For curry night, choose plain still water for an unflavoured drink, or plain sparkling water if guests prefer fizz. If fruit flavour matters, look for a clearly labelled no-added-sugar or sugar-free variant and check both the sugars per 100ml and the ingredients: Volvic UK lists 0g sugars per 100ml for its Strawberry Sugar Free water, but it also contains sweeteners, citric acid and a preservative.
Plain water keeps the choice unflavoured. If guests would rather have fruit flavour, check a no-added-sugar or sugar-free water’s nutrition panel and ingredients instead of assuming every flavoured water has the same formulation.
A flavoured water can fit the table, but its exact variant matters. A product listing 0g sugars per 100ml may still contain sweeteners, acids or preservatives, so check the ingredients if you prefer to avoid them.
A larger bottle can be poured at the table, while smaller bottles allow separate servings. Check the total volume and number of bottles against the guest list before choosing a pack.
Decide whether guests want plain or fruit-flavoured water, then check the exact variant’s label and choose a bottle format that suits the table.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Plain or flavoured | Choose still for no fizz or sparkling for carbonation. For fruit flavour, check the exact product’s no-added-sugar or sugar-free wording. | I want a plain drink alongside the meal, or a fruit flavour that suits guests who would otherwise choose a soft drink. |
| Sugars and ingredients | Compare sugars per 100ml, then read the ingredients for sweeteners, acids and preservatives. Do not treat “low in sugar” as the same description as “sugar free”. | Fruit flavour matters to me, but I also want to know what is in the drink. Volvic UK lists 0g sugars per 100ml for Strawberry Sugar Free and separately lists sweeteners in its ingredients. |
| Reading the label | Use the nutrition panel and ingredients list for the exact variant rather than relying on its brand name or front label. Traffic-light labelling describes nutrients where it appears; it does not replace the ingredients list. | I want to compare labels before serving a flavoured option. In the Food Standards Agency and Ipsos Northern Ireland’s 2024 survey of 611 people in Northern Ireland, 49% said they actively used traffic-light labelling when shopping for food; that figure is not specific to bottled water. |
| Serving format | Compare total litres, bottle count and individual bottle size. Highland Spring lists still bottles from 330ml to 2L and sparkling formats including 1.5L and 6 × 1L. | For a shared table, I would rather pour from larger bottles; separate smaller bottles make more sense if guests want individual servings. |
A flavoured product can list 0g sugars while still containing sweeteners, acids or preservatives. Volvic UK’s Strawberry Sugar Free water is one example.
If you want an unflavoured drink, choose plain still or sparkling water. For fruit-flavoured water, read both the sugars line per 100ml and the full ingredients list.
Volvic describes its regular Touch of Fruit Strawberry as low in sugar, while its separately named Strawberry Sugar Free variant lists 0g sugars per 100ml.
Check the full variant name and its own nutrition panel, even when two bottles share a brand and flavour.
Individual bottles and larger sharing bottles serve different purposes at a meal. A pack of small bottles may not be the serving format you want on the table.
Estimate how many people you are serving, then compare total litres and bottle sizes before choosing a pack.
Mineral information describes a different characteristic from a flavoured drink’s sugars and ingredients. It does not tell you whether that flavoured variant contains sweeteners.
Check the sugars and ingredients first for a no-added-sugar choice; use any listed mineral composition only if it matters to your preference between plain waters.
These brand and retailer ranges illustrate different water choices; check the label of the particular bottle or pack you plan to serve.
Its range includes plain still, plain sparkling and flavoured still water.
Its range includes plain natural mineral water and separately named flavoured variants.
Its still natural mineral water is a plain-water option for diners who do not want fruit flavour or fizz.
Its plain natural mineral water provides another unflavoured route.
Its water category brings together own-brand plain water and water from several manufacturers.
These options include plain bottled water in group and individual-bottle formats, plus fruit-flavoured water for the curry-night table. Check whether a bottle is still or sparkling where that affects your choice.
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This still-water multipack offers 1.5L bottles to pour at a group meal. Choose a different option if guests want fizz or fruit flavour.
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The 12 × 1.5L format gives you bottles for serving several diners. Confirm whether this particular water is still or sparkling if guests have a preference.
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The 750ml bottles allow separate servings, while the 4 × 12 pack is a substantial quantity for a small gathering. Check whether this particular water is still or sparkling if that matters to your guests.
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This still, strawberry-flavoured multipack offers bottles for pouring at the table. The variant contains sucralose and sulphites; check the ingredients and allergen information if either matters to your guests.
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This single 1.5L bottle offers a cherry-flavoured option for sharing. The variant contains sweeteners, citric acid and potassium benzoate; check its current sugars line and ingredients before choosing it for a no-added-sugar table.
Choose plain still or sparkling water if you want an unflavoured drink without the sweeteners or flavourings that some flavoured waters contain. Pick sparkling only if guests want carbonation; for a flavoured alternative, check the exact product label.
No. Volvic UK lists 0g sugars per 100ml for Touch of Strawberry Sugar Free, while its ingredients include acesulfame K and sucralose. Read the nutrition panel and ingredients list if both sugar and sweeteners affect your choice.
No. Volvic describes its regular Touch of Fruit Strawberry as low in sugar, while its separate Strawberry Sugar Free variant lists 0g sugars per 100ml. Compare the full variant name and its own nutrition panel.
Choose larger bottles when you plan to pour shared servings, or smaller bottles when guests will each have their own. Highland Spring lists still bottles from 330ml to 2L and sparkling formats including 1.5L and 6 × 1L; compare total litres and bottle count with your guest list.