Organisers serving drinks during breaks
Individual cans make it possible to plan the number of drinks against expected attendance and the number of servings intended per person.
Who is buying for the event?
Buyers offering a zero-sugar choice
Check the exact variant rather than the brand alone. The listed zero-sugar and diet examples can contain sweeteners, and some carry a source-of-phenylalanine warning.
Caterers handling ingredient information
Keep the delivered drinks' labels accessible to the catering team. GOV.UK says retail and catering food businesses must provide allergen information; Food Standards Scotland states that this applies to prepacked and non-prepacked food and drink in Scotland.
What should you check before ordering?
Work from the planned number of servings, then compare the exact pack format and variant before checking labels for service.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Pack format | Check the can count and volume. ASDA Groceries lists 24 × 330ml cases; Tesco Groceries lists Diet Lemonade in 6 × 330ml cans. | I'm planning drinks for a full conference break, or a smaller session where a large case may not fit the serving plan. |
| Sugar and sweeteners | Compare the same per-can measure and read the ingredients. ASDA Groceries lists 0g sugars per can for 7UP Zero Sugar and 7.9g per 330ml can for R. Whites; the reviewed products include sweeteners. | A zero-sugar option matters for this drinks table, but I also need to know whether it contains sweeteners. |
| Serving size | Check volume as well as case count: the Joybuy-listed Karma Lemony pack is 24 × 250ml, while several other listed cases contain 330ml cans. | I want the planned number of cans to reflect the serving size, not just the number of packs. |
| Ingredients at service | Check the delivered variant's ingredient, warning and allergen information. GOV.UK and Food Standards Scotland set out allergen-information duties for food businesses. | The catering team needs the information for the drinks actually served, particularly when attendees ask about ingredients. |
Common ordering mistakes
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Choosing by brand rather than sugar content
ASDA Groceries lists 7.9g sugars per 330ml can for R. Whites and 15g for regular Sprite, compared with 0g for the reviewed 7UP Zero Sugar and Sprite Zero Sugar cans.
Decide whether the drinks table needs regular, zero-sugar or both, and compare the exact variants' nutrition per can.
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Assuming zero sugar means no sweeteners
The reviewed zero-sugar and diet drinks contain sweeteners; several reviewed cans also carry a source-of-phenylalanine warning.
Read the delivered pack's ingredients and warnings rather than inferring suitability from a zero-sugar label.
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Counting bottles as individual cans
The Marks & Spencer lemonade example is a 1-litre bottle, which does not provide the same individually portioned format as a can multipack.
Confirm the container type, can count and volume on the exact product before calculating quantities.
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Leaving ingredient checks until attendees ask
Food businesses need to be able to provide allergen information. GOV.UK gives this requirement for retail and catering operators, while Food Standards Scotland explicitly covers prepacked and non-prepacked food and drink in Scotland.
Check the delivered labels and make their current ingredient and allergen information available to the catering team before service.
Brands and retailer ranges to consider
The formats below are examples from the named retailer listings, not a claim that every brand offers the same can packs.
R. Whites
A regular lemonade case for an event planned around 24 individual 330ml cans.
- ASDA Groceries lists a 24 × 330ml pack with 7.9g sugars per can.
- The reviewed product contains sweeteners and carries a source-of-phenylalanine warning.
Sprite
A lemon-lime option with different pack sizes and sugar labels across the reviewed variants.
- ASDA Groceries lists Sprite Zero Sugar in 8 × 330ml cans and regular Sprite in 18 × 330ml cans.
- The reviewed regular 18-pack lists 15g sugars per can; check which variant is being ordered.
Tesco
An own-label diet lemonade format for a smaller order or part of a mixed drinks table.
- Tesco Groceries lists Diet Lemonade in 6 × 330ml cans and describes it as no added sugar.
- Reaching a larger planned can count requires multiple six-can packs.
Sainsbury's
A retailer range spanning own-label diet lemonade and branded lemon-lime cans.
- Its category listing includes Diet Lemonade 6 × 330ml, Sprite Zero Sugar 8 × 330ml and 7UP Zero Sugar 24 × 330ml.
- Use the exact product listing and delivered label for variant-specific nutrition and ingredients.
M&S
A bottle-format lemonade alternative if drinks will be poured rather than handed out as individual cans.
- Marks & Spencer lists a 1-litre lemonade bottle.
- That bottle listing is not evidence of a multipack-can format; confirm the exact format before including it in a can order.
Joybuy canned-drink options
These options cover larger cases and a 16-can bundle for individually served conference drinks. They include lemon, lemon-lime and Lemony products, so check the flavour and can volume against the event plan.
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Fanta Lemon 24 × 330ml
A 24-can lemon-drink case for a break planned around individual 330ml servings. Check the delivered label for nutrition and ingredients, and confirm delivery fits the event date.
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7UP Zero 330ml 24Pk
A zero-sugar-labelled option for a plan needing 24 individual 330ml cans; Joybuy describes the pack as 24 servings. Check the delivered ingredients and warnings, and confirm delivery for the event.
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7 Up Lemonade Zero 24 × 330ml
This 24-can lemonade-labelled pack fits a plan for individual 330ml drinks. Review the exact delivered variant's nutrition, ingredients and warnings before service.
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7up Zero 2 × 8 × 330ml
The two eight-can packs provide 16 individual 330ml cans for a smaller session or part of a mixed selection. Check the delivered label and confirm the quantity and delivery date before ordering.
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Karma Lemony 24 × 250ml
This 24-can lemon-drink case uses 250ml cans rather than the 330ml format of the other cases shown here. Account for that serving size when planning quantities, and check the delivered label before service.
Conference drinks FAQs
Should I order a 24-can case or smaller multipacks?
Choose by the number of individual drinks planned: a 24-can case suits a larger run of the same drink, while six- or eight-can packs can fit a smaller session or mixed table. ASDA Groceries lists 24 × 330ml R. Whites and 7UP Zero Sugar cases; Tesco Groceries lists Diet Lemonade in 6 × 330ml cans.
Does zero-sugar lemonade contain no sweeteners?
No such assumption is safe: the reviewed 7UP Zero Sugar and Sprite Zero Sugar products contain sweeteners. Check the ingredients on the exact delivered variant rather than relying on its sugar claim alone.
Which warning should I check on these cans?
Check for a source-of-phenylalanine warning on the exact pack. ASDA Groceries lists that warning for the reviewed R. Whites, regular Sprite, Sprite Zero Sugar and 7UP Zero Sugar products; it should not be inferred for every drink under those brands.
Must a conference catering business provide allergen information for drinks?
Yes. GOV.UK says retail and catering food businesses must provide allergen information, and Food Standards Scotland specifies prepacked and non-prepacked food and drink in Scotland. Keep the delivered drinks' information available where attendees are served.
What should I check when the drinks arrive?
Check that the delivered packs match the ordered variant, can count and volume, then use their labels for current ingredients, warnings and allergen information. This also helps the catering team answer questions about the drinks actually being served.