People taking lunch to work or travelling
A cordial concentrate is an option if you can carry a bottle securely and have water and something to mix the drink in, or can dilute it before you leave.
Who is this for?
People comparing sugars in drinks
The no-added-sugar wording does not replace the nutrition panel. Compare the sugars in the drink as prepared, using the same serving size or per 100ml basis.
Buyers with ingredient requirements
Check the exact flavour and format for its sweeteners, allergens and any pack warnings. These details can differ between cordials, including products from the same brand.
What should you check?
Start with the drink you will actually make, then decide whether its preparation and ingredients fit your lunch routine.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars in the diluted drink | Read sugars and energy per 100ml or per stated serving after dilution. Compare figures only when the preparation and portion bases match. | I want to know what is in the drink I will have with lunch, rather than relying on the no-added-sugar wording. |
| Mixing at lunch | Check the concentrate-to-water ratio and stated servings per bottle. Robinsons Summer Fruits and Double Concentrate Orange labels shown by Tesco Groceries specify 1:4 and 1:9 respectively; the ratios are product-specific. | If I cannot get water at lunchtime, I need to dilute the cordial before leaving rather than carry concentrate as though it were ready to drink. |
| Ingredients and warnings | Read the sweetener and allergen lists on the exact pack, along with any warning that applies to that formulation. | A particular sweetener or ingredient matters to me, so the flavour name and sugar claim are not enough to make my choice. |
Common buying mistakes
-
Reading “no added sugar” as “no sugar”
The claim concerns added sugar; it does not, on its own, tell you the total sugars in a prepared drink.
Check the sugars figure after dilution, using the same portion size or per 100ml basis when comparing bottles.
-
Judging servings by bottle size alone
Concentrates can require different amounts of water. Tesco Groceries lists 20 servings at 1:4 for Robinsons Summer Fruits 1L and 40 at 1:9 for Robinsons Double Concentrate Orange 1L.
Use the directions for the exact bottle to plan how much water and cordial to bring.
-
Skipping the ingredient list
No-added-sugar cordials need not use the same sweetener or have the same allergen declaration. For example, Tesco Groceries lists steviol glycosides for Belvoir Farm Sicilian Lemon & Lime and barley for Vimto No Added Sugar Mixed.
Read the current pack for the flavour and format you intend to buy, particularly if an ingredient or warning matters to you.
Brand and product-line references
These label examples show why the exact cordial matters more than a brand-wide assumption.
Robinsons
Its cited Summer Fruits standard-strength and Double Concentrate Orange bottles have different mixing directions and serving yields.
- Tesco Groceries lists 20 servings at 1:4 for Summer Fruits No Added Sugar Squash 1L.
- The cited Double Concentrate Orange 1L specifies 40 servings at 1:9; do not apply that ratio to another Robinsons orange variant.
Sainsbury's
Its cited no-added-sugar lime cordial is a 1L option for buyers comparing a stated mixing ratio and yield.
- Sainsbury's lists 20 servings when its Lime Cordial No Added Sugar 1L is mixed one part cordial to four parts water.
- It still needs water and a bottle or cup for a drink prepared at lunchtime.
Tesco
The Tesco Lime Cordial listing provides a diluted-drink sugars figure for label-led comparison.
- Tesco Groceries states 0.2g sugars when the cordial is diluted according to its instructions.
- Check the serving size and preparation basis on the current label before comparing that figure with another cordial.
Joybuy cordial options
These Joybuy options are no-added-sugar squash concentrates in fruit flavours. For a lunch drink, check each pack's mixing directions and prepared-drink nutrition before choosing.
No image available
Robinsons No Added Sugar Summer Fruits Squash 1L
This Summer Fruits concentrate suits a lunch you can mix with water. The matching Robinsons label shown by Tesco Groceries specifies one part squash to four parts water and 20 servings per bottle; check the current pack for ingredients and storage directions.
No image available
Robinsons No Added Sugar Orange Squash 1L
This 1L orange squash is a concentrate to prepare with water for lunch. Check its own mixing directions and servings per bottle; do not assume they match the separately labelled Robinsons Double Concentrate Orange.
No image available
Ribena Concentrated Blackcurrant No Added Sugar 1.5L
This blackcurrant concentrate is a 1.5L option if you can prepare a drink with water. Read the pack's dilution directions and nutrition for the prepared drink; an undiluted figure is not a like-for-like comparison with a diluted serving.
No image available
Robinsons No Added Sugar Real Fruit Lemon Juice Squash 1L
This 1L lemon squash offers another flavour to prepare for lunch. Check the exact dilution ratio, sugars in the prepared drink and any ingredient warnings on its pack before choosing it for your routine.
Questions about cordial for lunch
Does “no added sugar” mean a cordial contains no sugar?
No. The claim concerns added sugar, not a guarantee of zero total sugars. Read the nutrition panel for the cordial as diluted to see the sugars in the drink you will make.
How can I compare two cordials for a lunch drink?
Compare sugars and energy for the same volume of prepared drink, then check each bottle's dilution ratio. The cited Robinsons labels shown by Tesco Groceries specify different ratios—1:4 for Summer Fruits and 1:9 for Double Concentrate Orange—so bottle volume alone does not tell you the serving yield.
Can I drink cordial straight from the bottle at lunch?
The concentrates discussed here are intended to be diluted. Follow the directions on the exact bottle and either bring water and something to mix in or prepare the drink before leaving.
Which ingredient details matter when choosing a flavour?
Check sweeteners, allergens and any warnings on the current pack for that flavour. Formulations differ: Tesco Groceries lists steviol glycosides for Belvoir Farm No Added Sugar Sicilian Lemon & Lime Cordial and barley for Vimto No Added Sugar Mixed.