Festival-goers who want fizz
A sparkling fruit drink in an individual serving may be easier to carry with a meal than a large smoothie bottle. Check whether the event permits the drink and its container.
Who is each drink for?
People who prefer a smoothie
Choose a fruit or fruit-and-vegetable blend when its thicker texture matters more than carbonation. Compare the serving size and storage instructions on the bottle.
Groups sharing festival food
Multipacks offer separate servings, while a larger bottle needs planning for pouring, carrying and any required chilling. Check the venue’s container rules before choosing either format.
What should you check before choosing?
Sparkling fruit drink
Choose when: Fizz and separate servings matter more than smoothie texture.
Trade-off: Sparkling juice or a fruit-flavoured soft drink is not a fruit-purée smoothie; check the exact ingredients.
Fruit smoothie
Choose when: You want a thicker fruit or fruit-and-vegetable blend rather than carbonation.
Trade-off: Check the bottle’s storage instructions and use-by date before planning to carry it outdoors.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Drink type | Read whether the label describes sparkling juice, a fruit-flavoured drink or a fruit-purée smoothie. Check ingredients rather than relying on the flavour name. | I want fizz with my meal, or I would rather have the thicker texture of a smoothie. |
| Pack format | Compare the stated volume per can or bottle and the number of servings. Consider how you will carry and share the pack. | For a group, separate cans may be useful; on my own, I may not need a large multipack. |
| Portion information | The NHS says unsweetened fruit juice, vegetable juice and smoothies count towards 5 A Day once at a combined maximum of 150ml per day. A larger container does not add another portion. | I do not want to mistake a 250ml can or a larger smoothie bottle for several 5 A Day portions. |
| Ingredients and sugars | Compare each drink’s ingredient list and sugars per 100ml on the label; a juice and a fruit-flavoured soft drink need not have the same composition. | If juice content or sugars matter to me, I want to compare the actual drinks rather than their category names. |
| Storage and entry | Follow the pack’s storage instructions and check its use-by date. Confirm the named festival’s current rules for outside drinks and containers. | I need a drink I can store as instructed and bring through the event entrance in its chosen container. |
Common buying mistakes
-
Assuming a sparkling fruit drink is a smoothie
Sainsbury’s describes Appletiser as sparkling apple juice, while Tesco describes Innocent Energise as a blend of crushed fruit and vegetables, juices and other ingredients. The drinks meet different preferences.
Read the product description and ingredients: choose by the drink type and texture you actually want.
-
Counting a large serving as several 5 A Day portions
The NHS says unsweetened fruit juice, vegetable juice and smoothies count once towards 5 A Day at a combined maximum of 150ml per day, even if you drink more.
Check the container volume without treating a larger can or smoothie bottle as extra portions.
-
Overlooking a smoothie’s storage instructions
A day outdoors may not meet a chilled product’s stated storage conditions. The Food Standards Agency identifies a use-by date as a food-safety date.
Check the exact bottle’s label before leaving and do not consume it after its use-by date.
-
Assuming every festival admits the same containers
Entry rules can affect whether a planned can, bottle or multipack is practical for your event.
Check the named festival’s current official food-and-drink and prohibited-items information before buying.
Brands and retailers to compare
These references cover different drink types; a retailer listing does not make a smoothie sparkling.
Innocent
Innocent makes smoothies and has also listed Bubbles sparkling juice drinks as a separate line.
- Tesco describes the 300ml Energise smoothie as a blend of crushed fruit and vegetables, juices and other ingredients.
- An Innocent smoothie should not be assumed to be sparkling; check the exact product name.
Naked
Naked Fibre Machine is a still smoothie listed by Tesco in a 750ml bottle.
- Tesco states 4.2g fibre per serving for Fibre Machine; check the label for the serving size.
- It does not meet a preference for carbonation.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s lists a 150ml Appletiser sparkling apple juice option.
- The 150ml format offers a stated individual serving size to compare with larger packs.
- Check the chosen product and local availability rather than assuming every format is offered at every shop.
Tesco
Tesco lists still smoothies alongside separately described sparkling juice and fruit drinks.
- Its listings allow comparison of distinct products, including an Appletiser six-pack and a 300ml Innocent smoothie.
- Ingredients and nutrition differ by product: Tesco lists 13.4g sugars per 100ml for K.A. Sparkling Fruit Punch, not for sparkling drinks generally.
M&S
M&S lists fruit-juice and purée smoothies and has a broader chilled-drinks range that includes sparkling drinks.
- Its separate ranges provide a way to compare smoothie texture with sparkling-drink options.
- A sparkling drink in the wider range does not mean a particular M&S smoothie is sparkling.
Waitrose
Waitrose has separate smoothie and sparkling-juice-drink categories.
- Its sparkling-juice category lists an Appletiser six-pack for comparison with chilled smoothies.
- Check the exact drink and local availability before planning around it.
Joybuy drinks for festival food
These Joybuy multipacks focus on sparkling apple juice and fruit-flavoured drinks for festival meals, rather than thick smoothies. Check the event’s rules on bringing cans before choosing a pack.
No image available
Appletiser 100% Apple Juice Lightly Sparkling, 6 × 250ml
Six 250ml servings offer a sparkling apple juice option for sharing. This is juice, not a fruit-purée smoothie; a full can is larger than the NHS 150ml daily amount that can count towards 5 A Day from unsweetened juice and smoothies combined.
No image available
J2O Orange & Passion Fruit, 12 × 250ml
Twelve 250ml cans offer separate drinks for a group. If fruit-juice content matters to you, compare the ingredients on the pack rather than relying on the flavour name.
No image available
J2O Sparkling Apple & Raspberry, 4 × 250ml
The four-can pack is a smaller sharing quantity than the twelve-can option shown here. Each can is 250ml; check the ingredient label if you are comparing fruit drinks with 100% juice.
No image available
Tango Sugar Free Apple, 8 × 330ml
Eight 330ml cans provide an apple-flavoured soft drink for sharing. It is not a smoothie or 100% fruit juice; check its ingredient label if the fruit content is important to your choice.
Questions about festival drinks
Is a sparkling fruit drink a smoothie?
No. Sainsbury’s describes Appletiser as sparkling apple juice, while M&S describes its smoothies as blends of fruit juice and purées. Check whether fizz or smoothie texture is the reason for your choice.
How much juice or smoothie counts towards 5 A Day?
The NHS says unsweetened fruit juice, vegetable juice and smoothies count once, at a combined maximum of 150ml per day. A larger bottle or another serving does not add a further 5 A Day portion.
What should I check before carrying a smoothie to a festival?
Check the bottle’s storage instructions and use-by date, and plan how to meet any stated chilling requirements. The Food Standards Agency identifies use-by dates as food-safety dates; also check the festival’s current rules for bringing drinks.
Do sparkling fruit drinks have the same ingredients and sugars?
No. Compare the labels of the exact drinks, including ingredients and sugars per 100ml. Tesco lists 13.4g sugars per 100ml for K.A. Sparkling Fruit Punch, while Joybuy describes Appletiser as 100% carbonated apple juice from concentrate; neither description applies to every sparkling drink.