Students stocking a room or shared kitchen
A multipack needs somewhere to go after move-in, as well as a way to get it there. Smaller bottles may be easier to take to lectures; larger bottles need more kitchen or room space.
Who is this for?
Students avoiding added sugar
Plain water has the simplest ingredients list. If you prefer flavoured water, check the exact bottle: ‘no added sugar’ does not mean it contains no sweetener.
Students who prefer flavoured drinks
A clearly labelled no-added-sugar flavoured water is an option if you do not enjoy plain water. Read its ingredients and check how it should be stored after opening.
What should you check?
Start with the ingredients, then choose a bottle size that works for both move-in day and everyday use.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| No added sugar | For flavoured water, read the ‘no added sugar’ claim, ingredients and ‘of which sugars’ information. The Advertising Standards Authority explains that the claim does not rule out sweeteners. | I want to avoid added sugar, but I may also want to know whether the drink contains a sweetener. |
| Flavour | Check whether the bottle contains plain spring or mineral water, or a flavoured drink with other ingredients. For flavoured water, read the opened-pack instructions too. | Plain water suits me if I do not need flavour; otherwise I want to know exactly what is in the flavoured option. |
| Bottle size | Compare the number of bottles and the volume of each. A 6 × 1.5L pack contains 9L; individual 500ml bottles can be taken out separately. | I need something I can get into my accommodation, with bottles that work for the kitchen or my bag. |
| Storage | Check where the unopened pack will fit and follow the exact product’s refrigeration and use-after-opening directions. | Shared-kitchen space may be limited, so I want a pack I can store and use as directed. |
Common buying mistakes
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Assuming ‘no added sugar’ means no sweetener
A flavoured water may contain sweeteners, acids or flavourings even when it has no added sugar. That matters if what you actually want is unsweetened water.
Read the ingredients and ‘of which sugars’ information on the exact bottle. Choose plain water if you want water to be the only listed ingredient.
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Choosing a large pack without planning the journey
Six 1.5L bottles contain 9L of water, which needs to be carried into the accommodation and stored afterwards.
Consider what you can transport on move-in day and how much cupboard or shared-kitchen space you will have.
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Relying on an old online ingredients list
A flavoured drink’s formulation may change, so an earlier listing may not describe the bottle you receive.
Check the physical label when buying, particularly if an ingredient matters to you.
Brands and retailers to recognise
A brand name alone does not establish a drink’s ingredients or pack instructions; check the particular product.
Highland Spring
Offers plain still spring water in multipacks and a separate flavoured-water range.
- The reviewed plain-water products include six 1.5L bottles and a 10L box.
- The reviewed flavoured product contains ingredients beyond water, including sucralose; check the label of the flavour you choose.
Buxton
Its reviewed still natural mineral-water range includes a six-bottle, 1.5L multipack.
- The reviewed multipack provides 9L in bottles that can be opened individually.
- Plan how to carry and store the full pack.
Volvic
Has reviewed plain natural mineral-water multipacks and a separate Touch of Fruit flavoured range.
- The reviewed plain-water pack contains six 1.5L bottles.
- Do not assume the flavoured range has the same ingredients as the plain water; check each label.
Evian
Its reviewed natural mineral-water formats include 330ml individual bottles and larger multipacks.
- The 330ml bottles offer a smaller size to put in a bag.
- A pack of small bottles and a pack of 1.5L bottles serve different carrying and storage needs.
Tesco
A retailer with reviewed listings for plain and flavoured Highland Spring water.
- Its listings show pack sizes and product information useful when planning a shop.
- Tesco advises checking the physical food label because formulations can change.
Sainsbury's
A retailer whose reviewed still-water category includes own-label and branded packs.
- The category lets shoppers see several bottle and multipack formats in one place.
- Check an own-label product’s exact label rather than assuming it matches a branded mineral water.
Joybuy water options
These options include plain water in individual-bottle multipacks and larger packs for accommodation, plus one flavoured still water. Match the format and ingredients to how you will carry, store and use it.
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Evian Mineral Water 6 × 500ml
Six individual 500ml bottles give you a size to take out separately. The listed ingredient is water; the full 3L pack still needs transporting and storing.
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Buxton Still Water 8 × 500ml
This 4L pack contains eight bottles that can be taken out individually. Natural mineral water is the listed ingredient; allow space for the full pack at home.
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Highland Spring Still Water 6 × 1.5L
The six-bottle, 9L pack may work for a shared kitchen if you can carry and store it. Natural spring water is the listed ingredient; follow the bottle’s instructions after opening.
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Buxton Still Natural Mineral Water 6 × 1.5L
This 9L multipack provides larger bottles for accommodation rather than a small-bottle format for carrying out. Natural mineral water is the listed ingredient; the product instructions say to consume each bottle within three days of opening.
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Highland Spring Sugar Free Strawberry Still Flavoured Water 1.25L
This is a flavoured alternative to plain water, not a water-only product. Its listed ingredients include sucralose, citric acid and flavourings; the nutrition information lists 0g sugars per 100ml. Refrigerate after opening and use within three days, checking the physical label for the bottle you receive.
Questions about bottled water
Does ‘no added sugar’ mean no sugar or sweeteners?
No. The Advertising Standards Authority explains that a ‘no added sugars’ claim concerns added sugars and foods used for their sweetening properties; it does not mean a drink contains no sweetener. Check both the ingredients and the ‘of which sugars’ information on the bottle.
Should I choose plain water if I want to avoid added sugar?
Plain water is the more straightforward choice if you are happy without flavour: the reviewed plain-water listings identify water as the ingredient. A flavoured product can also carry a no-added-sugar claim, but check its full ingredients and opened-pack directions.
Which bottle size works for moving into halls?
Choose a pack you can carry and store. Individual small bottles can be taken to campus, while 1.5L multipacks need space in your room or shared kitchen. If considering a 10L Highland Spring box, note that its reviewed Tesco listing says to use it within four weeks of opening.
Can I rely on an online ingredients list?
Use it to plan, then read the label on the product you receive. Tesco advises that food formulations can change, which is particularly relevant when you are checking a flavoured water for a specific ingredient or sugar preference.