Snackers comparing diluted drinks
If you want a flavoured drink with crisps or popcorn, compare sugars and energy for the glass you will actually prepare. A no-added-sugar label does not mean that every squash has the same nutrition values.
Who is each option for?
The useful distinction for a TV-night drink is whether you care most about the prepared glass, the fruit-juice formulation or the number of glasses a bottle makes.
Shoppers who prefer a fruit-juice formulation
Check the fruit percentage on the particular bottle. Sainsbury’s High Juice Orange lists 50% fruit juice, alongside 17 kcal and 2.4 g sugars per 250 ml prepared serving.
Households making several evening drinks
Look at the suggested mixing ratio and stated servings, not just bottle volume. Waitrose & Partners lists 60 servings for its 1.5 litre Essential Summer Fruits squash at a suggested ratio of one part squash to nine parts water.
What should you compare?
Start with the prepared drink, then check how you will mix it and whether its ingredients suit everyone who will be drinking it.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars and energy | Compare values for the prepared serving at each bottle’s stated dilution. Sainsbury’s lists 17 kcal and 2.4 g sugars per 250 ml of its High Juice Orange; its Robinsons Orange listing gives 3 kcal and 0 g sugars per 250 ml diluted. | I want to know what is in the glass I will sip with snacks, rather than treating “no added sugar” as “sugar-free”. |
| Fruit formulation | Read the fruit-juice percentage for the exact product and check its prepared-serving nutrition alongside it. Sainsbury’s High Juice Orange lists 50% fruit juice; M&S describes its Orange Squash as containing 20% real fruit. | A fruit-juice formulation matters to me, and I am happy to compare the figures for the finished drink before choosing a flavour. |
| Dilution and servings | Check parts squash to parts water and any stated serving count. Sainsbury’s Robinsons Orange listing specifies 1:4; Waitrose & Partners suggests 1:9 and states 60 servings for Essential Summer Fruits. | We make several glasses during an evening, so I want a mixing ratio I can follow and a useful indication of how many drinks the bottle makes. |
| Ingredients | Read the current bottle for sweeteners, sulphites and relevant warnings. These vary by product: the listed Robinsons Orange, Sainsbury’s High Juice Orange and Waitrose Essential examples contain sweeteners and sulphites. | Someone drinking it avoids a particular ingredient, so I need to check the exact flavour and bottle rather than assume all no-added-sugar squashes use the same recipe. |
Common buying mistakes
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Reading “no added sugar” as “no sugar”
Fruit-based squash can still contain naturally occurring sugars. Sainsbury’s High Juice Orange, for example, lists 2.4 g sugars per 250 ml prepared serving despite its no-added-sugar label.
Use the sugars and energy figures for the prepared drink when comparing bottles.
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Comparing bottle sizes alone
Concentrates with different mixing instructions do not make the same amount of prepared drink from the same bottle volume.
Check the suggested ratio and serving count: Waitrose & Partners states 60 servings at a suggested 1:9 dilution for Essential Summer Fruits, while Sainsbury’s Robinsons Orange listing specifies 1:4.
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Assuming the ingredients are interchangeable
Sweeteners and sulphites differ between products. An aspartame-containing squash may also carry a phenylalanine warning, as shown on the Ribena Blackcurrant No Added Sugar listing from Waitrose & Partners.
Check the current pack for the particular ingredients and warnings that matter in your household before serving it.
Brand and retailer references
These examples illustrate different formulations and formats; a detail about one named squash should not be assumed to apply across its whole range.
Robinsons
An orange no-added-sugar option for comparing a standard diluted squash with other fruit formulations.
- Sainsbury’s lists Robinsons Orange at 3 kcal and 0 g sugars per 250 ml diluted serving, mixed at one part squash to four parts water.
- The Orange product lists acesulfame K, sucralose and sodium metabisulphite; check the bottle if you avoid any of these.
Tesco
Its grocery range includes own-label no-added-sugar concentrates in different flavours and strengths.
- Tesco’s listings include Quadruple Strength No Added Sugar options in 1.5 litre and 750 ml formats.
- Use the instructions and nutrition panel for the particular flavour and size you choose.
Sainsbury’s
Its High Juice Orange No Added Sugar is a named example for shoppers comparing fruit-juice content.
- Sainsbury’s states 50% fruit juice, 17 kcal and 2.4 g sugars per 250 ml prepared serving.
- It lists acesulfame K, sucralose and sodium metabisulphite. No added sugar does not mean zero sugars in the prepared drink.
M&S
Its Orange Squash offers a double-strength option with a stated fruit percentage.
- M&S describes the product as containing 20% real fruit, with no added sugar and no artificial colours or flavourings.
- The product lists sucralose and sulphites, so check ingredients separately from its colour and flavouring claims.
Waitrose
Essential No Added Sugar Summer Fruits provides a stated serving count for planning repeated drinks.
- Waitrose & Partners describes the 1.5 litre double-strength bottle as making 60 servings at a suggested 1:9 dilution.
- The listed ingredients include sucralose, acesulfame K and sodium metabisulphite.
Joybuy squash options
These Joybuy listings cover no-added-sugar orange, summer-fruits, blackcurrant and pineapple-and-passion-fruit squash for mixing drinks alongside TV-night snacks. Compare the exact bottle’s instructions and prepared-drink nutrition where those details affect your choice.
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Robinsons No Added Sugar Orange Squash 1L
For an orange drink with snacks, this listing states 3 kcal per 250 ml diluted glass; Sainsbury’s listing for the named Robinsons Orange product also states 0 g sugars at that serving size and a 1:4 dilution. The ingredients include acesulfame K, sucralose and sodium metabisulphite. Dilute as directed and check the pack’s age guidance if serving children.
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Robinsons No Added Sugar Summer Fruits Squash 1L
A summer-fruits alternative to orange for a TV-night glass, with 10% fruit juices from concentrate stated in the product description. It lists sucralose, acesulfame K and sodium metabisulphite. Check the pack’s mixing instructions and prepared-serving nutrition before comparing it with another flavour.
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Ribena Concentrated Blackcurrant No Added Sugar Squash 1.5L
For a blackcurrant-flavoured drink, the product description states 18% blackcurrant juice from concentrate and instructs you to add at least four parts water to a 50 ml portion. Its calorie wording conflicts with its nutrition table, so check the current pack for prepared-serving figures rather than relying on either figure alone. It lists aspartame, acesulfame K and sodium bisulphite, with a phenylalanine warning.
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Ribena Pineapple and Passion Fruit No Added Sugar Squash, 6 × 850ml
This six-bottle format offers pineapple-and-passion-fruit squash for repeated mixing. The description states 10% fruit juices from concentrate, including 9% pineapple and 1% passion fruit. Its nutrition figures refer to undiluted squash, so use the current pack to check mixing guidance and values for a prepared glass. The listed ingredients include aspartame, acesulfame K and sulphites.
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Ribena Pineapple and Passion Fruit No Added Sugar Squash 850ml
The single 850ml bottle suits someone choosing this pineapple-and-passion-fruit flavour without the six-bottle format. It states 10% fruit juices from concentrate, including 9% pineapple and 1% passion fruit. Its calorie wording conflicts with a nutrition table for undiluted squash; check the current pack for mixing instructions and prepared-serving values. It lists aspartame, acesulfame K and sulphites, and identifies a source of phenylalanine.
Questions about no-added-sugar squash
Does “no added sugar” mean squash contains no sugar?
No. A no-added-sugar squash can contain naturally occurring sugars from fruit. Sainsbury’s High Juice Orange, for example, lists 2.4 g sugars per 250 ml prepared serving. Read the nutrition panel if the amount in your glass matters to your choice.
How can I compare two squash bottles fairly?
Compare nutrition for prepared drinks at each product’s stated dilution, then look at the suggested ratio and serving count. Sainsbury’s Robinsons Orange listing specifies 1:4 and 3 kcal per 250 ml; Waitrose & Partners suggests 1:9 and states 60 servings for Essential Summer Fruits. Bottle volume alone does not tell you how much prepared drink each makes.
Should I check sweeteners and sulphites?
Yes, if particular ingredients matter in your household. The named Robinsons Orange, Sainsbury’s High Juice Orange and Waitrose Essential Summer Fruits examples list sweeteners and sulphites. Check the current bottle for the exact ingredients and warnings before serving it.
What should I look for if a squash contains aspartame?
Check its ingredients and phenylalanine warning. GOV.UK describes the warning required for foods containing aspartame, and Waitrose & Partners’ Ribena Blackcurrant No Added Sugar listing carries one. If that warning is relevant to someone drinking the squash, use the current pack information when deciding whether it suits them.