Shoppers cutting down on free sugars
If you want a flavoured drink with an evening meal, the NHS suggests choosing sugar-free, diet or no-added-sugar drinks instead of sugary squash when cutting down on sugar.
Who is this for?
People comparing cordial labels
If you are choosing between no-added-sugar and fruit-led drinks, compare sugars in the prepared drink. A front-label claim alone will not tell you whether the diluted drink contains sugars.
Shoppers checking ingredients carefully
If a particular sweetener or allergen matters to you, check the exact bottle. The cordial and squash labels cited by Tesco Groceries and Sainsbury’s list different sweeteners, while some also declare sulphites or barley.
What should you check?
Start with the prepared-drink nutrition, then check the ingredients and mixing instructions for the bottle you intend to serve.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars after dilution | Read sugars and energy for the prepared drink. Note the serving size and dilution ratio before comparing labels; no added sugar does not mean zero sugar. | I want a flavoured dinner drink without adding much sugar to the meal. Waitrose & Partners lists 1.1g sugars per 100ml diluted for Belvoir Cherries & Berries No Added Sugar, so the claim is not a zero-sugar figure. |
| Sweeteners and allergens | Read the ingredients and allergen declarations on the exact pack. Check sweetener names and any sulphites or barley if they affect your choice. | A particular ingredient may rule out a drink for me. The Food Standards Agency identifies sulphites as a potential risk for people with sulphite sensitivity; Tesco Groceries lists barley in Vimto No Added Sugar Squash. |
| Mixing strength | Follow the bottle’s concentrate-to-water ratio. For example, Tesco Groceries lists 1:9 for Robinsons Double Strength Blackcurrant, while Sainsbury’s lists 1:4 for its Lime Cordial No Added Sugar. | I want to mix my drink at the strength used for its stated nutrition values, rather than use the same measure for every cordial. |
| Storage after opening | Check whether the opened bottle needs refrigeration and how long its label says to use it within. | If I serve cordial only occasionally with dinner, I want a bottle size and storage instruction that fit how quickly I will use it. Waitrose & Partners says to refrigerate Belvoir Cherries & Berries after opening and use it within three weeks. |
Common label and mixing mistakes
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Reading “no added sugar” as “zero sugar”
Sugars from fruit ingredients can remain in the diluted drink. Waitrose & Partners lists 1.1g sugars per 100ml diluted for Belvoir Cherries & Berries No Added Sugar.
Check the sugars line for the prepared drink rather than relying on the front of the bottle.
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Using one mixing ratio for every bottle
Different concentrates specify different amounts of water, so a familiar measure may not produce the drink described by another bottle’s nutrition panel.
Follow the dilution instruction for the cordial you are serving and compare labels on their stated prepared-drink basis.
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Skipping the ingredient and allergen list
No-added-sugar products can contain different sweeteners and allergens. The Food Standards Agency identifies sulphites as a potential risk for people with sulphite sensitivity.
Check the current pack for ingredients and allergen declarations that matter to you before serving.
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Relying on a previously viewed product listing
Ingredients and instructions on a listing may differ from those on the bottle you buy.
Use the physical label for the final ingredient, dilution and storage checks.
Brand and product-line references
Robinsons
Its Double Strength Blackcurrant No Added Sugar squash is a concentrated option for shoppers comparing sugars per prepared serving.
- Tesco Groceries lists 0g sugars and 3kcal per 250ml diluted serving, using one part concentrate to nine parts water.
- The listed ingredients include acesulfame K, sucralose and sulphites.
Sainsbury’s
Its Lime Cordial No Added Sugar offers a citrus option to compare on the prepared-drink label.
- Sainsbury’s lists 30% lime juice from concentrate and less than 0.5g sugars per 250ml serving diluted one part cordial to four parts water.
- The listed ingredients include sucralose and sodium metabisulphite (sulphites).
Belvoir Farm
Cherries & Berries No Added Sugar is a fruit-led cordial using steviol glycosides from stevia.
- Waitrose & Partners lists 5kcal and 1.1g sugars per 100ml diluted at a 1:6 ratio.
- It is not a zero-sugar drink; the listed storage instruction is to refrigerate after opening and use within three weeks.
Vimto
Its No Added Sugar Squash is a mixed-fruit option whose label also lists vitamins C and D.
- Tesco Groceries lists 0.8g sugars and 5kcal per 250ml serving, diluted one part squash to four parts water.
- The product lists barley, sucralose and acesulfame K.
M&S
Sicilian Lemon and Mexican Lime Cordial is a citrus option to consider if a no-added-sugar claim is not essential.
- Marks & Spencer lists lemon and lime juices among its ingredients.
- It also lists sugar and declares 4.9g sugars per 100g; that figure is not a prepared-drink serving value.
Joybuy cordial option
This lemon-flavoured no-added-sugar squash is an option for mixing a drink to serve with a TV dinner. Check its prepared-drink label before comparing its sugars with other cordials.
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Robinsons No Added Sugar Lemon Squash, 6 × 1L
A lemon-flavoured squash concentrate for mixing a drink with dinner. The pack contains six 1L bottles; check the bottle for prepared-drink sugars, dilution instructions and ingredients before choosing it.
Questions about cordial
Does “no added sugar” mean zero sugar?
No. Sugars can remain in a no-added-sugar cordial: Waitrose & Partners lists 1.1g sugars per 100ml diluted for Belvoir Cherries & Berries No Added Sugar. Read the prepared-drink sugars figure for the bottle you are considering.
Which nutrition figure should I compare for a TV-dinner drink?
Compare sugars and energy for the drink as prepared, noting the serving size and each maker’s dilution instruction. Tesco Groceries specifies 1:9 for Robinsons Double Strength Blackcurrant, while Sainsbury’s specifies 1:4 for its Lime Cordial No Added Sugar; a concentrate figure is not interchangeable with a diluted-drink figure.
Do no-added-sugar cordials use the same sweeteners?
No. Sainsbury’s Lime Cordial No Added Sugar lists sucralose; Tesco Groceries lists sucralose and acesulfame K for Robinsons Double Strength Blackcurrant and Vimto No Added Sugar Squash. Waitrose & Partners lists steviol glycosides for Belvoir Cherries & Berries. Check the exact pack if a sweetener affects your choice.
Which allergens should I check?
Check the exact product label for declared allergens, including sulphites and barley where relevant. Sainsbury’s Lime Cordial and Robinsons Double Strength Blackcurrant list sulphites, while Tesco Groceries lists barley in Vimto No Added Sugar Squash. The Food Standards Agency identifies sulphites as a potential risk for people with sulphite sensitivity.
Should cordial go in the fridge after opening?
Follow the instruction on the bottle rather than assuming all cordials store alike. Waitrose & Partners says to refrigerate Belvoir Cherries & Berries after opening and use it within three weeks.