Choose 330ml glass bottles for individual drinks at a planned snack stop, or 750ml glass bottles when people will share water with a meal. A PET multipack is a practical alternative when several passengers need separate bottles during the trip. Whichever format you take, secure it in the car and check how to dispose of the empties at your destination.
If the bottles will be served with snacks or a meal, consider whether everyone needs their own drink or will share one. Highland Spring and evian list both 330ml and 750ml glass bottles; evian describes its 750ml bottle as a sharing format.
A multipack of individual bottles can make it simpler to give each passenger a drink. Whatever you pack, keep the bottles secure: the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency says goods carried in a car should be loaded, transported and unloaded safely.
Check which recycling facilities you can use at the stop or destination rather than assuming every bin accepts glass. Recycle Now advises emptying and quickly rinsing glass bottles before recycling them.
Start with how the water will be served, then consider where the bottles will sit during the journey and what you will do with them afterwards.
Choose for: individual drinks served with snacks at a planned stop.
Bear in mind: glass bottles need protected, stable storage in the car.
Choose for: water shared around a picnic table or with a meal; evian describes its 750ml glass bottle as meant for sharing.
Bear in mind: one shared bottle is less convenient when passengers each need a separate drink.
Choose for: supplying separate bottles to several travellers during the journey.
Bear in mind: a multipack still needs a secure place in the vehicle, and its packaging may not suit a meal presentation.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Serving size | Check the volume on the bottle: Highland Spring and evian list 330ml and 750ml glass formats. Decide whether to serve individual bottles or pour from one to share. | For a snack each, I would choose separate bottles; for a meal together, I could bring a bottle to share. |
| Carrying bottles | Check that bottles can sit in a stable container without rolling or striking one another. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency advises safe loading and transport of goods in cars. | I need the drinks to stay secure in the car, especially if I am packing glass. |
| Storage | Read the bottle’s storage instructions and keep it out of direct sunlight. Buxton advises storing its bottled water at room temperature or cooler. | If the water will be in the car until a later stop, I want somewhere shaded to keep it. |
| Disposal | Check local glass-recycling arrangements. Recycle Now advises emptying and quickly rinsing glass bottles before recycling them. | I want to know where the empty bottles can go after the stop. |
| Water preference | Check whether the chosen format contains still or sparkling water; Highland Spring lists both in its glass range. | I would pick the type of water my group wants to drink with the food, rather than choosing by bottle appearance alone. |
A glass bottle can suit a planned meal stop, but it needs a protected place in the car. Individual PET bottles may be easier to distribute when several passengers need drinks during the journey.
Choose the serving format for the stop, then plan how every bottle will be carried between stops.
Bottles can move during braking or cornering; glass bottles could also strike one another.
Use a stable box or padded bag, and keep bottles out of loose seat and footwell areas. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency advises loading and transporting goods safely in cars.
Glass collection arrangements vary by location, so a recyclable bottle may need to be kept until you reach a suitable facility.
Empty and quickly rinse bottles as Recycle Now advises, and check the local collection instructions before disposing of them.
Buxton’s storage guidance advises room temperature or cooler conditions away from direct sunlight.
Find a shaded place for the water during the trip and follow the instructions on the bottles you buy.
Highland Spring lists still and sparkling water in 330ml and 750ml glass bottles.
evian lists 330ml and 750ml glass bottles and describes the 750ml format as intended for sharing.
Buxton describes recycled PET in its bottled-water packaging, offering a non-glass format to consider for a trip.
Volvic lists a 1L natural mineral water format and says its bottles are recyclable.
Tesco Groceries lists an own-label still-water multipack of 12 × 500ml bottles.
Sainsbury's lists an own-label British spring-water multipack of 12 × 500ml bottles.
This PET multipack is an option for taking separate bottles for a group, rather than serving glass-bottled water at a stop.
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The 30 × 330ml PET pack offers separate bottles for several travellers. Check its dimensions if boot space matters, and keep the pack secure during the journey.
Keep them protected in a stable box or padded bag so they cannot roll or strike one another. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency advises that goods in cars should be loaded, transported and unloaded safely.
Choose 330ml bottles for individual drinks, or consider 750ml when people will share water with food. Highland Spring lists both glass sizes, and evian describes its 750ml glass bottle as meant for sharing.
Glass bottles can be recycled where an appropriate collection is available. Recycle Now advises emptying and quickly rinsing them; check local instructions for the bottle and its cap or lid.
Keep it away from direct sunlight and follow the instructions on the bottle. Buxton advises storing its bottled water at room temperature or cooler.
No. Glass is a choice for serving water at a planned stop, not a requirement for the drink itself. If passengers need separate bottles during the journey, compare suitable PET multipacks and make sure they can be carried securely.