If a guest specifically asks for a drink labelled ‘no added sugar’, choose one carrying that claim: M&S Diet Indian Tonic is a tonic, while Tesco No Added Sugar Cloudy Lemonade is a citrus soft drink, and both contain sweeteners. If individually portioned tonic matters more than that exact wording, Schweppes Slimline is a zero-sugar option; for guests avoiding sweeteners as well as sugar, offer unsweetened Fentimans Soda Water. Check the ingredients rather than relying on ‘light’: the listed Fever-Tree and Fentimans light tonics contain fructose and sugar, respectively.
Check the current pack for that wording when a guest has asked for it specifically. M&S Diet Indian Tonic and Tesco No Added Sugar Cloudy Lemonade carry the claim, but both use sweeteners; the Tesco drink is lemonade, not tonic.
Schweppes Slimline offers a quinine tonic in 150ml cans and is described as having no sugar. Its ingredients include aspartame, so check whether that suits the guest rather than assuming ‘no sugar’ means unsweetened.
Fentimans Soda Water is an unsweetened base with 0g sugar per 100ml. Serve it plain or let guests add their own citrus or garnish; it will not have tonic’s quinine bitterness.
Start with the wording your guests have asked for, then choose a flavour and serving format that fit the table.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| No-added-sugar claim | Look for the explicit claim on the current pack. Check ingredients separately for sugars and sweeteners; ‘light’ is not the same wording. | I need to describe the drinks accurately to guests who have asked for no added sugar, rather than offering any lower-calorie mixer. |
| Drink style | Choose between quinine tonic, citrus lemonade and plain soda water. Fever-Tree Refreshingly Light Indian Tonic lists fructose, while Fentimans Naturally Light Tonic lists sugar. | Some guests want tonic’s bitterness; others would rather have a citrus drink or add their own flavour to soda water. |
| Sweeteners and quinine | Read the named sweeteners and any phenylalanine statement. Check whether a tonic contains quinine, and keep a quinine-free option available. | I'd like guests to be able to choose a drink without a sweetener or ingredient they avoid. |
| Serving format | Compare 150ml cans with larger bottles against the number of guests likely to choose each drink. Follow each bottle’s instructions for storage after opening. | A shared bottle makes sense if several of us want the same mixer; cans let people open individual tonic serves. |
Fever-Tree Refreshingly Light Indian Tonic lists fructose, and Fentimans Naturally Light Tonic lists sugar. A lighter-sounding name may not meet a guest’s request for an explicit no-added-sugar claim.
Check the precise wording and ingredients on the current pack before putting the drink out under a no-added-sugar label.
Schweppes Slimline lists aspartame, while M&S Diet Indian Tonic lists sucralose. Those are different choices from unsweetened soda water.
Read the ingredients and any phenylalanine statement, and offer plain soda water if guests prefer to avoid sweeteners.
Tonic contains quinine, which some guests may wish to avoid. The electronic Medicines Compendium’s quinine sulphate leaflet specifically mentions quinine in tonic water when discussing quinine allergy.
Put a quinine-free drink, such as soda water or lemonade, on the table too.
The M&S Diet Indian Tonic and Tesco No Added Sugar Cloudy Lemonade listings instruct shoppers to refrigerate their bottles after opening and consume them within three days.
Choose a shared bottle when several guests want that drink; consider individual cans for less widely chosen tonic serves.
An opened bottle may go unused if nobody wants the remaining drink within its stated storage period.
These examples show why the claim, ingredients and type of drink matter more than a brand name alone.
Its No Added Sugar Cloudy Lemonade is a large-format citrus soft drink rather than a quinine tonic.
Slimline Tonic Water offers a no-sugar tonic in a 12 × 150ml can pack.
Its low-calorie Indian Tonic Water is another quinine mixer to compare by ingredients.
Refreshingly Light Indian Tonic is a tonic option, but ‘light’ does not settle a no-added-sugar request.
Its Soda Water and Naturally Light Tonic answer different requests.
Its mixers category is a place to compare drink types and current product labels.
This selection covers a zero-sugar tonic in individual cans for guests who want a quinine mixer; check the current pack if an explicit no-added-sugar claim is essential.
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The individual cans suit guests choosing separate tonic serves. The product information lists 0g sugars per 100ml, quinine and aspartame, and states that it contains a source of phenylalanine. If a guest specifically needs a no-added-sugar claim, check the current pack rather than treating ‘no sugar’ as the same wording.
No. Tesco No Added Sugar Cloudy Lemonade carries that claim but lists 0.2g sugars per 100ml. Check the sugar figure as well as the claim when the distinction matters to a guest.
Not necessarily. Fever-Tree Refreshingly Light Indian Tonic lists fructose, and Fentimans Naturally Light Tonic lists sugar. Look for the explicit claim on the product you intend to serve.
Offer an unsweetened soda water alongside the flavoured mixers. Fentimans Soda Water lists carbonated water, salt and sodium bicarbonate and has 0g sugar per 100ml; guests can add their own citrus or garnish.
Yes, if a guest avoids quinine or has raised a concern about it, offer soda water or lemonade instead of tonic. The electronic Medicines Compendium’s quinine sulphate leaflet mentions quinine in tonic water when discussing quinine allergy; guests with a medicine-related question should ask a pharmacist or clinician.
Follow each bottle’s label. The M&S Diet Indian Tonic and Tesco No Added Sugar Cloudy Lemonade listings instruct shoppers to refrigerate after opening and consume within three days, so factor that into how much you open for the group.