Who is this for?

Cinema-goers comparing prepared drinks

If you want a flavoured drink alongside snacks, compare the sugars and energy for squash diluted as directed. A front-of-pack “no added sugar” claim does not give you the total sugars in your glass.

Shoppers checking particular ingredients

If an ingredient matters to you, read the label for the exact flavour and bottle. Ingredient lists can identify sweeteners and declared allergens; ASDA Groceries, for example, lists barley in its Vimto No Added Sugar squash listing.

People planning to bring their own drink

Squash needs diluting before drinking, so preparing it before the trip may be easier than mixing it at the cinema. ODEON says guests may bring their own snacks and drinks; check the policy for the venue you are visiting rather than assuming every cinema has the same rule.

What should you check?

Start with the nutrition for the prepared drink, then check the ingredients, dilution instructions and your cinema's policy.

Priority What to check Your needs
Prepared-serving nutrition Compare sugars and energy at the stated dilution and on the same serving basis. ASDA Groceries lists 5 kcal per diluted 250 ml for Robinsons Summer Fruits and 4 kcal per diluted 250 ml for ASDA Summer Fruits. I want to know what is in the drink I will actually take to the cinema, not just what is in the concentrate.
Fruit content and sugars Read the fruit-juice percentage alongside the diluted-serving sugars. Sainsbury's lists 50% fruit juice and 3.4 g sugars per 250 ml serving for its White Grape & Peach High Juice squash. Fruit-juice content matters to me, but I do not want to mistake “no added sugar” for no sugars at all.
Ingredients Check the sweeteners and declared allergens on the exact product. The Advertising Standards Authority explains that a “no added sugars” claim concerns added sugars; it does not replace the ingredients or nutrition information. I need to check whether this particular flavour contains an ingredient I avoid.
Dilution Follow the bottle's instructions before comparing servings. ASDA Groceries gives a 1:4 squash-to-water ratio for Robinsons Summer Fruits and a 1:9 ratio for ASDA Summer Fruits. I would rather mix the drink before leaving than work out a dilution ratio during the screening.
Cinema entry Check the outside-drinks policy for your venue before travelling. ODEON says it allows guests to bring their own snacks and drinks; that statement does not establish another cinema's policy. If I prepare a bottle to take with me, I want to know whether I can bring it into my screening.

Common buying mistakes

  • Reading “no added sugar” as “no sugars”

    Fruit ingredients can contribute sugars. Sainsbury's lists 3.4 g sugars per diluted 250 ml serving for its no-added-sugar White Grape & Peach High Juice squash.

    Compare the sugars in the prepared serving as well as the claim on the front of the bottle.

  • Comparing bottles without checking dilution

    The prepared drink depends on how much concentrate is used. ASDA Groceries lists one part squash to four parts water for Robinsons Summer Fruits, but one part to nine parts water for ASDA Summer Fruits.

    Follow each bottle's ratio and compare nutrition at the stated dilution. Prepare the drink before setting off if you will not be able to mix it at the venue.

  • Assuming every flavour has the same ingredients

    A no-added-sugar claim tells you nothing about whether a particular ingredient suits your requirements. ASDA Groceries lists sucralose, acesulfame K and barley for Vimto No Added Sugar squash.

    Read the current ingredients and allergen information for the exact flavour and pack you are buying.

  • Assuming every cinema allows outside drinks

    ODEON says guests may bring their own snacks and drinks, but its policy cannot be used as the rule for a different operator or venue.

    Check your cinema's current policy before preparing a drink to take in.

Brand and retailer examples

These labelled examples illustrate different formats and fruit contents; check the exact product before comparing prepared servings.

Robinsons

ASDA Groceries lists a no-added-sugar Summer Fruits squash in a single-strength format.

  • The listed serving has 5 kcal per diluted 250 ml, using one part squash to four parts water.
  • Use the instructions and nutrition information for the Robinsons variant you actually buy; the Summer Fruits listing does not establish values for every flavour or pack.

Tesco

Tesco Groceries lists no-added-sugar squash options, including a quadruple-strength format and Stockwell & Co products.

  • Different listed formats give you a reason to check how each bottle is prepared.
  • Read the individual product's dilution instructions and prepared-serving nutrition before comparing it with another squash.

Sainsbury's

Its White Grape & Peach High Juice no-added-sugar squash is listed with 50% fruit juice.

  • Sainsbury's lists 3.4 g sugars per 250 ml serving, making the prepared-serving value available for comparison.
  • Do not treat the no-added-sugar wording as a zero-sugar claim for this product.

Asda

ASDA Groceries lists a Summer Fruits squash with a one-part-squash-to-nine-parts-water dilution instruction.

  • The listing gives 4 kcal per diluted 250 ml serving.
  • Prepare it at its stated ratio when using that serving figure for a comparison.

M&S

Marks & Spencer lists a no-added-sugar Orange Squash made with 20% fruit and a Lemon & Lime High Juice squash made with 50% fruit juice.

  • The stated fruit contents help distinguish these two products.
  • Fruit percentage alone does not give the sugars in a prepared serving; check the nutrition and dilution information for the chosen bottle.

Waitrose

Waitrose lists a no-added-sugar Blackcurrant High Juice squash and an Essential Apple & Blackcurrant squash containing 20% fruit.

  • The Blackcurrant High Juice description explicitly notes naturally occurring sugars.
  • Check each product's prepared-serving nutrition rather than treating the two fruit-based options as interchangeable.

Joybuy squash options

These Robinsons no-added-sugar squash listings offer orange or Summer Fruits flavours in different pack sizes. Check each bottle's instructions and label before preparing a drink for a cinema that permits outside drinks.

Robinsons No Added Sugar Orange Squash 1L

Robinsons No Added Sugar Orange Squash 1L

This 1L orange squash can be diluted before a cinema trip. Follow this bottle's instructions and check its prepared-serving nutrition and ingredients if you are comparing sugars or avoiding particular ingredients.

View on Joybuy
Robinsons No Added Sugar Summer Fruits Squash, six 1L bottles

Robinsons No Added Sugar Summer Fruits Squash 6 × 1L

This six-bottle Summer Fruits pack is a concentrate to prepare before drinking. Check the instructions, ingredients and nutrition for this pack rather than assuming they match those of a single-bottle listing.

View on Joybuy
Robinsons No Added Sugar Summer Fruits Squash 1L

Robinsons No Added Sugar Summer Fruits Squash 1L

This 1L Summer Fruits squash is an option to dilute before travelling. Use its own label to check the dilution ratio, prepared-serving sugars and ingredients before comparing it with another pack.

View on Joybuy

Questions about squash for the cinema

Does “no added sugar” mean squash contains no sugar?

No. The Advertising Standards Authority explains that a “no added sugars” claim concerns added sugars, while a product can still contain sugars from its ingredients. Sainsbury's lists 3.4 g sugars per 250 ml serving for its no-added-sugar White Grape & Peach High Juice squash, so check the prepared-serving nutrition.

How do I compare two squash bottles for a cinema drink?

Compare sugars and energy for squash diluted according to each bottle's instructions, using the same serving size where possible. ASDA Groceries lists a 1:4 ratio for Robinsons Summer Fruits and a 1:9 ratio for ASDA Summer Fruits, so comparing concentrate or bottle size alone will not describe the prepared drink.

Can I bring prepared squash into the cinema?

Check the policy for the cinema you are visiting before taking a drink. ODEON says guests may bring their own snacks and drinks, but its statement does not establish the policy at another venue.

What should I check if I avoid a particular sweetener or allergen?

Read the current ingredients and allergen information for the exact squash and flavour. For example, ASDA Groceries lists sucralose, acesulfame K and barley for Vimto No Added Sugar squash; that ingredient list should not be assumed to apply to other products.