Shoppers looking for a smaller, less-sweet drink
If you want a ready-to-drink afternoon snack, compare total sugars per 100ml as well as the amount in the carton or bottle. A no-added-sugar label does not mean the drink has no sugars.
Who is this choice for?
Parents choosing a flavoured milk drink
A smaller carton may make the portion easier to judge. Check the total sugars for the amount a child or teenager will actually drink; the label’s total also includes sugars naturally present in milk.
Shoppers checking ingredients and allergens
Read the current pack if you need to avoid milk or particular cereals. Tesco lists milk for the Yazoo example, while the researched Mars product information identifies milk and barley.
What should you check on the label?
Compare the same volume first, then check the portion you intend to drink and the ingredients that matter to you.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Total sugars | Compare sugars per 100ml, then per intended serving. Read a no-added-sugar claim alongside the total-sugars figure and ingredients. | I would prefer a lower declared sugars figure, but I do not want to mistake it for a guarantee about flavour. The NHS distinguishes sugars naturally present in milk from free sugars; both are relevant when interpreting the label’s total. |
| Portion size | Check the pack volume and number of stated portions. ASDA lists two portions in the 400ml Mars bottle; Tesco lists 9.2g sugars in a 200ml Yazoo carton. | A smaller drink may suit my afternoon plans. If I expect to finish the bottle, I need to compare its full contents rather than one stated portion. |
| Allergens | Read the current pack’s ingredient and allergen declarations. Lactose-reduced wording does not mean milk-free. | I need to avoid an ingredient such as milk or barley, so the allergen statement matters more than a flavour or front-of-pack description. |
| Storage | Check the pack’s instructions for storage before and after opening, including any stated time limit. | If I plan to save some for later, I need to know how the opened drink must be kept. |
Common mistakes to avoid
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Reading “no added sugar” as “sugar-free”
Sugars naturally present in milk still appear in total sugars. Tesco lists 4.6g per 100ml for its no-added-sugar Yazoo drink, and ASDA lists 6.5g per 100ml for its no-added-sugar Mars drink.
Use total sugars per 100ml and for the amount you will drink; check the ingredients to understand the claim.
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Comparing bottles as though they were equal portions
ASDA labels the 400ml Mars bottle as two portions, whereas the Tesco Yazoo example is a 200ml carton. Drinking the whole Mars bottle means consuming both stated portions.
Compare per 100ml first, then check the figures for the volume you intend to drink.
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Assuming lactose-reduced means milk-free
Lactose wording does not replace an allergen declaration. Tesco explicitly lists milk in the Yazoo example.
If you need to avoid milk, check the current pack’s allergen statement rather than relying on the front label.
Relevant brand examples
Yazoo
The No Added Sugar Strawberry drink listed by Tesco is a 200ml-carton example for shoppers comparing a defined serving.
- Tesco lists 4.6g total sugars per 100ml and 9.2g per 200ml carton.
- Tesco lists milk as an allergen; no added sugar does not mean sugar-free.
Müller Frijj
The strawberry milkshake listed by Sainsbury’s is an option to compare if that flavour and style appeal to you.
- The Sainsbury’s listing provides a per-100ml sugars figure for comparison.
- It lists 10.4g sugars per 100ml, with sugar syrup and fructose among the ingredients.
Mars
The chocolate milkshake listed by ASDA carries a no-added-sugar claim and comes in a 400ml bottle.
- ASDA lists 6.5g total sugars per 100ml and two stated portions per bottle.
- Check the full-bottle amount if you will drink both portions, and read the current pack for milk and barley allergens.
Joybuy drink options
These options include vanilla and strawberry protein shakes alongside an avocado, kale and chia seed milkshake yoghurt drink. Compare their current labels for portion size, ingredients and total sugars rather than assuming any will taste mild.
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REP Protein Shake with Only 5 Ingredients, Vanilla Flavour, 8 x 250ml
Each 250ml can gives you a defined amount to compare with your planned afternoon portion. Check the current pack for total sugars and its milk allergen statement.
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Applied Nutrition Protein Nutrition Shake, Strawberries & Cream Flavour, 8 x 330ml
Each bottle is 330ml, so compare the amount you plan to drink rather than treating it as a 200ml serving. Read the current pack for total sugars and milk allergens.
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LIGHT UP Zero Control Avocado Kale Chia Seed Milkshake Yoghurt Drink 220ml
The title describes a 220ml milkshake yoghurt drink, but its description also calls it a smoothie. A stated no-added-sugar claim conflicts with an ingredients list that includes sugar, so check the current pack’s identity, ingredients, total sugars and milk allergen declaration before choosing it.
Milkshake questions
Does “no added sugar” mean a milkshake is sugar-free?
No. Tesco lists 4.6g total sugars per 100ml for Yazoo No Added Sugar Strawberry, while ASDA lists 6.5g per 100ml for its no-added-sugar Mars drink. The NHS explains that sugars naturally present in milk are not free sugars; check the label’s total-sugars figure for the amount you will drink.
Does lactose-reduced mean a drink is free from milk?
No. Lactose-reduced wording does not remove a milk allergen declaration. Tesco lists milk for the Yazoo example, so anyone needing to avoid milk should check the current pack rather than relying on that description.
Can I keep an opened milkshake for another afternoon?
Follow the particular pack’s after-opening storage instructions, including any refrigeration requirement and time limit. Do not assume its unopened storage conditions still apply once it has been opened.