Adults sharing cans on a group walk
Individual 330ml cans can be allocated for a picnic stop or kept at a base. A 24-can pack holds 7.92 litres before packaging, so take the number planned for the walk rather than carrying the whole case.
Who is a multipack for?
Adults comparing sugar labels
Pepsi Max and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar are labelled with 0g sugars, while Tesco lists 35g sugars per 330ml can of Coca-Cola Original Taste. Compare the exact variant and serving size before choosing.
Hikers avoiding caffeine
Pepsi Max Caffeine Free is a named caffeine-free cola option. Coca-Cola GB also describes Fanta Orange as caffeine free, but its listed formulation contains 4.5g sugars per 100ml. Check both parts of the label if sugar and caffeine matter to you.
What should you check?
Start with the drink you will carry for the walk, then decide how many optional cans you need and which label suits your preferences.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Drinks for the walk | Plan water separately. The NHS identifies water as the preferred way to replace fluid lost through physical activity. | For an active walk, I want water available throughout; a fizzy can would be an optional drink at a stop. |
| Pack size | Check the can count and volume. A 24 × 330ml pack holds 7.92 litres before cans or outer packaging are counted. | If we are sharing a multipack, I can divide the cans before departure and carry only those planned for the walk. |
| Sugar per can | Compare the nutrition panel for the exact variant, using per-100ml or per-can figures consistently. Tesco lists Coca-Cola Original Taste at 35g sugars per 330ml; the named Pepsi Max and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar variants list 0g sugars. | I might prefer a can labelled 0g sugars, or choose the original-taste cola knowing its labelled quantity. |
| Caffeine and ingredients | Read the exact can label for caffeine, sweeteners and any phenylalanine statement. Standard Pepsi Max and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar contain caffeine; a zero-sugar name does not establish caffeine-free status. | When avoiding caffeine, I would choose a variant explicitly marked caffeine free rather than assuming every zero-sugar can qualifies. |
| Empty packaging | Allow room to carry empty cans and wrappers out. The Countryside Code for England and Wales says to take litter home. | I need somewhere to keep the empties until I can dispose of them appropriately. |
What is easy to overlook?
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Taking the whole 24-can case on foot
At 330ml per can, the drinks alone total 7.92 litres; the cans and wrapping add to the load.
Divide the pack at home or at a base and carry only the planned cans, alongside water.
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Assuming zero sugar means no caffeine
Standard Pepsi Max and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar contain caffeine, despite their zero-sugar labels.
Check the exact variant and its ingredients, including sweeteners and any phenylalanine statement, before buying.
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Planning a full-sugar can as the main hiking drink
Tesco lists 35g sugars per 330ml can of Coca-Cola Original Taste. For replacing fluid lost through physical activity, the NHS favours water.
Carry water for the walk and make any cola a separate, preference-led choice.
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Forgetting the empty cans
Drinking a can on the route leaves packaging to carry. The Countryside Code for England and Wales asks visitors to take litter home.
Keep a bag for empty cans and wrappers and take them away with you.
Brand and variant references
Coca-Cola
Original Taste and Zero Sugar are distinct cola variants available in 24 × 330ml multipacks.
- Coca-Cola Zero Sugar lists 0g sugars per 100ml.
- Tesco lists 35g sugars per 330ml of Original Taste. The standard Zero Sugar formulation contains caffeine; check the precise variant rather than assuming all Zero Sugar cans are caffeine free.
Pepsi
Pepsi Max is sold in 24 × 330ml cans; Pepsi Max Caffeine Free is a separate variant.
- Pepsi Max lists 0g sugars, and the named Caffeine Free variant offers a separate choice for those avoiding caffeine.
- Standard Pepsi Max contains caffeine. Check the ingredients and phenylalanine statement on the can you choose.
Sprite
Coca-Cola GB lists regular Sprite and Sprite Zero as lemon-and-lime variants.
- Sprite Zero is listed with 0g sugars per 100ml.
- Check the exact variant, can count and ingredients rather than applying Sprite Zero label information to regular Sprite.
Fanta
Fanta includes fruit-flavoured variants; Coca-Cola GB describes Fanta Orange as caffeine free.
- Fanta Orange offers a named caffeine-free option for someone choosing a fruit-flavoured can.
- The listed Fanta Orange formulation contains 4.5g sugars per 100ml. Check the exact flavour and label if seeking zero sugar.
Dr Pepper
Dr Pepper is a distinct fizzy-drink brand, and Tesco lists a 330ml 24-pack.
- Read the nutrition and ingredient label of the specific pack before comparing its sugar or caffeine content with another can.
Joybuy can multipacks
These multipacks offer individual cans that can be divided for a group stop or kept at a base. Choose the exact variant by its label, and carry water separately for the walk.
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Pepsi Max Caffeine Free 24 × 330ml
For a planned group stop when caffeine avoidance matters. The named variant is described as having no sugar or caffeine; check its sweeteners and phenylalanine statement on the can. Divide the 24-pack before walking.
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Fanta Orange 8 × 330ml
An eight-can fruit-flavoured pack to divide before a group walk. Coca-Cola GB describes Fanta Orange as caffeine free; its listed formulation contains 4.5g sugars per 100ml, so check the exact can label if sugar matters to you.
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Coca-Cola Zero Sugar 24 × 330ml
A 24-can cola pack for sharing or keeping at a base. Coca-Cola GB lists 0g sugars per 100ml for Zero Sugar; its standard formulation contains caffeine and sweeteners. Take only the cans planned for the walk.
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Diet Coke No Caffeine 24 × 330ml
A named no-caffeine cola variant in individual 330ml cans. Check the exact can label for sugar, sweeteners and ingredient statements, and divide the 24-pack before setting off.
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7UP Zero 24 × 330ml
A 24-pack of individual lemon-and-lime cans for a planned group stop. Check the exact can label for sugar, caffeine and ingredients rather than relying on the variant name alone; take selected cans instead of the case.
Questions about cans on a hike
Should a fizzy drink be my main drink on a hike?
Carry water as your main drink for active walking. The NHS identifies water as the preferred way to replace fluid lost through physical activity; a fizzy can can be a separate drink at a stop.
Is a 24-can multipack practical to carry while walking?
Split it before the walk rather than carrying the case as one person’s load. Twenty-four 330ml cans contain 7.92 litres of drink before packaging, so a multipack is more practical to divide among a group or keep at a base.
How do I compare sugar between cans?
Check the nutrition panel for the exact variant and compare the same serving volume. Pepsi Max and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar list 0g sugars, whereas Tesco lists 35g sugars per 330ml can of Coca-Cola Original Taste. Also read the ingredients if caffeine or sweeteners matter to you.
What about drinks for a school-organised hike?
Ask the trip organiser which drinks may be brought or provided. Department for Education school-food guidance concerns food and drink provided in state-funded schools in England; do not assume that scope settles the arrangements for every hike or school elsewhere in the UK.
What should I do with empty cans?
Carry them out with the rest of your packaging. The Countryside Code for England and Wales asks visitors to take litter home and leave no trace.