Who is each mixer for?

The useful distinction is whether you need an unsweetened drink, a tonic-style serve or a choice of both for different guests.

Strict no-added-sugar pantry stockers

If you also want to avoid sweeteners, unsweetened soda water is a straightforward starting point. Check the exact product rather than treating a light tonic as equivalent.

Gin or vodka drinkers comparing tonic

If tonic flavour is important but you want to compare sugar content, read the ingredients and sugars per 100ml. A light tonic and a zero-sugar tonic can meet different preferences.

Households stocking for different tastes

Keeping an unsweetened soda water alongside a separately checked tonic gives guests a choice between a neutral mixer and tonic flavour without assuming one drink suits everyone.

What should you check before stocking up?

Decide which requirement comes first, then check the exact pack’s ingredients, nutrition panel and format.

Unsweetened soda water

Choose it when: You want a mixer without added sugar or sweeteners and do not need tonic flavour; Fentimans Soda Water lists 0g sugars per 100ml.

Trade-off: Soda water does not provide tonic water’s characteristic quinine bitterness or sweetness.

Lighter premium tonic

Choose it when: Tonic flavour matters more than a strict no-added-sugar requirement; Fever-Tree describes its Refreshingly Light Indian Tonic as lower in calories than its regular Premium Indian Tonic.

Trade-off: This Fever-Tree tonic lists fructose and 3.8g sugars per 100ml, according to its ingredients and the Sainsbury’s nutrition panel.

Zero-sugar or slimline tonic

Choose it when: You want tonic flavour and are willing to check the exact pack’s sugar and sweetener declarations.

Trade-off: Zero sugar does not mean no sweeteners, and a nutrition figure alone does not establish an on-pack no-added-sugar claim.

Priority What to check Your needs
No added sugar Read the exact on-pack claim and ingredients for sugars or foods used for sweetening. Compare total sugars per 100ml separately; a light description is not a no-added-sugar claim. I want the mixer I stock to meet a literal no-added-sugar requirement, not simply to be described as light.
Sweeteners and flavour Check the sweetener declaration and whether the drink is soda water or a quinine-containing tonic. Check sugars per 100ml on the same basis when comparing packs. For some drinks I want tonic flavour; for others, I would rather use an unsweetened mixer without sweeteners.
Pack and storage Compare can or bottle sizes with how often you make drinks. Read the individual pack’s storage instructions and best-before date. We make mixed drinks occasionally, so I want pack sizes that fit our serving habits rather than choosing a large format by default.

Pantry-stocking mistakes to avoid

  • Taking “light” to mean no added sugar

    Light describes a calorie comparison, not necessarily the absence of added sugar. Fever-Tree Refreshingly Light Indian Tonic lists fructose, and Sainsbury’s gives 3.8g sugars per 100ml.

    If no added sugar is essential, check the exact pack’s claim and ingredients. Choose unsweetened soda water if tonic flavour is not essential.

  • Confusing zero sugar with no sweeteners

    These are separate requirements: a drink can have zero sugar while using sweeteners. Conversely, avoiding artificial sweeteners does not establish that a drink has no added sugar.

    Decide which matters to you, then read both the ingredient list and the sugars figure per 100ml.

  • Judging every drink by the brand name

    Fentimans Soda Water lists 0g sugars per 100ml, while Fentimans Premium Indian Tonic lists fructose, steviol glycosides and 4.4g sugars per 100ml.

    Check the full product name and current label for the particular soda water or tonic you intend to stock.

  • Choosing a multipack without checking the format

    A pack may suit occasional single serves differently from a larger bottle. Sainsbury’s lists Fever-Tree Refreshingly Light Indian Tonic in 15 × 150ml cans.

    Match the format to how often you make drinks, and follow that pack’s storage instructions and best-before date.

Brand and product-line differences

A brand name cannot stand in for checking the particular mixer: soda water, premium tonic and slimline tonic have different ingredients and uses.

Fentimans

Its Soda Water is an unsweetened mixing option, but that description does not extend to its tonic range.

  • Fentimans lists carbonated water, salt and sodium bicarbonate for Soda Water, with 0g sugars per 100ml.
  • Its Premium Indian Tonic lists fructose and steviol glycosides, with 4.4g sugars per 100ml.

Fever-Tree

Refreshingly Light Indian Tonic is a tonic-style option for shoppers comparing it with the brand’s regular tonic, not a strict no-added-sugar substitute.

  • Fever-Tree describes this product as having fewer calories than its Premium Indian Tonic and states that it has no artificial sweeteners.
  • Its ingredient list includes fructose; Sainsbury’s lists 3.8g sugars per 100ml for the product.

Schweppes

Schweppes Slimline Tonic Water is a tonic route to assess by the exact pack rather than by the word “slimline”.

  • Tesco lists 12 × 150ml and 1L Schweppes Slimline Tonic Water formats in its low-calorie mixer selection.
  • Check the current variant’s ingredients, sugars per 100ml and sweetener declaration against your own requirements.

Joybuy mixer options

These Joybuy options cover a slimline tonic for tonic-style drinks and a 7UP Zero soft drink that can be used as a mixer. Check each current pack if a no-added-sugar claim or avoidance of sweeteners is essential.

Schweppes Slimline Tonic Water, 12 × 150ml cans

Schweppes Slimline Tonic Water, 12 × 150ml

For stocking single-serve tonic mixers. The pack contains 12 × 150ml cans; check the current label for its no-added-sugar claim, sugars, sweeteners and quinine if these affect your choice.

View on Joybuy
7UP Zero, 24 × 330ml cans

7UP Zero, 24 × 330ml

For a soft-drink-style mixer rather than tonic or unsweetened soda water. The pack contains 24 × 330ml cans; check the current label for its no-added-sugar claim and sweetener declaration before choosing it for those requirements.

View on Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Does “light” tonic mean no added sugar?

No. A light or lower-calorie description does not establish a no-added-sugar claim. Fever-Tree Refreshingly Light Indian Tonic lists fructose, and Sainsbury’s gives 3.8g sugars per 100ml; check the exact pack’s ingredients and nutrition panel.

Which mixer can I choose if I also want to avoid sweeteners?

Unsweetened soda water is a starting point if you do not need tonic flavour. Fentimans Soda Water lists carbonated water, salt and sodium bicarbonate, with 0g sugars per 100ml; it will not give a drink tonic water’s characteristic bitterness or sweetness.

Are “no added sugar” and “zero sugar” the same thing?

No. A no-added-sugar claim concerns what has been added, while the sugars figure on the nutrition panel describes the product’s total sugars per stated quantity. Read both the claim and the sugars per 100ml if either distinction affects your choice.

How should I store unopened mixers?

Follow the instructions on the particular pack. For the Fever-Tree Refreshingly Light Indian Tonic 15 × 150ml multipack, Sainsbury’s specifies a cool, dry place and a best-before date on the can base; do not assume the same wording applies to another format.