Shoppers who want 100% orange juice
If juice rather than an orange soft drink is the priority, check the product description. Ocado lists Tropicana Pure Smooth as a 4 × 250ml bottle multipack that requires refrigeration.
Who is each format for?
Shoppers who prefer a can
A canned orange drink may suit a packed lunch if a soft drink is acceptable. Check whether it is sparkling, what fruit ingredients it contains and how the unopened pack should be stored.
Shoppers comparing sugar and sweeteners
Use sugars per 100ml to compare different pack sizes, then check the amount in the can or bottle you intend to drink. Read the ingredients if particular sweeteners matter to you.
What should you check?
Decide whether you want juice or a canned soft drink before comparing nutrition panels and pack sizes.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Drink type | Read the product description and ingredients for “orange juice”, “soft drink” or “carbonated beverage”. Check any stated juice percentage. | I want 100% orange juice, not simply an orange-flavoured drink. |
| Sugars and sweeteners | Compare sugars per 100ml, then account for the container size. The retailer listings describe 1g per 100ml for Sanpellegrino Zero Blood Orange, 4.3g for J2O, 4.4g for M&S Sparkling Brazilian Orange and 8.6g naturally occurring sugars for Tropicana Pure Smooth; check the current label for the pack you buy. | I would like to compare a 250ml drink with a 330ml drink on the same basis and know whether the ingredients include sweeteners. |
| Pack and storage | Check the number of drinks, individual volume and storage instructions. Ocado lists the Tropicana bottles as refrigerated; the M&S canned drink specifies cool, dry storage. | My lunch drink needs to fit my bag and the storage available before lunch. |
| Juice serving | For fruit juice, the NHS advises no more than 150ml a day in total from fruit juice, vegetable juice and smoothies combined. A 250ml juice bottle is larger than that amount. | If I choose pure juice, I want to decide how much of the bottle to pour or drink. |
Common buying mistakes
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Assuming every orange can is pure juice
Waitrose describes J2O Orange & Passion Fruit as a soft drink, while the M&S and Sanpellegrino canned products are described as carbonated drinks. Those descriptions matter if you intended to buy 100% orange juice.
Read the product description and ingredients rather than relying on the orange flavour or the can image.
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Comparing sugars without checking can size
A per-100ml figure allows comparison between the 250ml J2O can and the 330ml M&S and Sanpellegrino cans, but it is not the amount in a whole can.
Check both sugars per 100ml and the container volume when deciding what one lunch drink contains.
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Treating a whole juice bottle as a 150ml serving
The NHS advises a combined daily limit of 150ml for fruit juice, vegetable juice and smoothies. Ocado lists each Tropicana Pure Smooth bottle in the multipack as 250ml.
If choosing that juice, consider the amount you plan to drink rather than assuming the bottle size matches the NHS guidance.
Brand and product references
These named products illustrate the difference between a portable juice bottle and several types of canned orange drink; brand inclusion does not describe every product in a range.
Tropicana
Ocado lists Tropicana Pure Smooth as 100% orange juice in a 4 × 250ml bottle multipack.
- A non-sparkling juice option for shoppers who want 100% juice.
- The listed multipack is bottled rather than canned and requires refrigeration.
J2O
Waitrose describes its Orange & Passion Fruit 4 × 250ml cans as an orange-and-passion-fruit soft drink.
- A smaller individual can than the 330ml canned examples discussed here.
- The listed drink is not 100% orange juice and contains sugar and sucralose.
M&S
Ocado lists M&S Sparkling Brazilian Orange as a carbonated spring-water drink in four 330ml cans.
- The listed cans specify cool, dry storage before opening.
- Its ingredients include orange juice from concentrate, sugar and a sweetener; it is not pure juice.
Sanpellegrino
Waitrose lists Sanpellegrino Zero Blood Orange as a six-pack of 330ml carbonated drinks.
- The listed nutrition panel gives 1g sugars per 100ml.
- It is not pure juice; the listed ingredients include orange juice from concentrate and sweeteners.
Canned options on Joybuy
These Joybuy multipacks offer canned orange-flavoured drinks for lunch on the go. Choose among them if a soft drink is acceptable rather than using the can format as a substitute for checking whether a product is 100% juice.
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J2O Orange & Passion Fruit Blend 4 × 250ml cans
Consider this four-can format if you want an orange-and-passion-fruit soft drink for lunch rather than 100% orange juice. Check the current pack’s ingredients and nutrition panel when comparing it with another retailer’s listing.
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Fanta Orange 8 × 330ml
The eight-can format is an option when you want several orange soft drinks for packed lunches. It is not a 100% orange-juice choice; check the ingredients and nutrition panel if fruit content or sweeteners affect your decision.
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Tango Orange 24 × 330ml
This 24-can pack may suit buying drinks for several lunches or people, provided an orange soft drink is what you want. Consider where you will store the multipack and check the label for fruit ingredients and sweeteners.
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Tango Orange Zero'd 24 × 330ml
This 24-can orange soft-drink pack is an option if the can format suits your lunches. If its Zero'd name is relevant to your choice, check the current pack’s sugars per 100ml and ingredients rather than relying on the name alone.
Questions about orange drinks
Are canned orange drinks the same as 100% orange juice?
Not necessarily. Waitrose describes the listed J2O cans as a soft drink, and the listed M&S and Sanpellegrino cans are carbonated drinks. Check the product description and ingredients if you specifically want 100% orange juice; Ocado lists the Tropicana Pure Smooth multipack as juice in bottles.
How much fruit juice counts towards 5 A Day?
The NHS advises no more than 150ml a day in total from fruit juice, vegetable juice and smoothies combined. Drinking more does not add further 5 A Day portions from those drinks, so a 250ml juice bottle is larger than the amount in that guidance.
What if my lunch drink needs to stay in a cupboard before use?
Check the storage instructions for the specific pack. Ocado lists cool, dry storage for M&S Sparkling Brazilian Orange cans but says the Tropicana Pure Smooth juice bottles should be refrigerated.
Does “no added sugar” mean an orange drink contains no sugars?
No. Ocado lists Tropicana Pure Smooth as having no added sugar while its nutrition information gives 8.6g naturally occurring sugars per 100ml. Read the sugars line of the nutrition panel as well as any front-of-pack wording.