredients on the exact 500ml bottles when preparing attendee information.
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Highland Spring Sugar Free Strawberry, 6 × 1.25L
The larger bottles suit a shared flavoured-water station rather than individual bottle service. Keep the exact product label available for ingredient and allergen questions.
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Highland Spring Still Water, 10L
This larger plain still-water format suits a shared service point rather than one bottle per attendee. Confirm the dispensing arrangement and cups needed at the venue.
Conference water questions
Should plain still water be the default at a conference?
Yes, for a mixed group it is a straightforward default that does not require attendees to choose a flavour or carbonation. Offer sugar-free flavoured or plain sparkling water separately if those choices fit the event.
Does sugar-free flavoured water have other ingredients to check?
Yes. Volvic lists sweeteners in its cited Sugar Free Strawberry variant, and its Peach & Raspberry Vitality variant also lists a preservative and vitamin B6. Check the ingredients of the exact variant being served.
Can a functional water replace the main water supply?
Buxton Peak FOCUS should not be treated as equivalent to plain water: Buxton lists 75mg caffeine and 9.2g sugars per bottle and gives a high-caffeine warning. Keep plain still water available and label any functional drink as a separate option.
How can caterers answer questions about flavoured drinks?
Keep the exact bottle labels or supplier product information accessible, particularly if drinks are decanted. The Food Standards Agency’s guidance covers allergen information for both prepacked and non-prepacked food and drink in retail and catering; staff need to be able to give accurate information about what is served.
What should be confirmed for a conference-sized order?
Confirm the exact variants and bottle sizes, the quantity available for the event date, the venue delivery window and how substitutions will be handled. For shared containers, also confirm the dispensing setup.