Decide whether the finished drink needs to be alcohol-free or whether you want to use less alcohol. An ordinary mixer gives you a choice of serves, but what you add determines whether the mixed drink contains alcohol. For a simpler alcohol-free shop, check the label on a ready-to-drink option or on both the mixer and a separately chosen 0% base; for a drink containing alcohol, use the alcoholic component’s strength and the amount poured to work out units.
For guests or everyday serves, check whether you are buying a mixer to serve on its own, a separately labelled 0% base, or a ready-to-drink option. Check the exact drink label rather than relying on its shelf category.
If you still want an alcoholic mixed drink, the amount and strength of the alcoholic component matter. The NHS explains that units depend on both drink size and alcohol strength.
A slimline or no-sugar tonic may suit a sugar-focused basket. Treat that as a separate choice from the alcohol content of anything mixed with it.
Choose when: You want a drink that does not require a separately measured base and mixer.
Bear in mind: Check the exact ABV statement; an alcohol-free shelf can also contain products labelled low alcohol.
Choose when: You want to select the mixer’s flavour and the amount poured separately.
Bear in mind: You need to choose and check both products, then prepare the serve.
Choose when: You are comfortable including alcohol but want to control how much goes into each drink.
Bear in mind: A light or slimline mixer does not reduce the units from the alcoholic component you pour.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Alcohol in the serve | Read the ABV and alcohol-free wording on the exact products. UK Department of Health and Social Care descriptor guidance covers drinks of 1.2% ABV or less as low alcohol; that does not mean 0.0%. | I want to know whether the drink I serve contains alcohol, not just which aisle it came from. |
| Alcohol units | For a drink containing alcohol, note the alcoholic component’s ABV and the volume poured. The NHS bases units on strength and drink size; units equal ABV (%) × volume (ml) ÷ 1,000. | If I choose an alcoholic mixed drink, I want to keep track of the amount of alcohol I actually pour. |
| Sugar and flavour | Compare the nutrition panel and ingredients on the exact pack. Consider whether tonic bitterness, ginger or fruit flavours suit the intended serve; sugar wording does not establish its alcohol content. | A lower-sugar mixer matters to me, but I still want a flavour that works on its own or with my chosen base. |
| Preparation | Decide between a ready-to-drink can and separate products. For a mixed serve, check every component’s label and choose amounts that suit the glass. | For my first shop, I would rather buy a few drinks I know how I intend to serve than several overlapping options. |
Slimline describes a mixer choice, not the alcohol in a completed mixed drink. The NHS bases alcohol units on strength and volume.
Choose the alcoholic or 0% base first; compare slimline mixers separately if sugar is also a priority.
UK Department of Health and Social Care descriptor guidance covers drinks up to 1.2% ABV as low alcohol, so the wording can apply to a drink that contains alcohol.
If alcohol avoidance matters, read the ABV and alcohol-free statement on the exact pack.
Tonic, ginger and fruit-led options bring different flavours to a drink, whether served alone or with another base.
Start with a flavour you expect to use; add a more distinctive option if it suits another planned serve.
The pack is the place to check the product you are about to use, particularly when ABV, ingredients or allergens matter.
Read the current label and nutrition panel before purchase or serving.
A brand to consider when comparing mixer flavours with non-alcoholic ready-to-drink formats.
A tonic option for comparing standard and slimline styles in a grocery shop.
A flavour-led mixer range for shoppers considering a tonic alongside a separately chosen base.
A drinks supplier with mixers in its portfolio.
A grocery retailer where shoppers can compare mixer listings with a separately labelled alcohol-free and low-alcohol range.
These options include ready-to-drink choices, a separate alcohol-free base for mixing, and a slimline tonic. They serve different parts of a first food shop rather than offering five interchangeable ways to make the same drink.
No image availableA strawberry-and-lime ready-to-drink choice if you do not want to measure a separate base and mixer. The listing describes it as 0% alcohol; check the exact pack if alcohol avoidance is essential. It identifies aspartame as a source of phenylalanine.
No image availableA canned passion fruit martini-style option for a serve without a separate mixer. The listing uses 0.0% wording but also says not more than 0.05% ABV; check the pack if that distinction matters. Its serving instructions say to chill and open the can to activate the nitrogen.
No image availableA ready-to-drink mojito-style choice with lime, yuzu and mint flavours. The listing describes it as 0.0% ABV; check the pack if alcohol avoidance is essential. Compare its nutrition panel if sugar is part of your decision rather than assuming a non-alcoholic drink is lower in sugar.
No image availableA separate base if you want to choose your own tonic for a gin-and-tonic-style serve; the mixer is another product to select. The listing states 0% alcohol. Check the pack for the full ingredients and allergen information before buying.
No image availableA tonic mixer for a sugar-focused comparison, supplied as twelve 150ml cans. The listing describes it as sugar-free and identifies aspartame as a source of phenylalanine. Check the exact pack’s alcohol statement if that matters, and check every other component before treating a mixed serve as alcohol-free.
No. UK Department of Health and Social Care descriptor guidance covers drinks of 1.2% ABV or less as low alcohol, which can include drinks containing alcohol. Check the exact ABV and label when you need an alcohol-free option.
A mixer can be served on its own or with a separately chosen base, but check the labels of every component before calling the finished serve alcohol-free. Adding an alcoholic spirit changes that decision regardless of the mixer’s wording.
For the alcoholic component, multiply ABV (%) by the volume used (ml), then divide by 1,000 to calculate UK units. The NHS explains that units depend on drink strength and size; switching mixers alone does not change the units from an unchanged alcoholic pour.
Not by itself. Sugar information describes the mixer, while the alcohol in a mixed drink depends on the components and amounts you add. Compare nutrition labels for a sugar preference and ABV statements separately for an alcohol preference.