If your TV dinner is close to bedtime, a non-caffeinated drink avoids adding caffeine at a time when it may disrupt sleep: the European Food Safety Authority reports sleep effects from doses of about 100 mg consumed close to bedtime. For an earlier dinner, Red Bull Sugarfree offers a manufacturer-stated 80 mg per 250 ml can, while a larger zero-sugar Monster Ultra can calls for a check of the exact pack because the caffeine figures for the selected Ultra White product differ. A drink labelled no added sugars can still contain sugars, so check the nutrition panel as well as the claim.
If you want an energy drink with a TV dinner, compare the sugar claim and the caffeine in the can you would actually drink. A smaller sugar-free can and a larger zero-sugar can are not the same caffeine choice.
If you plan to sleep soon after dinner, consider whether you want caffeine at all. The European Food Safety Authority reports that about 100 mg consumed close to bedtime can delay sleep and shorten its duration; that finding does not establish that a smaller dose has no effect.
Start with the sugar claim, then compare caffeine for the whole container and consider when you expect to sleep.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar wording | Read the exact claim and sugars per 100 ml on the nutrition panel. No added sugars does not mean that a drink contains no sugars: fruit juice can contribute sugars. | I want to know whether the drink meets my sugar preference, rather than choosing by the wording on the front of the can alone. |
| Caffeine per can | Check the can size and caffeine for the whole can, not just per 100 ml. Red Bull states 80 mg per 250 ml Sugarfree can. Monster states 150 mg per 500 ml Ultra can, but the selected Ultra White listing gives a different figure, so check that pack’s label. | A larger can may mean more caffeine in one sitting. I want the figure for the exact drink and size I plan to have. |
| Time before bed | Consider when you will drink it and caffeine you have already had. The European Food Safety Authority reports that about 100 mg close to bedtime can delay sleep and shorten its duration; this does not establish a sleep-neutral amount below 100 mg. | If dinner is late and sleep is soon, I would rather choose a non-caffeinated drink than rely on a smaller energy-drink can. |
| Delivery requirements | Check any age-verification instructions for the product you order. The selected Red Bull Sugarfree and Monster Ultra White Joybuy product pages state that age verification is required on delivery. | I want to know what will be required when the drinks arrive, particularly if someone else may receive the delivery. |
Monster states that a 500 ml Ultra can has 0 g sugar and 150 mg caffeine. Its sugar content does not settle the caffeine decision.
Read caffeine for the exact can and consider other caffeine you have had that day before choosing it for an evening meal.
Red Bull states 80 mg caffeine for a 250 ml Sugarfree can, while Monster states 150 mg for a 500 ml Ultra can. Those figures describe different container sizes, and the selected Ultra White listing gives a different caffeine figure from Monster’s general Ultra page.
Decide which container you intend to drink, then check its own caffeine label. Do not apply a range-level figure to a particular pack when the figures differ.
The European Food Safety Authority reports sleep disruption from about 100 mg caffeine consumed close to bedtime. Its finding does not show that Red Bull Sugarfree’s stated 80 mg per can is sleep-neutral.
When bedtime is soon, choose a non-caffeinated drink if avoiding a late caffeine dose matters to you.
A Relentless promotion featured Zero Sugar Raspberry cans in 2025. That promotion is not a substitute for the details of a can you are buying now.
Check the current pack for its sugar, caffeine, ingredients and size, and check any delivery requirements on the product page.
Brand ranges differ, and a claim about one drink should not be applied to every variant. Check the particular can when sugar or caffeine determines your choice.
Red Bull describes Sugarfree as its energy drink without sugars.
Monster describes its UK Ultra range as zero sugar and its Ultra drink as having a light citrus flavour.
A Relentless promotion in Great Britain included a 500 ml Zero Sugar Raspberry drink during 2025.
Lucozade presents Alert as a high-caffeine drink. Lucozade Zero is a separate soft-drink range.
These options cover a smaller sugar-free energy drink, a matcha energy drink described as having no added sugars, and a larger zero-sugar energy drink. Their sugar wording and caffeine details need to be considered separately.
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For someone choosing a smaller sugar-free can, Red Bull states that Sugarfree contains 80 mg caffeine per 250 ml can. It is still a caffeinated choice, not one established as sleep-neutral close to bedtime. Check the ingredients on the pack if you need to avoid a particular sweetener.
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If its no-added-sugars description appeals to you, check total sugars on the nutrition panel too: sugars from fruit juice still count towards that figure. The pack contains four 250 ml cans. As a caffeinated drink, it is not established as suitable close to bedtime.
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This is a larger zero-sugar energy-drink option, with twelve 500 ml cans. Monster’s UK Ultra page states 150 mg caffeine per 500 ml can, while this Ultra White listing states 160 mg; check the caffeine amount on the actual can before deciding, especially for an evening meal.
No. No added sugars describes what has not been added; a drink can still contain sugars from ingredients such as fruit juice. Sugar-free describes the drink’s sugar content. Read the exact claim alongside sugars per 100 ml if avoiding sugar is the reason for your choice.
Red Bull states 80 mg caffeine per 250 ml Sugarfree can, while Monster’s UK Ultra page states 150 mg per 500 ml can. The selected Monster Ultra White listing states 160 mg instead, so check the exact Ultra White can’s label before relying on a figure for that product.
If avoiding a late caffeine dose matters to you, choose a non-caffeinated drink instead. The European Food Safety Authority reports that about 100 mg caffeine consumed close to bedtime can delay sleep and shorten its duration. That finding does not establish that an 80 mg can has no sleep effect.
The July 2026 announcement from the Department of Health and Social Care and Department for Education does not establish a UK-wide rule. It describes a planned England-only ban from April 2027 on sales to under-16s of drinks containing more than 150 mg caffeine per litre, subject to Parliamentary approval. Separately, the selected Red Bull Sugarfree and Monster Ultra White Joybuy pages state that age verification is required on delivery.