Hosts avoiding added sugar and sweeteners
Start with plain sparkling mineral or spring water. If guests want flavour, offer garnishes separately so they can choose what goes into their glass.
Who is each option for?
Hosts serving a flavoured drink
A drink labelled no added sugar may suit guests who want ready-made flavour. Check its ingredients first: the Sainsbury's and Tesco examples both contain sucralose, and the Tesco drink also contains fruit juice concentrate.
Small-group hosts
Compare the volume and serving format with the number of players. A 1L bottle can be poured into glasses, while a multipack gives guests separate bottles to keep by their places.
What should you check before buying?
Decide whether the group wants plain or flavoured water, then check the label and choose a pack that works at the table.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar and ingredients | Check the no-added-sugar claim, ingredient list and sugars shown per 100ml and per serving. A flavoured drink can contain sweetener or fruit juice. | I want to know what guests will be drinking, rather than relying on “no added sugar” to mean no sweeteners or sugars. |
| Flavour | Compare plain water with a ready-flavoured drink. Sainsbury's lists sucralose in its no-added-sugar Lemon & Lime water. | Some guests prefer flavour; others may want plain water without a sweet-tasting option. |
| Serving format | Compare pack volume with stated servings: Sainsbury's 1L Lemon & Lime lists four 250ml servings, while Tesco's Apple & Raspberry pack has four 500ml bottles. | I can pour from a share bottle if glasses are handy, or put out separate bottles for players. |
What is easy to overlook?
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Treating “no added sugar” as “no sweetener”
The no-added-sugar flavoured waters listed by Sainsbury's and Tesco both contain sucralose. They will not suit a guest avoiding that sweetener.
Read the ingredients, and consider putting out plain sparkling water when guests' preferences differ.
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Assuming every sparkling drink in a range qualifies
M&S lists several kinds of sparkling water, but its Sparkling British Apple Spring Water lists sugar as an ingredient.
Check the claim, ingredients and nutrition panel for the particular drink, not just its shelf category or brand.
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Counting bottles instead of servings
Sainsbury's describes its 1L Lemon & Lime bottle as four 250ml servings. One share bottle may not provide the portions you intend for the table.
Match the stated volume and servings to your group, and check the pack's storage instructions for anything left after the game.
Relevant brands and ranges
These examples show why the exact drink and pack matter more than the brand name alone.
Highland Spring
Plain sparkling spring water in formats for individual drinking or sharing.
- Highland Spring says its sparkling water has “nothing added but bubbles” and lists 500ml, 1.5L and 6 x 1L formats.
- Check which pack size suits the number of players.
Perrier
Plain carbonated mineral water for guests who prefer an unflavoured drink.
- Perrier describes its original water as containing no sugar and zero calories.
- Check the format and the label of the specific product you choose.
S.Pellegrino
Sparkling natural mineral water offered in glass and PET bottle formats, according to S.Pellegrino.
- A 1L plain carbonated natural mineral water bottle is listed by Tesco as a share-bottle example.
- Choose the bottle material and size for how you plan to serve it.
Tesco
An own-label flavoured option for guests who want separate bottles.
- Its no-added-sugar Apple & Raspberry sparkling water is listed as four 500ml bottles.
- The listed ingredients include fruit juice concentrate and sucralose.
Sainsbury's
An own-label, no-added-sugar flavoured share bottle.
- Its Lemon & Lime 1L listing states four 250ml servings.
- The drink contains sucralose, so check whether it suits your guests.
M&S
A range covering plain mineral water and flavoured sparkling drinks.
- M&S lists plain sparkling water and 1L flavoured options.
- Its Sparkling British Apple Spring Water lists sugar as an ingredient; do not assume every drink in the range meets a no-added-sugar brief.
Plain sparkling water options on Joybuy
These plain sparkling-water packs offer either individual 500ml bottles or larger 1L bottles for pouring at a board game table. Check the current pack label if you need a particular nutrition value or ingredient declaration.
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San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water 6 x 500ml
A plain sparkling mineral water in six individual 500ml bottles. Guests can add flavour to their own glasses if they wish.
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San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water 6 x 1L
Six 1L bottles of plain sparkling mineral water provide a larger-bottle format for pouring into glasses. It is not a ready-flavoured drink.
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Buxton Sparkling 8 x 500ml
Eight individual 500ml bottles offer a plain sparkling option that players can keep by their places.
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Highland Spring Sparkling Spring Water 8 x 500ml
Eight individual 500ml bottles of plain sparkling spring water suit a table where guests prefer separate drinks. Check the pack's nutrition panel if you are comparing sugars per 100ml.
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Highland Spring Sparkling Spring Water 6 x 1L
Six 1L bottles provide a plain sparkling-water format for pouring into glasses. If a numeric sugar comparison matters, read the nutrition panel on the pack.
Questions about serving and labels
Does “no added sugar” mean a drink has no sugar at all?
No. The claim does not, by itself, tell you that a drink contains no naturally occurring sugars, fruit juice or sweeteners. Tesco's no-added-sugar Apple & Raspberry sparkling water, for example, lists fruit juice concentrate and sucralose. Check both the ingredients and nutrition panel.
What if a guest avoids sweeteners as well as added sugar?
Choose a plain sparkling mineral or spring water and keep optional flavourings separate. Highland Spring says its sparkling water has “nothing added but bubbles”; check the label of the exact pack before serving it.
Should I buy a share bottle or individual bottles?
Use the stated volume and servings to decide. Sainsbury's lists four 250ml servings in its 1L Lemon & Lime bottle, while Tesco's Apple & Raspberry pack contains four separate 500ml bottles. Choose the format that fits your group and how you will serve drinks around the game.
What should I do with an opened bottle after the game?
Follow the storage and use-after-opening instructions on that bottle. Check them when choosing a share format, particularly if you expect to have some left over.