Who is this for?

Desk workers choosing a lower-sugar drink

If you want flavoured squash alongside lunch, compare the sugars in the diluted drink rather than relying on the flavour name or front label.

Shoppers considering high-juice squash

A higher fruit-juice content may matter more to you than the lowest sugar figure. Check both the fruit percentage and nutrition for the prepared drink before choosing.

People checking specific ingredients

Sweeteners, sulphites and barley differ between the checked recipes. Read the current pack if any of those ingredients affect your choice.

What should you check?

Start with the nutrition for the drink at its stated dilution, then check the ingredients and preparation directions for the bottle you intend to buy.

Priority What to check Your needs
Sugars and energy Compare ‘of which sugars’ and energy for the diluted drink. Use the same serving size and the stated dilution ratio. I want a flavoured lunch drink with a lower sugar figure, so I need to check the prepared serving rather than assume ‘no added sugar’ means zero sugar.
Fruit content Check the stated fruit-juice percentage alongside prepared-drink nutrition. Sainsbury's lists 50% fruit juice, 2.4 g sugars and 17 kcal per prepared 250 ml serving for its High Juice Orange Squash. A higher fruit-juice percentage matters to me, but I also want to know how much sugar is in the glass I make.
Sweeteners Read the ingredient list for the sweeteners used. The checked Robinsons, Vimto and Sainsbury's products list acesulfame K and sucralose. I prefer to know which sweeteners are in a squash before choosing a flavour or bottle size.
Allergens and ingredients Check the current pack for ingredients you avoid. The checked Robinsons and Sainsbury's recipes list sulphites; the checked Vimto recipe includes barley malt. If I need to avoid a particular ingredient, the label on the bottle I buy is the one I need to read.
Dilution and storage Follow the bottle's mixing and storage directions. Waitrose & Partners lists one part concentrate to four parts water for the checked Robinsons Orange squash. I want to make a desk drink at the labelled strength and know how to store the opened bottle.

Common buying mistakes

  • Reading ‘no added sugar’ as ‘zero sugar’

    Fruit ingredients can contribute sugars even when no sugar has been added. The checked Vimto label lists 0.8 g sugars per prepared 250 ml, while Sainsbury's High Juice Orange lists 2.4 g.

    Check ‘of which sugars’ for the prepared serving when comparing bottles.

  • Comparing concentrate with a diluted glass

    A value stated per 100 g cannot be compared directly with one stated per prepared 250 ml serving.

    Use each bottle's dilution directions and compare nutrition reported on an equivalent prepared-drink basis.

  • Assuming every recipe uses the same ingredients

    The checked products differ: several list sulphites, while the checked Vimto recipe includes barley malt.

    Read the ingredients and allergen information on the current bottle, particularly when changing flavour or size.

  • Treating squash as lunch

    The checked no-added-sugar drinks provide little energy per prepared glass; they are drinks to have alongside food.

    Choose the squash and the food for your desk lunch separately.

Squash brand and range references

These label examples illustrate different choices within no-added-sugar squash; their figures apply to the named products, not every drink from each brand.

Robinsons

The checked Orange No Added Sugar squash is an option if your priority is a low sugar figure in a diluted desk drink.

  • Waitrose & Partners lists 3 kcal and negligible sugars per diluted 250 ml glass, with a one-part-concentrate to four-parts-water mixing direction.
  • Its listed ingredients include acesulfame K, sucralose and sodium metabisulphite; check the current bottle.

Sainsbury's

The checked High Juice Orange Squash offers a stated 50% fruit-juice content for shoppers weighing that against prepared-drink sugars.

  • Sainsbury's lists 2.4 g sugars and 17 kcal per prepared 250 ml serving.
  • The checked recipe lists acesulfame K, sucralose and sodium metabisulphite.

M&S

The checked M&S examples include a 50% fruit-juice Apple and Elderflower High Juice squash and a double-strength Orange Squash made with 20% fruit.

  • M&S lists 1.0 g sugars per 100 g for Apple and Elderflower and 0.1 g per 100 g for Orange Squash.
  • Those per-100 g figures are not directly comparable with another product's diluted 250 ml serving. Both checked recipes list sucralose and sulphites.

A Joybuy squash option

This no-added-sugar orange squash is an option for making a flavoured drink to accompany a quick desk lunch.

Robinsons Orange No Added Sugar Squash 1L bottle

Robinsons Orange No Added Sugar Squash 1L

A concentrate for a flavoured drink alongside lunch. The matching product information lists 3 kcal and negligible sugars per diluted 250 ml glass, with one part concentrate to four parts water. It lists acesulfame K, sucralose and sulphites; check the current bottle if you avoid these ingredients.

View on Joybuy

Questions about squash for lunch

Does no added sugar mean squash is sugar-free?

No. Sugars can occur naturally in fruit ingredients: the checked Vimto No Added Sugar label lists 0.8 g sugars per prepared 250 ml, and Sainsbury's High Juice Orange lists 2.4 g. Compare ‘of which sugars’ for the diluted serving.

What should I know about sweeteners in no-added-sugar squash?

Check the ingredients if you prefer or avoid particular sweeteners. The NHS says sweeteners approved for use in Great Britain undergo safety assessment, but their presence does not make every drink the right choice for every preference.

Which ingredients should I check if I need to avoid an allergen?

Read the current pack's ingredients and allergen information. The checked Robinsons, Sainsbury's and M&S examples list sulphites, while the checked Vimto ingredients include barley malt; recipes can change.

Can squash replace a desk lunch?

No. The checked no-added-sugar squash drinks provide little energy per prepared serving, so choose them as a drink alongside lunch, not as the lunch itself.

How should I mix and store squash at work?

Follow the directions on your bottle rather than assuming every concentrate is the same. Waitrose & Partners lists one part concentrate to four parts water for the checked Robinsons Orange squash and says to consume it within four weeks of opening.