Choose plain sparkling spring or mineral water if you want an unsweetened drink that guests can have on its own or use as a mixer. A no-added-sugar fruit drink offers a different flavour, but the claim does not mean zero sugars: M&S Juicy Apple and Elderflower, for example, lists 6.6g sugars per 100g. Check the ingredients, nutrition panel and pack size before choosing for your street party.
Plain sparkling water works for guests who want a fizzy drink without added sugar, whether they drink it on its own, add a garnish or use it as a mixer. Choose the bottle size according to whether guests will pour from a shared table or pick up individual portions.
A fruit-based sparkling drink gives guests a different flavour, but check its total sugars rather than relying on a no-added-sugar claim. M&S Juicy Apple and Elderflower lists 6.6g sugars per 100g.
Do not treat no-added-sugar fizz as neutral for teeth. Thames Valley Community Dental Services identifies fizzy and fruit-flavoured drinks among acidic drinks and advises reducing how often they are consumed. Include still water among the refreshments.
Decide whether the drink needs to be plain, fruity or sweet-tasting, then check its label and serving format. These are different choices even when each is described as having no added sugar.
Choose it when: You want an unsweetened drink to serve plain or as a mixer.
Bear in mind: It has no fruit flavour of its own; offer a garnish or another drink if guests want one.
Choose it when: Fruit flavour matters more than a zero-sugars value.
Bear in mind: No added sugar does not exclude naturally occurring sugars; M&S Juicy Apple and Elderflower lists 6.6g sugars per 100g.
Choose it when: You want a sweet-tasting fizzy option rather than plain water.
Bear in mind: Check for sweeteners and sugars in the ingredients and nutrition panel; a no-added-sugar claim does not describe the whole recipe.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Total sugars | Read the “of which sugars” value as well as any no-added-sugar claim. Check for juice in fruit-based drinks; M&S Juicy Apple and Elderflower lists 6.6g sugars per 100g. | I want to know whether the drink contains sugars at all, not just whether sugar has been added. |
| Drink type | Compare the ingredient list with the name on the front. Plain water and carbon dioxide differ from recipes containing juice, flavourings or sweeteners. | For an unflavoured mixer, I would choose plain sparkling water. If guests want a fruitier or sweeter drink, I would check that option separately. |
| Serving format | Check bottle volume, bottles per pack, closure and container material. The reviewed formats include six 1L bottles and eight 500ml bottles; check any venue rules on glass. | Will guests pour from a drinks station, or do they need a bottle they can carry? |
| Frequent sipping | Thames Valley Community Dental Services identifies fizzy and fruit-flavoured drinks among acidic drinks and advises reducing how often they are consumed. | For a long gathering, I would put still water alongside the fizzy choices rather than assume a no-added-sugar label settles every consideration. |
A drink can contain naturally occurring sugars without having sugar added. M&S Juicy Apple and Elderflower is labelled no added sugar but lists 6.6g sugars per 100g.
Read the “of which sugars” value on the nutrition panel. If zero sugars is the requirement, do not rely on the front-of-pack claim alone.
Plain water, juice-based drinks and sweet-tasting soft drinks have different ingredients, even when they are all sparkling.
Check the ingredients for water and carbon dioxide, juice or sweeteners, depending on the kind of drink you intend to serve.
A six-pack of 1L bottles suits shared pouring differently from an eight-pack of 500ml bottles that guests can pick up individually.
Decide how guests will help themselves, then check bottle size, container material and any venue restrictions.
Thames Valley Community Dental Services identifies fizzy and fruit-flavoured drinks as acidic drinks and advises reducing how often they are consumed.
Offer still water as another choice, especially at a gathering where guests may sip drinks over several hours.
A plain sparkling spring-water option for hosts choosing an unflavoured drink.
Plain sparkling mineral water is listed in larger sharing bottles and individual-bottle multipacks.
A plain carbonated mineral-water option.
A retailer listing several plain sparkling-water multipacks.
A retailer with plain sparkling-water formats and flavoured sparkling drinks.
These Joybuy options are plain sparkling-water multipacks for shared pouring or individual self-service at a street party. Choose the format that suits your setup, and check the current label if a confirmed sugars value matters to you.
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Six 500ml bottles give guests individual portions. The listing names natural mineral water and carbon dioxide as ingredients and gives 0g sugars per 100ml.
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Six 1L bottles suit a table where guests pour their own drinks. Joybuy lists natural mineral water and carbon dioxide as ingredients and 0g sugars per 100ml; keep opened bottles sealed between servings to maintain carbonation.
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Eight 500ml bottles provide individual portions for self-service. The listing identifies carbonated natural mineral water and gives 0g sugars per 100ml.
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Eight 500ml bottles suit individual self-service. A Waitrose listing for Highland Spring sparkling spring water in this pack format states no sugar and no calories; check the current pack label if that value is essential to your choice.
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Six 1L bottles provide a larger format for shared pouring. The product is described as natural sparkling water; check the current nutrition panel if you require a confirmed 0g sugars value.
No. A no-added-sugar drink can still contain naturally occurring sugars. M&S Juicy Apple and Elderflower contains apple juice from concentrate and lists 6.6g sugars per 100g, so check the nutrition panel as well as the claim.
A Waitrose listing for Highland Spring 8x500ml states no sugar, Perrier describes its carbonated mineral water as having no sugar, and Joybuy lists 0g sugars per 100ml for San Pellegrino 6x1L. Check the label of the particular pack you buy.
Choose larger bottles if guests will pour from a shared table; individual bottles suit self-service and carrying. The options here include 1L and 500ml bottles. Check the venue's rules on glass and plan how opened bottles will be handled.
No. Thames Valley Community Dental Services identifies fizzy and fruit-flavoured drinks among acidic drinks and advises reducing how often they are consumed. Offer still water too, particularly if guests will be sipping throughout a long event.
Check the ingredients for juice and sweeteners, then read the “of which sugars” value and its stated measurement basis. Also check the pack size and any venue restrictions on its container before buying for the party.