Picnic planners reducing free sugars
If you want a flavoured drink with no added sugar, compare nutrition for the prepared drink rather than judging a concentrate by its front label alone.
Who is this for?
Families mixing drinks from a bottle or jug
A concentrate lets you prepare glasses at the picnic. Check the dilution instructions, planned servings and water you will need to carry.
Shoppers checking particular ingredients
If sweeteners or sulphites matter to your group, read the current bottle label: no-added-sugar drinks do not all use the same ingredients.
What should you check?
Choose the flavour and format your group will use, then check the prepared-drink nutrition, ingredients and mixing instructions for that specific bottle.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars in the drink | Look for the individual product’s no-added-sugar claim, then compare sugars per 100 ml or per serving at its stated dilution. No added sugar does not necessarily mean 0 g sugars. | I want a flavoured picnic drink while reducing free sugars. The NHS names sugar-free, diet and no-added-sugar drinks as alternatives to sugary squash. |
| Ingredients | Read the sweetener list and allergen declaration on the bottle. Formulations differ: Tesco’s no-added-sugar lime cordial lists sucralose and acesulfame K, while the Belvoir Cherries & Berries cordial listed by Waitrose & Partners uses steviol glycosides. | Someone in my group needs to check a particular sweetener or sulphites, so a general diet claim is not enough. |
| Dilution and servings | Follow the stated concentrate-to-water ratio and use the pack’s serving information to plan your water. The Vimto squash listed by Waitrose & Partners specifies one part concentrate to four parts water; ratios vary by product. | We will be making drinks away from home, and I need enough water for the number of glasses planned. |
| Storage after opening | Check whether the opened bottle needs chilling and whether it has a use-within period. Waitrose & Partners lists refrigeration after opening and use within three weeks for Belvoir Cherries & Berries cordial; follow the instructions for your own bottle. | I may take an opened bottle home and want to store what remains as its label directs. |
Picnic packing mistakes to avoid
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Assuming every fruit cordial has no added sugar
Cordial describes a type of drink, not its sugar content. Robinsons says its classic Cordials and Barley Waters are ranges with added sugar.
Check the claim on the particular bottle and compare sugars for the prepared drink.
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Planning glasses without checking dilution
Products have different mixing instructions, so bottle volume alone will not tell you how much water to pack or what the nutrition per prepared glass represents.
Read the ratio and serving information before leaving, and take the water separately.
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Assuming diet drinks use the same ingredients
No-added-sugar products can use different sweeteners, and some list sulphites. Aspartame is a source of phenylalanine, which matters for people with phenylketonuria (PKU).
Check the current ingredients and allergen declaration for each bottle before serving it to someone with a relevant dietary requirement.
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Using an online listing instead of the bottle label
A product’s formulation or labelling can change, which matters when someone needs to avoid an ingredient.
Use a listing to narrow your choices, then check the bottle in hand before mixing the drink.
Brand and own-label references
Robinsons
Robinsons offers no-added-sugar squash as well as conventional cordials; the range name alone does not identify the sugar content of a particular bottle.
- Robinsons states that its Apple & Blackcurrant Double Concentrate provides twice the servings of its single concentrate.
- Robinsons says its classic Barley Waters and Cordials are ranges with added sugar. Check the ingredients of the exact variant you choose.
Belvoir Farm
The Belvoir Cherries & Berries cordial listed by Waitrose & Partners is a no-added-sugar option for shoppers who prefer a cordial-style fruit flavour.
- That listing gives 1.1 g sugars per 100 ml when diluted 1:6 and names steviol glycosides as the sweetener.
- The same product requires refrigeration after opening and use within three weeks; those instructions are specific to this variant.
Vimto
The 2 L no-added-sugar mixed-fruit squash listed by Waitrose & Partners is a squash concentrate rather than a traditional cordial.
- Its listing specifies one part concentrate to four parts water and 0.8 g sugars per prepared 250 ml serving.
- It lists sucralose and acesulfame K; check the bottle if ingredients matter to your group.
Tesco
Tesco’s own-label no-added-sugar lime cordial is a citrus option with nutrition stated for a prepared glass.
- Tesco Groceries lists 0.2 g sugars per prepared 250 ml glass.
- Its listed ingredients include sucralose, acesulfame K and sodium metabisulphite; check the current label before serving.
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's own-label no-added-sugar lime cordial is another citrus concentrate with product-specific ingredients and nutrition.
- Sainsbury's lists 30% lime juice from concentrate and less than 0.5 g sugars per 250 ml serving.
- The listed ingredients include sucralose and sodium metabisulphite; check the bottle you buy.
No-added-sugar squash options on Joybuy
These are squash concentrates for the no-added-sugar picnic-drink route. They vary in flavour and pack size; use each bottle’s instructions to plan the drink you will serve.
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Robinsons No Added Sugar Summer Fruits Squash, 6 × 1 L
The six-bottle pack gives a group several bottles of summer-fruit squash to mix at the picnic. Check the dilution instructions before calculating how much water to take, and read the current label if aspartame or sulphites matter to anyone drinking it.
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Ribena Concentrated Blackcurrant No Added Sugar, 1.5 L
This 1.5 L blackcurrant concentrate is an option if you want to carry one bottle for mixing at the picnic. Follow its bottle’s dilution and opened-storage instructions; check prepared-drink nutrition and the ingredient label if you are comparing dietary requirements.
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Robinsons No Added Sugar Orange Squash, 1 L
This 1 L orange squash suits a picnic group looking for an orange-flavoured no-added-sugar concentrate. Check the water ratio before planning servings and the current bottle’s ingredient and age guidance before serving it to young children.
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Robinsons No Added Sugar Real Fruit Lemon Juice Squash, 6 × 1 L
The six 1 L bottles offer a lemon-flavoured concentrate for a group picnic. Read the dilution instructions before planning water and servings, and check the current label for aspartame and phenylalanine information if someone in the group has PKU.
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Robinsons No Added Sugar Summer Fruits Squash, 1 L
This single 1 L bottle is a summer-fruit squash option if you do not need a multipack. Check its dilution instructions when packing water, and follow the current label’s ingredient and opened-storage directions.
Common questions
Does no added sugar mean a cordial contains no sugar?
No. Check the sugars figure for the prepared drink: the Belvoir Cherries & Berries cordial listed by Waitrose & Partners has 1.1 g sugars per 100 ml when diluted 1:6, despite its no-added-sugar claim. Do not treat that claim as a 0 g sugars figure.
Should I compare the concentrate or the drink as served?
Compare nutrition for drinks prepared at each product’s instructed dilution. For example, the Vimto no-added-sugar squash listed by Waitrose & Partners specifies one part concentrate to four parts water, while its prepared-serving sugars figure applies to a 250 ml drink.
What if someone needs to avoid aspartame or sulphites?
Check the ingredients and allergen information on the exact bottle before serving. Products differ: the Robinsons Orange squash listed by Tesco Groceries contains aspartame and sodium metabisulphite, while Tesco and Sainsbury's list sodium metabisulphite in their respective lime cordials. The Food Standards Agency identifies aspartame as a source of phenylalanine relevant to people with PKU.
How should I store cordial after the picnic?
Follow the opened-storage instructions on your bottle. Waitrose & Partners lists refrigeration after opening and use within three weeks for Belvoir Cherries & Berries cordial; that period should not be applied to a different product.
Is fruit cordial automatically a no-added-sugar choice?
No. Robinsons says its classic Cordials and Barley Waters are ranges with added sugar. Check the particular product’s claim, ingredients and nutrition for the drink at its instructed dilution rather than relying on its fruit flavour or the word cordial.