Commuters carrying lunch
A mini concentrate is easier to fit in a lunch bag than a standard bottle, provided you can add water at work. Robinsons describes its Summer Fruits Mini as a compact pack for preparing individual drinks.
Who is each format for?
People using a workplace kitchen
If you have somewhere to keep a bottle and access to water, a standard squash can stay in one place for drinks across several lunches instead of travelling with you each day.
Shoppers checking ingredients closely
Read the exact bottle’s ingredients and prepared-drink nutrition information if particular sweeteners, preservatives or dietary statements matter to you. A no-added-sugar claim does not mean every squash has the same recipe.
What should you check?
Start with where you will keep the squash, then check how the particular bottle is prepared and labelled.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Bottle format | Check whether the concentrate will travel with lunch or stay in a kitchen, and whether water and storage are available at work. | My bag has limited room, so I would carry a mini and add water at work. If a bottle can stay in the kitchen, I can consider a standard or larger size. |
| Dilution | Follow the ratio or serving directions on the exact product. Robinsons states 3.3 ml per 250 ml water for Summer Fruits Mini; Waitrose lists one part concentrate to four parts water for its Robinsons Summer Fruits 1 litre listing. | I want to prepare the drink at work without guessing how much concentrate to use. |
| Sugars | Read the nutrition information on a comparable prepared-drink basis, as well as the front-of-pack claim. In Great Britain, legislation.gov.uk describes “no added sugar” as a claim about sugars or other foods added for sweetening; naturally occurring sugars can remain. | I do not want to mistake “no added sugar” for “sugar-free” when comparing drinks for lunch. |
| Ingredients | Check the current ingredient list and any dietary statement on the exact flavour and format; do not assume another bottle in the range has the same recipe. | If I avoid a particular ingredient, the label on the bottle I buy matters more than the range name. |
Common buying mistakes
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Treating “no added sugar” as “sugar-free”
In Great Britain, the no-added-sugar claim rule described by legislation.gov.uk concerns sugars and other foods added for sweetening. It does not rule out naturally occurring sugars; Waitrose’s Robinsons and Vimto listings make that distinction.
Check sugars in the prepared drink, using the same serving or volume basis when comparing labels.
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Choosing a large bottle for a commute-only routine
A standard bottle may work well when it stays in a kitchen, but it takes up more room in a packed lunch than a mini concentrate.
Decide where the bottle will live before choosing its size, and make sure you can add water where you plan to drink it.
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Assuming every flavour has the same ingredients
Flavours and formats can have different ingredient lists, so a dietary statement for one product does not automatically apply to another.
Read the current label on the exact bottle if sweeteners, preservatives or dietary suitability affect your choice.
Brand and retailer references
These ranges illustrate formats and label details worth comparing; a brand or retailer name alone does not establish the ingredients of a particular bottle.
Robinsons
Robinsons describes its core squash range as having no added sugar and offers both Mini concentrate and standard-bottle formats.
- Robinsons states that Summer Fruits Mini provides 20 servings, with a stated serving of 3.3 ml per 250 ml water.
- Check the individual flavour and format label rather than applying one product’s ingredients or dilution directions to the whole range.
Tesco
Tesco’s squash category lists own-label no-added-sugar options alongside different concentrate formats.
- Its category listing includes a 750 ml Stockwell & Co squash and 750 ml double-strength and quadruple-strength options.
- Check the exact product’s preparation directions and label before comparing concentrates of different strengths.
Waitrose
Waitrose’s no-added-sugar squash category lists its own High Juice products as well as branded squashes.
- The category includes Waitrose Apple & Elderflower and Blackcurrant No Added Sugar High Juice, alongside Robinsons and Ribena products.
- Use the individual product label for its ingredients, nutrition information and preparation directions.
Joybuy squash options
These 850 ml to 1.5 L bottles are options for preparing squash where you have water and somewhere to keep the bottle, rather than carrying a mini concentrate in a lunch bag.
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Ribena Concentrate Blackcurrant No Added Sugar 1.5L
The 1.5L bottle is an option for repeated preparation where you have water and storage. Check the current pack’s energy information before relying on a calorie-free claim.
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Ribena Pineapple and Passion Fruit No Added Sugar Squash 850ml
This 850ml squash can be mixed with water at work. Check the bottle’s dilution directions and prepared-drink nutrition information; if relevant to you, check its current label for aspartame and sulphites.
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Robinsons Orange No Added Sugar Squash 1L
The 1L bottle suits repeated preparation from a kitchen rather than daily carrying. Check its current dilution directions and ingredient label, particularly if specific sweeteners or sulphites matter to you.
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Robinsons Summer Fruits No Added Sugar Squash 1L
This 1L bottle can stay in a workplace kitchen for drinks across several lunches. Use the current pack for dilution directions and sugars per prepared serving, and check its ingredients if sweeteners or sulphites matter to you.
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Robinsons Real Fruit Lemon Juice No Added Sugar Squash 1L
The 1L bottle is suited to preparation where it can be stored between lunches. Follow the current pack’s dilution directions and check its ingredient and allergen information if particular sweeteners or sulphites matter to you.
Questions about choosing squash
Does “no added sugar” mean the squash is sugar-free?
No. In Great Britain, the no-added-sugar claim rule described by legislation.gov.uk concerns sugars and other foods added for sweetening; naturally occurring sugars can still be present. Check the prepared drink’s nutrition information rather than relying on the front-of-pack claim alone.
Should I take a mini squash or keep a standard bottle at work?
Take a mini if it needs to fit in your lunch bag and you can add water at work. A standard bottle is more practical when it can stay in a kitchen for repeated use. Follow the directions for your chosen product: Robinsons states 3.3 ml per 250 ml water for Summer Fruits Mini, while Waitrose lists one part concentrate to four parts water for Robinsons Summer Fruits 1 litre.
What if I avoid particular squash ingredients?
Check the current ingredient list and any dietary statement on the exact bottle you plan to buy. Do not assume that a different flavour or format from the same brand has an identical recipe.