Travellers avoiding added sugar
A no-added-sugar label helps narrow the choice, but the nutrition table tells you whether the prepared drink contains sugars.
Who is this for?
Travellers short on bag space
A concentrate may suit you if you will have water and a suitable bottle or cup. Check the bottle size as well as how much water the drink needs.
Flavour-first cordial buyers
If citrus, berry or botanical flavours drive your choice, check the exact product label before assuming it also meets a no-added-sugar preference.
What should you check?
Start with whether you can mix a drink during the journey. Then compare labels, flavour and the bottle or carton you would actually carry.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Added sugar | Read the exact no-added-sugar claim and the sugars figure for the prepared drink. The Food Standards Agency distinguishes no added sugar from an absence of naturally occurring sugars. | I want to avoid added sugar without assuming the diluted drink contains no sugars. |
| Flavour | Compare the named flavour and ingredient list, including any sweetener. Tesco describes its listed Belvoir Farm Sicilian Lemon & Lime cordial as sweetened with stevia. | If a flavour or sweetener is unfamiliar, I would rather check the label than choose on the no-added-sugar claim alone. |
| Dilution | Check the mixing directions, the water you will have and whether you can use a bottle or cup. Waitrose lists its Belvoir Farm Cherries & Berries cordial at one part cordial to six parts water. | I need a drink I can prepare conveniently; otherwise, a pre-mixed option makes more sense for this journey. |
| Carrying it | Compare pack size and how securely you can carry an opened bottle or a prepared drink. Check whether a carton is sold singly or as a multipack. | With limited bag space, I want to choose what I will take on the train, not just the format I would keep at home. |
Common buying mistakes
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Treating ‘no added sugar’ as ‘sugar-free’
Naturally occurring sugars can remain. The Waitrose-listed Belvoir Farm Cherries & Berries cordial declares 1.1 g sugars per 100 ml when diluted one part to six parts water.
Read the claim alongside the nutrition table, using the figures for the drink as prepared.
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Packing concentrate without a way to mix it
Cordial and squash concentrates need water. A small bottle is less useful on the train if you have no convenient way to prepare the drink.
Plan to carry a suitable bottle or cup and water, or mix the drink before leaving.
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Judging every bottle by its brand name
Robinsons says its Family Favourites squash has no added sugar, while its classic cordials and barley waters are ranges with added sugar. The product line matters.
Check the wording on the exact bottle, including its ingredients and dilution directions.
Brands and retailers to recognise
These references help distinguish product lines and labels; a brand name alone does not establish a drink’s sugar content.
Robinsons
Robinsons describes its Family Favourites squash as having no added sugar and being mixed with water.
- The range provides a no-added-sugar squash route for travellers who can dilute a concentrate.
- Robinsons says its classic cordials and barley waters are ranges with added sugar, so check the exact line.
Belvoir Farm
UK retailer listings identify no-added-sugar Belvoir Farm cordials in Sicilian Lemon & Lime and Cherries & Berries flavours.
- Tesco describes the Lemon & Lime cordial as sweetened with stevia; Waitrose gives a one-to-six dilution direction for Cherries & Berries.
- Check the chosen flavour’s own ingredients and prepared-drink nutrition rather than transferring details between bottles.
Tesco
Tesco’s cordial search listings include both no-added-sugar squash and a no-added-sugar Belvoir Farm cordial.
- The listings provide different drink types to compare by format and exact label.
- Check the current bottle details and availability before making a journey-day plan.
Waitrose
Waitrose lists no-added-sugar squash and cordial, including a Belvoir Farm Cherries & Berries product with diluted nutrition information.
- Its Cherries & Berries listing states the dilution ratio and sugars per 100 ml of prepared drink.
- Those figures describe that product, not every cordial in the retailer’s range.
M&S
M&S describes its cordials as drinks to dilute with still or sparkling water.
- Its cordial range offers another route when flavour is the main consideration.
- Check the specific bottle for a no-added-sugar claim if that is part of your decision.
Joybuy options for the journey
These options include no-added-sugar squash concentrates for journeys where you can mix a drink, plus ready-to-drink cartons for a journey where you would rather not dilute one.
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Ribena No Added Sugar Blackcurrant Concentrate 1.5L
A blackcurrant concentrate to consider if you will have water for mixing. The 1.5L bottle may take more bag space than a smaller format; check how you would carry it.
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Robinsons No Added Sugar Orange Squash 1L
An orange squash concentrate for a journey where you can add water. Check the bottle’s dilution directions and prepared-drink nutrition when deciding how much to take.
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Ribena No Added Sugar Pineapple and Passion Fruit Squash 850ml
This fruit-flavoured squash is another concentrate option when water will be available. Check its mixing directions and nutrition for the prepared drink rather than judging sugars from the front label alone.
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Robinsons No Added Sugar Summer Fruits Squash 1L
A summer-fruit squash concentrate for travellers planning to mix their drink. Check the label for the dilution directions and sugars in the prepared drink if those details affect your choice.
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Ribena Strawberry No Added Sugar Cartons, 24 × 250ml
Ready-to-drink cartons avoid mixing a concentrate on the train. This is a 24-carton pack, not a single carton or a cordial concentrate; decide how many cartons you would carry.
Questions about cordial on trains
Does ‘no added sugar’ mean a cordial contains no sugar?
No. The Food Standards Agency notes that naturally occurring sugars can remain in a product labelled no added sugar. Waitrose lists 1.1 g sugars per 100 ml for its Belvoir Farm Cherries & Berries cordial when diluted one part cordial to six parts water.
How much drink does 500 ml of cordial make at a 1:6 dilution?
It makes 3.5 litres in total: 500 ml cordial mixed with 3 litres of water. That is the ratio Waitrose lists for its Belvoir Farm Cherries & Berries cordial; check the directions on any other bottle.
Should I take concentrate or mix my drink before boarding?
Take concentrate if you have a convenient way to add water during the journey. If you do not, mix it beforehand in a securely closed bottle or choose a ready-to-drink option.
Is a no-added-sugar cordial the same choice as water?
No: it is a flavoured drink with its own ingredients and prepared-drink nutrition. If sugars matter to your choice, check the diluted figures rather than relying on the front-of-pack claim; the NHS advises against having too much sugary food or drink.