For a small hotel breakfast buffet, offer plain sparkling water alongside a clearly labelled no-sugar fizzy drink; add a caffeine-free flavoured choice if guests expect more variety. Keep classic cola as an additional option rather than the only fizzy drink: Coca-Cola GB lists sugar and caffeine in Original Taste, while Pepsi UK lists caffeine in its no-sugar Pepsi Max.
A compact range can give guests plain sparkling water, a no-sugar fizzy drink and a familiar flavoured option without relying on cola alone. Pack format and access to product information also matter when staff replenish the buffet.
A drink labelled no sugar and plain sparkling water meet different preferences. Pepsi UK lists 0g sugars per 100ml for Pepsi Max, but it contains sweeteners; plain sparkling water offers an unsweetened choice.
Caffeine and sugar are separate label checks. Pepsi UK lists caffeine in Pepsi Max despite its 0g sugars per 100ml, while Coca-Cola GB identifies Fanta Orange as caffeine-free. Guests who need ingredient information should be able to identify the exact drink being served.
Choose distinct types of drink before comparing pack formats: a water option, a flavoured no-sugar option and, where useful, a separate caffeine-free choice.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar choice | Compare sugars per 100ml on the exact product labels. Pepsi UK lists 0g for Pepsi Max; Coca-Cola GB lists 10.6g for Coca-Cola Original Taste. | I would like a fizzy choice without sugar as well as an unsweetened option, rather than only classic cola. |
| Caffeine and ingredients | Check caffeine, sweeteners and any phenylalanine statement separately. Pepsi UK lists caffeine and a source of phenylalanine for Pepsi Max; Coca-Cola GB identifies Fanta Orange as caffeine-free. | If I am avoiding caffeine or checking sweeteners, I need to know which drink is in the glass—not just whether it says ‘zero sugar’. |
| Range and format | Choose drinks with distinct flavours or purposes, then compare can and bottle sizes for the way the buffet is served. Tesco Groceries lists fizzy-drink multipacks and several sparkling-water bottle formats. | A small selection is easier to recognise when water, flavoured fizzy drinks and classic cola are clearly differentiated. |
| Information at service | Identify each drink and retain current product information when using dispensers or jugs. The Food Standards Agency says UK retail and catering businesses must provide allergen information for prepacked and non-prepacked food and drink. | When a drink is poured away from its original container, I still need access to accurate information about what is being served. |
Pepsi UK lists 0g sugars per 100ml for Pepsi Max, but also lists caffeine, sweeteners and a source of phenylalanine. Sugar content alone does not describe those ingredients.
Keep the exact product label accessible and offer plain sparkling water for guests who prefer an unsweetened drink.
Coca-Cola GB lists 10.6g sugars per 100ml and caffeine for Coca-Cola Original Taste. A cola-only selection does not give guests a no-sugar, unsweetened or caffeine-free alternative.
Offer classic cola as an additional choice alongside drinks that serve those other preferences.
Once a drink is separated from its packaging, guests and staff need another way to identify it and find its current product information. Food Standards Agency guidance requires UK catering businesses to provide allergen information for non-prepacked as well as prepacked food and drink.
Label each dispenser or jug, retain current supplier information and make sure breakfast staff know where to find it.
HM Revenue & Customs guidance currently describes drinks with added sugar and at least 5g sugars per 100ml among those potentially liable for the Soft Drinks Industry Levy. A July 2026 government policy paper states that a lower threshold of 4.5g total sugar per 100ml is planned for chargeable events from 1 January 2028.
Use the current rules for present procurement decisions and check the applicable guidance again when planning contracts or range changes extending into 2028.
These product lines illustrate different breakfast-drink choices; a brand name alone does not establish the ingredients of every variant.
Coca-Cola Original Taste is a classic cola option for guests who specifically want it.
Pepsi Max offers a branded no-sugar cola route.
Sprite Zero offers a lemon-and-lime alternative to cola for guests seeking a no-sugar fizzy drink.
Fanta Orange provides an orange-flavoured option when the buffet needs a branded drink identified as caffeine-free.
Dr Pepper is another flavoured fizzy-drink choice, distinct from plain sparkling water.
Tesco Groceries provides a retailer reference for comparing own-label fizzy drinks with sparkling-water formats.
These options span plain sparkling water, flavoured fizzy drinks and portioned cola cans. Compare their exact labels before assigning each drink a place in the breakfast range.
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A caffeine-free cola option in 24 individual 330ml servings. Check the current pack for its sugar, sweetener and ingredient information before displaying it alongside other no-sugar choices.
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Plain sparkling water provides a choice apart from flavoured fizzy drinks. This pack contains eight 500ml bottles; it does not replace a flavoured option for guests who want one.
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A lemonade option rather than a cola, supplied as 24 individual 330ml cans. Check the current label for sugar, caffeine and sweetener details before describing it to guests.
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For guests who want a no-sugar cola, Pepsi UK lists 0g sugars per 100ml. This pack contains 24 individual 330ml cans; the drink contains caffeine and sweeteners and states that it contains a source of phenylalanine.
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An apple-flavoured alternative to cola in 24 individual 330ml cans. Check the current label before presenting it as a caffeine-free choice, and keep its ingredient information available at the buffet.
A no-sugar option gives guests a choice if the buffet also serves sweet fizzy drinks. Pepsi UK lists 0g sugars per 100ml for Pepsi Max, while Coca-Cola GB lists the same figure for Sprite Zero. Check each exact label for sweeteners and other ingredients; neither product takes the place of plain sparkling water.
No. Pepsi UK lists caffeine in Pepsi Max despite its 0g sugars per 100ml. Coca-Cola GB identifies Fanta Orange as caffeine-free, but lists 4.5g sugars per 100ml for it. Check both properties when the buffet needs to offer both choices.
Identify each drink and keep its current product information accessible. Food Standards Agency guidance says UK retail and catering businesses must provide allergen information for prepacked and non-prepacked food and drink, manage allergens and ensure staff receive allergen training.
No. HM Revenue & Customs guidance describes when drinks with added sugar may be liable for the levy; it does not prohibit a hotel from serving them. The guidance also says a business that only dispenses drinks into cups or glasses is not classed as a packager for this purpose.