Who needs to check the label?

Travellers seeking a no-added-sugar drink

If the precise claim matters to you, check for ‘no added sugar’ on the mixer rather than treating ‘light’ or ‘zero sugar’ as the same wording. Then read the ingredients to see how it is sweetened.

Travellers avoiding particular sweeteners

A sugar claim does not settle this choice. Marks & Spencer lists sucralose in its Diet Indian Tonic Water, while cited Schweppes Slimline ingredient lists include aspartame. Check the ingredients on the pack you intend to buy.

Travellers carrying only hand luggage

If you want to bring a drink for airport food, container size affects whether you can take it through security. GOV.UK says containers larger than 100ml cannot pass security at most UK airports, even when partly full; check the rules for your journey.

What matters when choosing a mixer?

Start with the claim you actually need, then check the ingredients, nutrition panel and container size as separate decisions.

Priority What to check Your needs
Claim wording Look for an explicit ‘no added sugar’ claim if that exact wording is required. Do not substitute ‘light’ or ‘low calorie’ without checking the pack. I want a mixer labelled ‘no added sugar’, not simply one marketed as light.
Sugars and sweeteners Read the sugars figure and its per-100ml or per-100g basis, then check the ingredients. Marks & Spencer lists less than 0.1g sugars per 100g and sucralose for its Diet Indian Tonic Water; cited Schweppes Slimline listings show 0g sugars per 100ml and include aspartame. Zero declared sugar may suit me, but I also need to know whether the particular drink contains a sweetener I avoid.
Light alternatives Check the named variety rather than relying on ‘light’. Fever-Tree lists fructose in Refreshingly Light Indian Tonic; Fentimans described its Light range in 2019 as lower sugar, at 4.8g per 100ml. I am comparing lighter-sounding options, but I will check whether each one meets my actual sugar requirement.
Airport security Check the container volume and the rules at your departing and any transit airport. GOV.UK says containers over 100ml cannot pass security at most UK airports, even if partly full. If I am travelling with hand luggage, I need to decide whether to bring a compliant container or buy my mixer after security.

What is easy to overlook?

  • Assuming ‘light’ means ‘no added sugar’

    The words answer different questions. Fever-Tree’s Refreshingly Light Indian Tonic lists fructose, while Fentimans described its Light range as lower sugar rather than sugar-free.

    If the exact claim matters, find ‘no added sugar’ on the current pack and check its ingredients and nutrition panel.

  • Stopping at the sugar claim

    A mixer labelled ‘no added sugar’ can still contain a sweetener: Marks & Spencer lists sucralose in its Diet Indian Tonic Water. Cited Schweppes Slimline listings include aspartame.

    Read the current ingredient list if you want to avoid a particular sweetener.

  • Buying a large mixer before reaching the airport

    GOV.UK says a container over 100ml cannot pass security at most UK airports even if it is partly full. That matters for a 150ml can as well as a larger bottle.

    Check the airport’s current liquid rules before travelling, or plan to purchase a larger drink after security.

Which brands illustrate the differences?

These named varieties show why the claim and ingredients need separate checks; a brand’s wider range may differ.

M&S

Diet Indian Tonic Water is an example for shoppers who require an explicit ‘no added sugar’ claim.

  • Marks & Spencer states ‘no added sugar’ and lists less than 0.1g sugars per 100g for this product.
  • Its ingredients include sucralose; the cited bottle is 1 litre, above the usual pre-security container limit at most UK airports.

Schweppes

Slimline Tonic is a different route when zero declared sugar matters more than finding the exact ‘no added sugar’ wording.

  • One Stop and Tesco list 0g sugars per 100ml for the cited Slimline Tonic listings.
  • Their ingredient lists include aspartame; Tesco’s listing also includes acesulfame K. Check the particular pack’s label.

Skinny Tonic

Booths describes this tonic range as having zero sugars and zero artificial ingredients.

  • Booths identifies an Indian tonic variety in an 8x150ml format.
  • Check the current pack’s ingredients and nutrition panel if either claim is decisive for you. A 150ml container exceeds the limit GOV.UK describes for most UK airport security checkpoints.

Fever-Tree

Refreshingly Light Indian Tonic is worth distinguishing from products that explicitly claim ‘no added sugar’.

  • Fever-Tree’s ingredient text lists fructose. Do not use the word ‘light’ alone to decide whether it meets a no-added-sugar requirement.

Fentimans

Fentimans described its Light range in 2019 as a lower-sugar option without artificial sweeteners.

  • The brand stated a sugar figure of 4.8g per 100ml for that range at the time.
  • Lower sugar is not the same as an explicit no-added-sugar claim; check the current variety and label.

Joybuy mixer options

This Schweppes Slimline pack is an option to consider if you want tonic with airport food and are checking a zero-sugar slimline variety rather than requiring the exact ‘no added sugar’ claim.

Schweppes Slimline Tonic Water 12x150ml pack

Schweppes Slimline Tonic Water 12x150ml

For a slimline tonic to have with airport food, check the current cans’ sugar declaration and ingredients against your preferences. This pack contains twelve 150ml cans; according to GOV.UK, a container of that size cannot pass security at most UK airports, so check your airport’s rules before bringing it from home.

View on Joybuy

Common questions

Does ‘no added sugar’ mean a mixer has no sweetener?

No. Marks & Spencer labels its Diet Indian Tonic Water ‘no added sugar’ but lists sucralose, while Sainsbury’s describes its No Added Sugar Orangeade as containing sweetener. Check the ingredients if sweeteners matter to your choice.

Can I take a normal can or bottle of mixer through UK airport security?

At most UK airports, not if its container holds more than 100ml. GOV.UK says the limit applies even when the container is partly full; check the rules at your departing and any transit airport before travelling.

Is a ‘light’ tonic suitable when I require no added sugar?

Do not assume so from ‘light’ alone. Fever-Tree lists fructose in its Refreshingly Light Indian Tonic, and Fentimans described its Light range in 2019 as lower sugar. Look for the specific claim you require and read the current ingredients.

What if I want to avoid artificial sweeteners?

Check the ingredients on each pack rather than relying on a sugar claim. Cited Schweppes Slimline listings include aspartame, and M&S Diet Indian Tonic Water lists sucralose. Booths describes Skinny Tonic as having zero artificial ingredients, but check its current pack before choosing it on that basis.