Organisers serving a mixed group
Plain sparkling water provides an unsweetened option. A separate flavoured drink gives attendees another choice without making it the only sparkling refreshment.
Who is choosing the drinks?
Buyers looking for flavour without added sugar
Check total sugars and ingredients as well as the front-of-pack claim. Flavoured products can differ in whether they contain sweeteners or juice.
People planning how drinks will be served
Individual 500ml bottles suit self-service, while 1L bottles can be placed on a shared table. Plan how opened bottles will be stored.
What should you check?
Start with the drink’s ingredients and sugars information, then choose a bottle format that fits how the meeting will be served.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Total sugars | Read the sugars figure on the nutrition panel alongside any “no added sugar” claim. Check for juice or concentrate in the ingredients. Marks & Spencer lists 6.7g sugars per 100g for its no-added-sugar Juicy Rhubarb drink. | I want to know whether a drink contains sugar, not just whether sugar was added. |
| Sweeteners and flavour | Check the ingredients of each flavoured drink. Sainsbury’s Apple & Elderflower lists acesulfame K and sucralose; M&S Lemon & Lime lists steviol glycosides. | Some attendees may prefer plain water, while others want flavour. I’d offer a choice rather than assume everyone wants a sweetened drink. |
| Serving format | Compare individual 500ml bottles with 1L bottles for table sharing. Check storage instructions before opening bottles for the meeting. | For self-service, I want attendees to take their own bottle. At a shared table, larger bottles may be easier to serve. |
Common buying mistakes
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Reading “no added sugar” as “no sugar”
Juice can contribute naturally occurring sugars. Marks & Spencer’s no-added-sugar Juicy Rhubarb drink lists 6.7g sugars per 100g.
Check the nutrition panel for total sugars as well as the claim on the front of the pack.
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Assuming flavoured water has no sweeteners
Flavoured products differ: Sainsbury’s Apple & Elderflower lists acesulfame K and sucralose, while M&S Lemon & Lime lists steviol glycosides.
Read the ingredient list and offer plain sparkling water alongside flavoured choices.
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Choosing only large bottles for self-service
Shared bottles need to be opened and served, whereas individual bottles let attendees take their own drink.
Match the pack to the setup: consider 500ml bottles for self-service and 1L bottles where table sharing is practical.
Brand and retailer references
These ranges illustrate different label and serving choices; check the exact product rather than treating every drink from a brand as equivalent.
Highland Spring
Plain sparkling spring water in individual-bottle and larger-bottle formats.
- Highland Spring describes its sparkling range as water with nothing added but bubbles; Tesco labels its 8x500ml pack no sugar.
- The plain range does not provide a flavoured alternative.
San Pellegrino
Plain sparkling natural mineral water is distinct from the brand’s flavoured drinks.
- Joybuy’s 6x1L plain-water listing gives natural mineral water and carbon dioxide as ingredients and 0g sugars per 100ml.
- Sanpellegrino says its separate Zero Added Sugar flavoured range contains naturally occurring sugars.
Perrier
A plain sparkling natural mineral-water option.
- Tesco describes its Perrier 1L listing as natural mineral water with gas from the spring.
- Confirm current availability before relying on a particular product for the meeting.
Tesco
Own-brand plain sparkling water appears in both individual-bottle multipacks and larger bottles.
- Tesco’s sparkling-water range lists British Natural Mineral Water Sparkling in 12x500ml and 2L formats.
- Check ingredients and nutrition on the exact product selected.
Sainsbury’s
Own-brand flavoured sparkling waters offer a different choice from plain water.
- Its Apple & Elderflower 1L drink is labelled no added sugar and lists less than 0.5g sugars per 100ml.
- That product contains acesulfame K and sucralose; follow its refrigeration and use instructions after opening.
M&S
Its flavoured sparkling drinks include both a sugar-free sweetened water and a juice-containing no-added-sugar drink.
- M&S labels Lemon & Lime sugar-free and lists steviol glycosides as a sweetener.
- Its no-added-sugar Juicy Rhubarb contains apple juice from concentrate and lists 6.7g sugars per 100g; the two drinks are not interchangeable on total sugars.
Joybuy sparkling water options
These plain sparkling waters include individual-bottle multipacks and larger bottles for shared-table service. Check each product’s current label when total sugars or ingredients are decisive.
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San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water 6 x 0.5L
Six individual bottles suit meeting self-service. Check the current nutrition panel and ingredients if a no-sugar, no-sweetener option is required.
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Highland Spring Sparkling Spring Water 8x500ml
Eight individual bottles suit self-service. Tesco Groceries labels the matching 8x500ml product no sugar and no calories; follow the pack’s storage directions after opening.
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San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water 6x1L
Six 1L bottles suit a shared meeting table. Joybuy lists natural mineral water and carbon dioxide as the ingredients and 0g sugars per 100ml; keep unopened bottles sealed until serving.
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Buxton Sparkling Water 8x500ml
Eight individual bottles suit self-service. Check the current ingredients and sugars information against the meeting’s no-added-sugar requirement, and follow storage directions after opening.
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Highland Spring Sparkling Spring Water 6x1L
Six 1L bottles suit shared-table service. Highland Spring describes its sparkling-water range as having nothing added but bubbles; check this pack’s nutrition label if total sugars matter to the choice.
Questions about meeting refreshments
Does “no added sugar” mean a drink is sugar-free?
No. Marks & Spencer’s no-added-sugar Juicy Rhubarb drink contains apple juice from concentrate and lists 6.7g sugars per 100g. Check the total sugars figure when choosing a drink.
Can no-added-sugar sparkling water contain sweeteners?
Yes. Sainsbury’s Apple & Elderflower lists acesulfame K and sucralose. Read the ingredients if you want to provide an option without sweeteners.
What should I offer at a mixed work meeting?
Plain sparkling water provides an unsweetened starting option. Add a separate flavoured choice if wanted, checking its sweeteners and sugars information rather than assuming it has the same composition as plain water.
How should I plan for opened bottles?
Follow each bottle’s storage instructions and open only what is needed for service. The Sainsbury’s Apple & Elderflower 1L product directs users to refrigerate it after opening and use it within 3 days.