Who is choosing this drink?

Takeaway-night shoppers checking fat

If you want a sweet, ready-to-drink option with your meal, compare fat per 100ml rather than judging it by the flavour or front of the pack. Then check how much you plan to drink.

Shoppers also checking sugar

A no-added-sugar drink can still show sugars on its nutrition panel. The NHS explains that naturally occurring milk sugars are included in the total-sugars figure, so check that figure separately from the added-sugar claim.

People buying for one diner

A carton may make the intended portion straightforward, while a larger bottle may contain more than one stated serving. Tesco lists the reviewed Yazoo Chocolate 400ml bottle as two servings; choose based on the amount you expect to drink or share.

What should you check?

Compare drinks on the same per-100ml basis first, then use the pack size to work out what the amount you will drink means in practice.

Priority What to check Your needs
Fat content Read total fat per 100ml. Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust gives 1.5g fat per 100ml as the maximum for a liquid carrying a low-fat claim; check the current pack before applying that threshold to a drink. I want a drink that meets the low-fat threshold, whether it comes in a carton or a bottle.
Total sugars Compare total sugars per 100ml as well as any no-added-sugar wording. Tesco lists 4.7g per 100ml for the reviewed Yazoo No Added Sugar Chocolate and 8.6g per 100ml for its standard Chocolate drink. I want to see how much sugar is listed for the drink I will have, rather than assume no added sugar means sugar-free.
Portion size Check the volume and servings per pack, then calculate figures for the amount you expect to drink. The NHS notes that a manufacturer’s stated portion may differ from yours. A single carton suits me, or I may share a larger bottle with someone else.
Ingredients and allergens Read the current pack’s ingredient list and allergen statement. Tesco’s reviewed Yazoo drinks contain milk; its reviewed Mars drink contains milk and barley. If I am buying for someone with an allergy, a lower-fat figure or no-added-sugar wording does not answer whether the drink is suitable.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Assuming no added sugar also means low fat

    Tesco lists 2.2g fat per 100ml for the reviewed Mars No Added Sugar Chocolate Milk Drink. That is above the 1.5g-per-100ml low-fat liquid threshold described by Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

    Check fat per 100ml independently of the sugar claim.

  • Reading no added sugar as sugar-free

    The NHS explains that naturally occurring milk sugars appear in the total-sugars figure. Tesco lists 4.7g sugars per 100ml for the reviewed Yazoo No Added Sugar Chocolate drink.

    Use the total-sugars line and the amount you intend to drink when comparing options.

  • Comparing only the stated serving

    Tesco lists two 200ml servings in the reviewed 400ml Yazoo Chocolate bottle. Drinking the whole bottle means consuming twice the nutrients shown for one stated serving.

    Compare products per 100ml, then check the figures for your actual portion.

  • Using a lactose-related description as an allergy check

    Tesco describes the reviewed Yazoo No Added Sugar Chocolate drink as lactose-reduced, but also states that it contains milk.

    If an allergy matters, check the current pack’s ingredients and allergen statement for the exact drink.

Brand examples to compare

These figures describe the named chocolate drinks, not every flavour or format from each brand.

Yazoo

Tesco lists both a standard Chocolate Milk Drink and a No Added Sugar Chocolate Milk Drink.

  • Both reviewed drinks list 1.4g fat per 100ml, below the 1.5g-per-100ml low-fat liquid threshold described by Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
  • Their total sugars differ: Tesco lists 8.6g per 100ml for the standard drink and 4.7g for No Added Sugar. Both contain milk.

Müller Frijj

Sainsbury’s describes the reviewed 330ml Chocolate Flavour Milkshake as thick and smooth.

  • Its listed 1.5g fat per 100ml is exactly at the low-fat liquid threshold described by Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
  • Sainsbury’s lists 11.1g total sugars per 100ml for this chocolate drink; compare that figure and the portion with the alternatives you are considering.

Mars

Tesco lists a Mars No Added Sugar Chocolate Milk Drink, but its sugar claim does not establish that it is low fat.

  • The reviewed drink lists 6.5g total sugars per 100ml, giving shoppers a figure to compare with other drinks.
  • It lists 2.2g fat per 100ml, above the low-fat liquid threshold, and Tesco names milk and barley as allergens.

Joybuy milkshake-style drinks

These two listings are for LIGHT UP avocado, kale and chia seed yoghurt drinks in differently named pack formats, rather than the chocolate drinks compared above. Check that the drink style and pack quantity suit what you want alongside your takeaway.

LIGHT UP Zero Control Avocado Kale Chia Seed Yoghurt Drink 220ml

LIGHT UP Zero Control Avocado Kale Chia Seed Yoghurt Drink 220ml

For a ready-to-drink option alongside a takeaway, check whether this avocado, kale and chia seed yoghurt drink is the style you want: its description also calls it a smoothie. Confirm the pack quantity and fat per 100ml on the current pack. The listing names sugar in the fruit preparation despite no-added-sugar wording, and states that the drink contains milk.

Joybuy
LIGHT UP Zero Control Avocado Kale Chia Seed Yoghurt Drink 220ml × 3

LIGHT UP Zero Control Avocado Kale Chia Seed Yoghurt Drink 220ml × 3

If buying drinks for more than one takeaway diner, check whether this listing’s 220ml × 3 pack description matches the quantity you need. Its description also calls the yoghurt drink a smoothie. Confirm the pack format and fat per 100ml on the current pack; the listing names sugar in the fruit preparation despite no-added-sugar wording, and states that it contains milk.

Joybuy

Questions about low-fat milkshakes

What counts as a low-fat ready-to-drink milkshake?

Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust says a liquid carrying a low-fat claim must contain no more than 1.5g fat per 100ml. Use the current nutrition panel’s per-100ml figure to compare bottles and cartons of different sizes.

Does no added sugar mean sugar-free?

No. The NHS explains that naturally occurring milk sugars are included in the total-sugars figure. Tesco lists 4.7g total sugars per 100ml for the reviewed Yazoo No Added Sugar Chocolate drink, so read that figure as well as the claim.

Should I count the whole bottle with my takeaway?

Count the amount you expect to drink. Tesco lists two 200ml servings in the reviewed 400ml Yazoo Chocolate bottle; drinking the whole bottle doubles the nutrients shown for one stated serving.

Does a lower-fat dairy drink suit someone with a milk allergy?

A lower fat figure does not establish allergy suitability. Tesco states that both reviewed Yazoo drinks contain milk, while the reviewed Mars drink contains milk and barley. Check the ingredient and allergen statements on the exact current pack.