For a mixed BBQ group, individual cans can make it easier to offer a choice of cola and non-cola flavours; include a zero-sugar option if guests want one. Check the exact variant when caffeine matters, as zero sugar does not necessarily mean caffeine-free. Keep water available too: NHS guidance identifies water and milk as the best drinks for children and says children should avoid sugary fizzy drinks.
If guests have different flavour preferences, a selection of regular cola, zero-sugar cola and non-cola drinks gives them distinct options. Individual cans also make portions clear when several drinks are being served.
Check the sugars figure on the exact pack rather than relying on a brand name. A zero-sugar label does not tell you whether a drink contains caffeine or whether its ingredients suit every guest.
Plan a drink for children separately from the adult fizzy-drink selection. NHS guidance identifies water and milk as the best drinks for children and says children should avoid sugary fizzy drinks.
Start with the drinks guests will use, then check each variant’s nutrition panel, ingredients and pack format.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar | Compare sugars per 100ml and per serving on the same basis. Coca-Cola GB lists 10.6g sugars per 100ml for Original Taste; Joybuy lists 35g per 330ml can for its 24-can pack. Pepsi UK lists 0g sugars per 330ml for Pepsi Max. | I want guests who prefer cola to have a zero-sugar choice, while anyone choosing regular cola can see what a full can contains. |
| Caffeine and ingredients | Read the exact variant name and ingredients. Pepsi UK lists caffeine in standard Pepsi Max but describes Pepsi Max Caffeine Free as having no caffeine; both pages state that the drinks contain a source of phenylalanine. | If someone avoids caffeine, I need a pack explicitly labelled caffeine-free rather than assuming every zero-sugar cola qualifies. |
| Flavour and serving | Check the flavour, can count and volume. Tesco Groceries has listed cola, citrus, fruit-flavoured and lemonade options in multipack cans and 2L bottles; the exact product and format matter. | Not everyone wants cola. Cans would let guests choose separate drinks, while a large bottle makes more sense when people want to share the same flavour. |
| Children and water | Include water in the drinks plan. NHS guidance says water and milk are the best drinks for children and that children should avoid sugary fizzy drinks. | With children at the grill, I want water ready to serve rather than making fizzy drinks their default option. |
Pepsi UK lists 0g sugars for standard Pepsi Max, but its ingredients include caffeine. Pepsi Max Caffeine Free is a separate variant.
When caffeine avoidance matters, check for “caffeine-free” on the exact pack and read its current ingredients panel.
Joybuy lists 35g sugars per 330ml can for its Coca-Cola Original Taste 24-pack. A per-100ml figure alone does not show the amount in a whole can.
Compare the panel’s per-serving figure as well as its per-100ml figure, and offer water and a zero-sugar choice alongside regular cola.
A single cola or lemonade leaves no sparkling alternative for guests who prefer another flavour. Tesco Groceries has listed cola, citrus, fruit-flavoured and lemonade options in both cans and bottles.
Choose flavours and formats around the guest list: a small mix of cola and non-cola drinks may be more useful than several packs of one variant.
These brand examples illustrate flavour and variant checks; the details apply to the named products, not every drink under each brand.
Regular and zero-sugar cola variants give hosts different choices within a familiar flavour category.
Pepsi Max and Pepsi Max Caffeine Free are distinct zero-sugar cola choices when caffeine is part of the decision.
A lemon-and-lime option for guests who would rather have a non-cola sparkling drink.
Fruit-flavoured sparkling options can add a non-cola choice to a BBQ drinks selection.
Another sparkling flavour to consider when the group wants more than cola and citrus drinks.
Own-label lemonade and orange drinks provide further flavour and format choices to compare with branded packs.
These three Joybuy cola listings follow the supplied sugar-and-caffeine decision order: zero-sugar cola, caffeine-free zero-sugar cola, then regular cola. The positions are not a taste, popularity or overall quality ranking.
| Rank | SKU name | Main specifications | Reasons to consider | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pepsi Max 24 × 330ml | 24 cans; 330ml each; 0g sugars per 330ml, according to the Joybuy product listing. | A zero-sugar cola for guests who do not need to avoid caffeine. Pepsi UK lists caffeine and a source of phenylalanine for Pepsi Max. | Joybuy |
| 2 | Pepsi Max Caffeine Free 24 × 330ml | 24 cans; 330ml each; 0g sugars per 330ml and no caffeine, according to the Joybuy product listing. | A cola choice when both sugar and caffeine matter. Pepsi UK states that this variant contains a source of phenylalanine. | Joybuy |
| 3 | Coca-Cola Original Taste 24 × 330ml | 24 cans; 330ml each; 35g sugars per can, according to the Joybuy product listing. | Consider it for guests who specifically want regular cola, alongside other drink choices. The NHS recommends that adults have no more than 30g of free sugars a day; check the per-can figure when planning servings. | Joybuy |
These packs cover individual-can choices across caffeine-free cola, zero-sugar cola, regular cola and non-cola flavours. Check the exact variant when flavour or caffeine is important to a guest.
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For guests who want cola without sugar or caffeine. This 24-can pack has 330ml portions; Joybuy lists 0g sugars per can and no caffeine. Pepsi UK states that this variant contains a source of phenylalanine, so check the current label when relevant.
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A zero-sugar cola in 24 individual 330ml cans. Joybuy lists 0g sugars per can; Pepsi UK lists caffeine and a source of phenylalanine, so choose the separately labelled caffeine-free variant if caffeine avoidance matters.
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A regular cola choice when guests specifically want that flavour. The pack contains 24 individual 330ml cans, and Joybuy lists 35g sugars per can. Offer water and other drink choices alongside it; NHS guidance says children should avoid sugary fizzy drinks.
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A non-cola sparkling option in a 24-pack of 330ml cans. The title says lemonade, while the accompanying description calls it pink lemonade; check the pack for the exact flavour variant before buying.
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An apple-flavoured, non-cola choice in 24 individual 330ml cans. Check the current label if caffeine avoidance matters; do not assume that “sugar-free” also means caffeine-free.
Choose cans when guests may want different flavours or individual portions. A large bottle is more practical when people plan to share the same drink and you can keep it chilled after opening. Check the total volume as well as the number of containers.
No. Pepsi UK lists 0g sugars for Pepsi Max, but its ingredients include caffeine. If a guest avoids caffeine, look for an explicitly labelled caffeine-free variant such as Pepsi Max Caffeine Free and check the current pack.
Have water readily available. NHS guidance identifies water and milk as the best drinks for children and says children should avoid sugary fizzy drinks; an adult fizzy-drink selection need not be the children’s drinks plan.
Check the collection instructions for the BBQ location rather than assuming they are identical across the UK. The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs describes a drinks-container deposit return scheme planned for England, Scotland and Northern Ireland in 2027. For household collections in England, its guidance says collectors must by default collect dry recyclables including metal and plastic from 31 March 2026; follow the local authority’s instructions for the relevant waste streams.