Hosts avoiding added sugar
A shareable sparkling drink can sit alongside brunch food, but check whether guests would prefer plain water or a fruit-flavoured option that may contain naturally occurring sugar.
Who is choosing for brunch?
The useful distinction is whether guests want plain fizz, flavour without sweeteners, or a sweeter fruit-led drink.
Guests avoiding sweeteners
Plain sparkling water is one route. For flavour, S.Pellegrino describes its Essenza range as containing no sugars or sweeteners; check the label of the flavour you plan to serve.
Shoppers seeking a sweet-tasting alternative
Flavoured sparkling drinks may use juice, sweeteners or both. Compare the ingredients and sugars figure rather than relying on the front-of-pack claim.
What should you check?
Decide what “no added sugar” needs to mean for your table, then check the ingredients, sugars figure and serving format of the exact drink.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars claim | Compare “no added sugar” with the sugars figure per 100ml and per serving, where shown. Check for fruit juice and any statement about naturally occurring sugar. The Advertising Standards Authority and Committee of Advertising Practice distinguish the no-added-sugars claim from a claim of no sugars. | I need to know whether guests avoid added sugar or all sugars. Sanpellegrino says its Zero range has no added sugar but does contain naturally occurring sugar. |
| Sweeteners | Read the ingredients for named sweeteners. Tesco lists sucralose in its Apple & Raspberry and Lemon & Lime drinks; Marks & Spencer lists steviol glycosides in its Lemon & Lime sparkling water. | If someone wants flavour without sweeteners, I would check the exact S.Pellegrino Essenza label rather than assume every no-added-sugar drink meets that preference. |
| Serving format | Match bottle size and pack count to the number of guests. Highland Spring describes 500ml, 1.5L and 6x1L formats in its sparkling range; check storage instructions if bottles may be left open. | For a group, I may want bottles to share at the table; for separate portions, smaller bottles may be easier to serve. |
| Acidity | Do not treat a sugar-free claim as a claim that a fizzy drink is tooth-neutral. The NHS associates carbonated drinks with dental erosion because of their acid content, regardless of sugar or sweetener content. | I want a sparkling option with brunch, while keeping still water available for anyone who prefers it. |
Common buying mistakes
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Reading “no added sugar” as “no sugars” or “no sweeteners”
Fruit juice can contribute naturally occurring sugar, and a no-added-sugar drink can contain a sweetener. Sanpellegrino qualifies its Zero range as containing naturally occurring sugar, while Tesco lists sucralose in its flavoured sparkling drinks.
Read the front claim alongside the ingredients and the sugars figure on the nutrition label.
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Assuming sugar-free fizz is tooth-neutral
The NHS associates carbonated drinks with dental erosion because of acidity, whether or not they contain sugar or sweeteners.
Offer still water alongside sparkling drinks, particularly if guests want something to sip beyond the meal.
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Choosing a multipack without considering leftovers
A larger pack can be useful for several guests, but opened bottles need to be handled according to their own storage instructions.
Choose bottle sizes that suit how you plan to serve brunch, and check the pack’s after-opening guidance.
Brand and range references
These ranges illustrate different drink styles; the ingredient claims belong to the named products or ranges, not every drink made by each brand.
Highland Spring
Its sparkling spring-water range offers plain fizz in bottle and multipack formats.
- Highland Spring describes the water as having nothing added but bubbles and lists a 1.5L sharing bottle and a 6x1L multipack.
- It is not fruit-flavoured. Highland Spring reports a pH of around 4–5 for its sparkling water.
S.Pellegrino
The Essenza range is a flavoured sparkling mineral-water option.
- S.Pellegrino describes Essenza as containing no sugars, sweeteners or calories.
- Check the ingredients and pack details of the particular flavour you intend to buy.
Perrier
Its plain carbonated mineral water is an alternative to a flavoured brunch drink.
- Perrier states that its carbonated mineral water contains no sugar and zero calories.
- It does not provide fruit flavour; check the details of the particular pack when shopping.
Tesco
Its Apple & Raspberry and Lemon & Lime no-added-sugar sparkling drinks come in 4x500ml packs.
- The product ingredient lists identify fruit juice from concentrate and sucralose, making the sweetener straightforward to check.
- Neither listed variant meets a no-sweetener preference; compare each flavour’s sugars figure separately.
M&S
Its Lemon & Lime Sparkling Water is described as sugar-free.
- Marks & Spencer identifies steviol glycosides from stevia as its sweetener.
- Sugar-free does not mean sweetener-free in this product.
Sanpellegrino
Its Zero range is a fruit-juice-led sparkling drink rather than plain sparkling water.
- Sanpellegrino says the range uses Italian fruit juice and has zero grams of added sugar.
- The brand also states that it contains naturally occurring sugar, so it does not meet a no-sugars requirement.
Plain sparkling water on Joybuy
These options are plain sparkling spring or mineral waters for guests who want unflavoured fizz. Choose between smaller bottles and larger multipack bottles according to how you will serve brunch.
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Highland Spring Sparkling Spring Water 8x500ml
Plain sparkling spring water in eight 500ml bottles for serving individual portions at brunch. The NHS notes that carbonated drinks are associated with dental erosion because of acidity.
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Highland Spring Sparkling Spring Water 6x1L
Plain sparkling spring water in six 1L bottles, a format to consider when several guests will share drinks at the table. Follow the bottle’s storage instructions after opening.
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Buxton Sparkling Water 8x500ml
Plain sparkling water in eight 500ml bottles for guests who prefer separate bottles. Check the pack’s ingredients and after-opening instructions when buying.
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San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water 6x1L
Plain sparkling natural mineral water in six 1L bottles for serving around a brunch table. This is not the fruit-juice-led Sanpellegrino Zero drink; check the exact pack if that distinction matters to your guests.
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San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water 6 x 0.5L
Plain sparkling natural mineral water in six 500ml bottles if smaller portions suit your brunch table. Check the bottle’s storage guidance if any are opened and left over.
Questions about brunch drinks
Does “no added sugar” mean a drink contains no sugars?
No. As the Advertising Standards Authority and Committee of Advertising Practice explain for Great Britain, the no-added-sugars claim concerns added sugars and foods used for sweetening; naturally occurring sugar may remain. Sanpellegrino explicitly says its Zero range contains naturally occurring sugar, so check the nutrition label if guests want no sugars.
Can a no-added-sugar sparkling drink contain sweetener?
Yes. Tesco lists sucralose in its Apple & Raspberry and Lemon & Lime no-added-sugar sparkling drinks. Marks & Spencer’s sugar-free Lemon & Lime sparkling water lists steviol glycosides, so read the ingredients if a guest avoids sweeteners.
Is sugar-free sparkling water tooth-neutral?
No such conclusion follows from the sugar claim. The NHS associates carbonated drinks with dental erosion because of their acid content, whether they contain sugar or sweeteners; Highland Spring reports a pH of around 4–5 for its sparkling water.
What should I do with opened brunch bottles?
Follow the storage and after-opening instructions on each bottle. If you expect leftovers, check those instructions before choosing between large sharing bottles and smaller portions.