Who is choosing an orange drink?

First-time household shoppers

If you are putting together a first food shop, distinguish 100% juice from ready-to-drink juice drinks and concentrates before comparing their no-added-sugar labels.

Shoppers comparing sugar on the label

If added sugar matters to your choice, check the sugars value as well as the claim on the front. For a concentrate, use the figures for the drink prepared according to its directions.

Households shopping for children

Check the intended age and preparation directions on the exact bottle. A no-added-sugar label does not replace those checks.

What matters on the label?

Decide whether you want 100% juice or an orange drink, then compare the ingredients and nutrition for the drink you will actually serve.

Priority What to check Your needs
Sugar wording Read the no-added-sugar claim alongside the sugars value per 100ml. Do not treat “no added sugar” and “sugar-free” as interchangeable. I want to know how much sugar is in the drink, not just whether sugar was added.
Drink type Check whether it is 100% juice, a ready-to-drink juice drink or a concentrate. Compare fruit content, ingredients and any sweeteners. For this shop, am I buying fruit juice, a ready-to-drink orange drink or something to dilute at home?
Serving and preparation For fruit juice, the NHS advises a combined maximum of 150ml of fruit juice and smoothies a day, with a meal. For concentrate, follow the bottle’s dilution directions and check any age restrictions. I need to know how much to pour and whether the drink needs mixing before anyone has it.

Common orange-drink buying mistakes

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

    Fruit juice can contain naturally occurring sugars even when no sugar has been added.

    Compare the sugars value on the nutrition panel rather than relying on the front-of-pack claim alone.

  • Picking up concentrate when you wanted juice

    A concentrate needs diluting, while a 100% orange juice is a different product type.

    Check the product description, fruit content and preparation directions before it goes in the basket.

  • Pours that overlook fruit-juice guidance

    The NHS advises limiting fruit juice and smoothies together to 150ml a day and having them with a meal.

    Consider the serving you plan to pour when choosing 100% juice for a regular shop.

  • Assuming every squash suits a young child

    The Robinsons orange squash listed below is labelled unsuitable for children under 36 months.

    Check the age guidance on the exact product rather than relying on its no-added-sugar claim.

Brand and retailer label examples

Tropicana

Tesco describes its listed Tropicana Smooth Orange Juice as 100% pressed fruit juice, not from concentrate, with no added sugar.

  • The listed product is a 100% juice option.
  • The NHS’s 150ml daily guidance for fruit juice and smoothies still applies to fruit juice without added sugar.

Innocent

Innocent says it does not add sugar to its juices and smoothies.

  • Its statement distinguishes added sugar from sugar occurring naturally in fruit.
  • Check the exact drink’s ingredients and nutrition panel; a juice and a smoothie are not the same product type.

Tesco

Tesco lists a no-added-sugar orange high-juice concentrate as a drink with sweeteners that must be diluted.

  • Its concentrate listing gives shoppers a dilutable format to consider.
  • A concentrate should not be mistaken for ready-to-drink 100% orange juice; check the bottle’s preparation directions.

M&S

M&S describes its Mediterranean Orange High Juice as a no-added-sugar concentrate made with 50% fruit juice.

  • The listing states the fruit-juice proportion, making the format easier to identify.
  • It is a concentrate rather than ready-to-drink 100% juice; check its current ingredients and dilution directions.

Joybuy orange drink options

This orange squash is a dilutable no-added-sugar drink option for a first food shop, not a 100% orange juice.

Robinsons No Added Sugar Orange Squash 1L

Robinsons No Added Sugar Orange Squash 1L

A dilutable orange squash for shoppers seeking a no-added-sugar orange drink rather than 100% juice. Its listing states 10% orange fruit from concentrate and names sucralose, acesulfame K and sulphites. Follow the dilution directions; the listing says it is unsuitable for children under 36 months. Check the current nutrition label for the sugars value of a prepared serving.

View on Joybuy

Orange drink questions answered

Does “no added sugar” mean orange juice contains no sugar?

No. Orange juice can contain naturally occurring sugars. Check the sugars value on the nutrition panel if the amount matters to your choice.

Should I buy 100% orange juice or an orange juice drink?

Choose 100% orange juice if you want juice made entirely from fruit. If you want a ready-to-drink product with other ingredients, compare the exact juice drink’s fruit content, sweeteners and sugars rather than assuming it is equivalent to juice.

How much fruit juice does the NHS advise?

The NHS advises limiting fruit juice and smoothies together to a maximum of one small glass, 150ml, a day and drinking them with a meal. That guidance also matters when the juice has no added sugar.

Can I choose a no-added-sugar orange squash for a young child?

Check the exact product’s age guidance first. The Robinsons orange squash listed here is labelled unsuitable for children under 36 months, so its no-added-sugar claim should not be used as a substitute for that warning.

How do I prepare orange high-juice concentrate?

Dilute it according to the directions on the bottle. A concentrate is not intended to be treated as a ready-to-drink juice, and the nutrition of the prepared drink depends on how it is mixed.