Travellers eating after security
If you want a bottled fizzy drink with a meal in the departure area, the point of purchase matters. GOV.UK says drinks in containers over 100ml cannot pass through security at most UK airports, even when partly full.
Who is this choice for?
Classic-cola drinkers
Tesco Groceries lists Coca-Cola Original Taste in 250ml glass bottles, with 27g sugars per bottle. That gives you a smaller individual serving than the 330ml Pepsi MAX glass bottle listed by Tesco.
No-sugar cola drinkers
Tesco Groceries lists Pepsi MAX in 330ml glass bottles with 0g sugars and 1 kcal per bottle. Check the current label if its sweeteners or phenylalanine information matters to you, and confirm stock before relying on this format.
What should you check before buying?
Choose the formulation and individual serving size first, then check where you can buy that exact bottle for your journey.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Airport security | Check the departure airport's liquid rules and whether you will buy before or after screening. GOV.UK says containers over 100ml cannot pass through security at most UK airports, even if partly full. | I want a drink with food after security without depending on a bottle bought before screening getting through. |
| Sugar and formulation | Tesco Groceries lists 27g sugars and 105 kcal per 250ml Coca-Cola Original Taste glass bottle. Its 330ml Pepsi MAX glass bottle has 0g sugars and 1 kcal; check the label for sweeteners and phenylalanine information. | If I want classic full-sugar cola, Coca-Cola Original Taste fits that preference. If I want no-sugar cola, I would look for the exact Pepsi MAX glass-bottle format. |
| Serving size | Compare individual bottles, not just pack counts: Tesco lists Coca-Cola Original Taste as 4 x 250ml and Pepsi MAX as 6 x 330ml. | A 250ml drink may suit the amount I want with a meal; otherwise, I might prefer a 330ml bottle. |
| Exact format and stock | Check the outlet's current stock, container material and individual bottle volume. Tesco's Pepsi MAX glass-bottle listing was marked out of stock; a can listing is a different format. | Glass packaging matters to me, so I need to check the specific bottle rather than assume every drink from the same brand comes in glass. |
What could catch you out?
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Assuming glass or a partly finished bottle can pass security
GOV.UK says drinks count as liquids and that containers over 100ml cannot pass through security at most UK airports, even when partly full. That includes the 250ml and 330ml bottles discussed here.
Check your departure airport's rules and plan to buy a drink after screening if you want it with food in the departure area.
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Choosing by brand without checking the container
A listing for cans is not the same product format as a glass-bottle pack. Tesco Groceries lists Coca-Cola Original Taste as 4 x 250ml glass bottles and Pepsi MAX as 6 x 330ml glass bottles.
Read the exact pack title, container material and individual serving size before buying.
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Stopping at the words 'no sugar'
The Tesco Groceries listing for Pepsi MAX glass bottles also identifies sweeteners and a source of phenylalanine.
If either ingredient is relevant to your choice, read the current product label.
Relevant drink brands
These brand references describe particular retailer listings; they do not establish what an airport outlet stocks.
Coca-Cola
Tesco Groceries lists Coca-Cola Original Taste in a four-pack of 250ml glass bottles.
- A 250ml glass-bottle serving for those seeking classic full-sugar cola.
- Tesco lists 27g sugars and 105 kcal per bottle; check the airport outlet for this exact format.
Pepsi
Tesco Groceries lists Pepsi MAX in a six-pack of 330ml glass bottles.
- The listed bottle has 0g sugars and 1 kcal.
- The listing identifies sweeteners and a source of phenylalanine, and was marked out of stock; confirm the current label and availability.
Sprite
Sprite offers a lemon-and-lime flavour rather than cola.
- Tesco Groceries lists a 330ml Sprite drink with 15g sugars per serving and sweeteners.
- Check the container material before choosing it for a glass-bottle meal.
Dr Pepper
Dr Pepper is another flavour option to consider if you do not want either of the two listed glass-bottle colas.
- Tesco Groceries lists 14g sugars per 330ml serving in a Dr Pepper multipack.
- Check for an actual glass-bottle listing rather than assuming the multipack has that format.
Fanta
Fanta is a fruit-flavoured alternative to cola.
- Tesco Groceries lists Fanta drinks in cans and bottles.
- Check the exact product's container material and volume if glass is essential.
A Joybuy fizzy-drink option
This sparkling apple drink offers a different flavour from the two colas above. Check its container material if a glass bottle is essential, and confirm availability at the airport outlet where you intend to buy.
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De Vina Sparkling Apple 750ml
Consider this sparkling apple option if you want a flavour other than cola with your food. The stated size is 750ml, so check whether that is the amount you want and confirm the container material before choosing it specifically for glass packaging. GOV.UK says drinks in containers over 100ml cannot pass through security at most UK airports.
Questions about drinks at the airport
Can I take a 250ml or 330ml fizzy drink through airport security?
At most UK airports, not if it was bought before security: GOV.UK says liquids in containers over 100ml cannot pass through, even when partly full. Check your departure airport's rules before travelling.
Which listed glass-bottle cola has no sugar?
Tesco Groceries lists 0g sugars and 1 kcal per 330ml Pepsi MAX glass bottle. The listing also identifies sweeteners and a source of phenylalanine, so check the current label if those details matter to you.
Why check the outlet before choosing a glass-bottle drink?
Confirm that the outlet stocks the exact bottle size and container format you want. Tesco's Pepsi MAX glass-bottle listing was marked out of stock, and a brand's cans or other bottles do not establish that its glass version is available where you plan to buy.