Families replacing sugary fizzy drinks
Plain sparkling water offers bubbles without the sweetened-drink ingredients. Check flavoured bottles separately: their recipes can differ from plain water.
Who is choosing the drink?
Families concerned about tooth wear
For a child who tends to sip a drink throughout the afternoon, still water is the more cautious between-meal choice. St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust advises keeping acidic drinks to mealtimes.
Households sharing multipacks
Larger bottles may suit a drink poured at home, while smaller bottles give each person a separate portion. Check the total volume and where the pack will be stored.
What matters when choosing?
Plain sparkling water
Consider it: When an older child wants bubbles with a snack and the label confirms plain, unsweetened water.
Bear in mind: It is still fizzy; St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust advises keeping acidic drinks to mealtimes.
Still water
Consider it: For a routine between-meal drink, particularly for younger children or where tooth wear is a concern.
Bear in mind: A child accustomed to fizzy drinks may miss the bubbles; for an older child, plain sparkling water can be considered with a snack.
Flavoured sparkling water
Consider it: When flavour matters and you are willing to check the exact bottle’s ingredients.
Bear in mind: A small sugar figure does not make a flavoured drink the same as plain water: Marks & Spencer lists citric acid and steviol glycosides in its Summer Berries Sparkling Water.
Once you have chosen the type of drink, check its label, when it will be served and whether the pack size fits how your household uses it.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Ingredients | Read the ingredients and sugar per 100ml. Check flavoured water separately for sweeteners and acids; the flavour name alone does not describe the recipe. | I want bubbles instead of a sugary fizzy drink, but I need to know whether this bottle contains only plain sparkling water. |
| When it is served | Consider the child’s age and whether the drink will accompany a snack or be sipped repeatedly between meals. NHS guidance says fizzy drinks should not be given to babies and young children because they are acidic and can damage tooth enamel. | For a drink my child will keep returning to all afternoon, I would choose still water. If tooth wear is a concern, I want to be particularly careful about fizzy drinks between meals. |
| Pack format | Compare the number of bottles, volume per bottle and total volume. Decide whether individual bottles or a larger bottle to pour at home fits the occasion. | A few separate bottles would work for individual portions; for a household sharing drinks at home, I may prefer larger bottles if there is room to store them. |
Choices worth a closer look
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Assuming low-sugar flavoured water is plain water
Flavoured recipes can contain ingredients beyond water and carbonation. Marks & Spencer’s Summer Berries Sparkling Water, for example, lists citric acid and steviol glycosides.
Read the current ingredients alongside the sugar figure. If you want plain sparkling water, check for a plain-water ingredient list rather than relying on the product name.
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Leaving a fizzy drink to be sipped all afternoon
NHS guidance identifies fizzy drinks as acidic, while St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust advises keeping acidic drinks to mealtimes.
Choose still water for routine drinking between meals. If serving sparkling water to an older child, offer it with the snack rather than as a drink to sip repeatedly afterwards.
Brand and retailer references
These examples show why the exact variety and label matter; a brand name alone does not tell you what is in every bottle.
Highland Spring
A plain sparkling spring-water option in individual-bottle and larger-bottle formats.
- Highland Spring describes its sparkling water as having nothing added but bubbles.
- The NHS caution about fizzy drinks still matters when choosing a frequent between-meal drink for a child.
San Pellegrino
Its sparkling mineral water and flavoured Essenza range are distinct choices.
- Sanpellegrino states that Essenza has no sweeteners or sugars.
- Check the ingredients of the exact flavoured variety rather than treating it as plain sparkling water.
Perrier
A carbonated mineral-water brand offered in several container formats.
- Perrier states that its carbonated mineral water has no sugar.
- A no-sugar statement does not settle whether a fizzy drink suits repeated between-meal sipping for a child.
Tesco
An own-brand plain sparkling-water multipack option for households using larger volumes.
- Tesco Groceries lists British Natural Mineral Water Sparkling in a 6 × 2L pack.
- Check whether a large pack suits your storage space and how the water will be served.
M&S
Marks & Spencer offers both plain sparkling mineral water and flavoured sparkling water.
- Its Collection Sparkling Natural Mineral Water is described as sourced from natural mineral springs.
- Its Summer Berries Sparkling Water lists citric acid and steviol glycosides, so check flavoured varieties individually.
Plain sparkling water options on Joybuy
These multipacks offer plain sparkling water in 500ml or 1L bottles for households considering bubbles with a snack. They are not substitutes for still water when choosing a routine between-meal drink for a young child or when tooth wear is a concern.
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San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water 6 × 500ml
The six 500ml bottles provide separate portions with a snack. The ingredients are natural mineral water and carbon dioxide, and the nutrition entry lists 0g sugars per 100ml. It remains a fizzy drink, rather than the cautious choice for repeated sipping between meals.
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San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water 6 × 1L
The six 1L bottles suit a household pouring several servings. The stated ingredients are natural mineral water and carbon dioxide, with 0g sugars per 100ml in the nutrition entry. For frequent drinking between meals, still water remains the more cautious choice.
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Buxton Sparkling 8 × 500ml
Eight 500ml bottles provide individual portions. The ingredient description says carbonated natural mineral water, and the nutrition entry lists 0g sugars per 100ml. The stated storage guidance is to refrigerate after opening and consume within three days; for repeated between-meal sipping, consider still water instead.
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Highland Spring Sparkling Spring Water 8 × 500ml
The eight 500ml bottles offer separate portions for a household snack. The ingredient description says naturally sourced water only; check the current bottle label if you need its nutritional values. It is still fizzy, so still water is the more cautious between-meal choice when tooth wear is a concern.
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Highland Spring Sparkling Spring Water 6 × 1L
Six 1L bottles provide a larger format for pouring at home. The ingredient description identifies natural sparkling mineral water; check the current bottle label if you need its nutritional values. For a child drinking repeatedly between meals, choose still water instead.
Questions about after-school drinks
Can plain sparkling water replace a sugary fizzy drink after school?
For an older child who enjoys bubbles, plain, unsweetened sparkling water can be an option with a snack when its label confirms the ingredients. NHS guidance identifies water and milk as drinks for children, while St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust advises keeping acidic drinks to mealtimes. Choose still water for repeated sipping between meals.
Should babies and young children have sparkling water?
No. NHS guidance says fizzy drinks should not be given to babies and young children because they are acidic and can damage tooth enamel. Choose still water rather than sparkling water for this age group.
Is low-sugar flavoured sparkling water the same as plain sparkling water?
No. Check the full ingredients list, not only the sugar figure: Marks & Spencer’s Summer Berries Sparkling Water lists citric acid and steviol glycosides. Read the current label of the exact variety you are buying.