Shoppers who want undiluted orange juice
If you want orange juice rather than squash and prefer an ingredient list without sweeteners, check for 100% juice. A no-added-sugar claim does not remove the sugars naturally present in the fruit.
Who is each drink for?
Shoppers making a diluted drink
If you want to mix an orange drink with water for a larger glass, check the dilution directions and nutrition for the prepared drink. Read the ingredients if sweeteners or sulphites affect your choice.
Households checking ingredients closely
Compare the exact variants, not just their front labels. Tropicana Smooth is described by Tropicana UK as 100% pressed juice, while Asda lists sweeteners and sulphites in its 50% Fruit High Juice concentrate.
What should you check before choosing?
Decide whether you want juice to pour straight into a glass or a concentrate to mix with water. Then compare the serving and ingredient information on that basis.
100% orange juice
Choose it when: You want undiluted orange juice without sweeteners added to the named Tropicana Smooth or innocent Smooth products.
Bear in mind: No added sugar does not mean no sugars; the NHS advises a combined daily limit of 150ml for fruit juice and smoothies.
Orange high-juice squash
Choose it when: You want to prepare an orange drink by diluting concentrate with water.
Bear in mind: The named Asda and Tesco drinks contain sweeteners, and Asda lists sulphites; they are not 100% juice.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of the label | Read the no-added-sugar wording alongside the ingredients and ‘of which sugars’ figure. Check whether the product is 100% juice, a juice drink or a squash. | I want to know how much sugar is in the drink, not assume that ‘no added sugar’ means sugar-free. The Food Standards Agency notes that fruit juice can carry a no-added-sugars claim. |
| Juice serving | Check the amount poured, rather than using the bottle size as a serving. The NHS advises limiting fruit juice and smoothies to a combined 150ml a day. | For a TV-night glass of 100% juice, I can measure the serving instead of pouring from a large bottle without checking the amount. |
| Prepared squash | Follow the dilution directions and compare nutrition for the prepared drink. Tesco lists 2.2g sugars per 250ml when its No Added Sugar High Juice Orange is diluted as instructed; Asda lists 2.5g per prepared 250ml for its 50% Fruit High Juice Orange. | A larger, water-diluted orange drink appeals to me, but I need figures for the drink in my glass rather than the concentrate in the bottle. |
| Ingredients | Check the exact variant for sweeteners and sulphites. Asda lists sucralose, acesulfame K and sulphites in its 50% Fruit High Juice Orange; Marks & Spencer lists sucralose and sulphites in Mediterranean Orange High Juice. | If I want to avoid a particular ingredient, the full ingredients list matters more to me than the no-added-sugar wording. |
| Fruit content | Compare product descriptions before comparing serving figures: Asda’s High Juice is a 50% orange-juice concentrate before dilution, while Sainsbury’s Fruit Slurps Orange Juice Drink lists 8% fruit juice. | I want to distinguish an undiluted juice from a squash or ready-to-drink juice drink, even if all three have orange in the name. |
Common label and serving mistakes
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Reading ‘no added sugar’ as ‘sugar-free’
Orange juice still contains sugars from the fruit. The no-added-sugar wording alone does not tell you the amount in your glass.
Read ‘of which sugars’ on the nutrition panel and check the serving size. For fruit juice, keep the NHS combined 150ml daily guidance for juice and smoothies in mind.
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Comparing a squash bottle with a juice bottle
Squash is diluted before drinking, so equal bottle volumes do not represent equal volumes of ready-to-drink juice and prepared squash.
Check the squash’s dilution directions and prepared-serving nutrition; compare those with the serving information for undiluted juice.
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Assuming squash and pure juice have the same ingredients
Asda’s 50% Fruit High Juice Orange lists sweeteners and sulphites, while Tropicana UK describes Smooth Orange as 100% pressed juice.
Read the full ingredients list for the exact pack if sweeteners or sulphites matter to you.
Brand and retailer examples
These examples illustrate different drink types; a brand name alone does not tell you whether a particular pack is juice, squash or a juice drink.
Tropicana
Tropicana UK describes Smooth Orange as 100% pressed orange juice, not from concentrate.
- The Smooth Orange page states no added sugar.
- Tropicana also says the juice contains naturally occurring sugars.
innocent
Sainsbury’s lists innocent Pure Orange Juice Smooth 1.75L as 100% pure orange juice.
- Its listing says no sugar is added.
- The listing also notes naturally occurring fruit sugars; the 1.75L bottle is not a serving measure.
Tesco
Tesco No Added Sugar High Juice Orange 1L is a concentrated orange drink with sweeteners, made to be diluted.
- Tesco lists 2.2g sugars per 250ml when diluted according to its instructions.
- It is not ready-to-drink 100% orange juice.
Asda
Asda 50% Fruit No Added Sugar High Juice Orange is a concentrate containing orange juice from concentrate.
- Asda lists 2.5g sugars per 250ml when diluted as directed.
- Its ingredients include sucralose, acesulfame K and sulphites.
M&S
Marks & Spencer lists both Pure Squeezed Orange Juice Smooth and Mediterranean Orange High Juice, which are different types of drink.
- The Pure Squeezed juice is described as having nothing else added; its listing gives 9.3g sugars per 100g.
- Mediterranean Orange High Juice lists 50% fruit juice, sucralose and sulphites, so its ingredients should not be assumed to match the pure juice.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s No Added Sugar Fruit Slurps Orange Juice Drink is a ready-to-drink juice drink rather than 100% orange juice.
- Its product listing identifies it as an orange juice drink with sweetener.
- The listing states 8% fruit juice, so it should not be treated as equivalent to pure juice.
Orange squash on Joybuy
This orange squash is an option for making a diluted drink for TV night; it is not a substitute for undiluted 100% orange juice.
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Robinsons No Added Sugar Orange Squash 1L
For a water-diluted orange drink rather than undiluted juice. The product description states 10% orange fruit from concentrate and lists acesulfame K, sucralose and sulphites. Do not drink it undiluted; check the pack directions for the dilution to use.
Questions about orange juice and squash
Does ‘no added sugar’ mean an orange drink is sugar-free?
No. Orange juice can contain sugars naturally present in fruit even when no sugar has been added. The Food Standards Agency notes that fruit juices can carry a no-added-sugars claim; check ‘of which sugars’ on the nutrition panel to see the amount in a serving.
How much 100% orange juice should I pour for TV night?
The NHS advises limiting fruit juice and smoothies to a combined 150ml a day. Measure the juice if you are pouring from a larger bottle, and remember that the guidance covers those drinks together, not 150ml of each.
Is no-added-sugar orange squash the same as orange juice?
No. The named Tesco and Asda high-juice products are concentrates made for dilution and list sweeteners, whereas Tropicana UK describes Smooth Orange as ready-to-drink 100% pressed juice. Compare ingredients and nutrition for the squash as prepared, rather than treating the bottle contents as ready to drink.
What if I want to avoid sweeteners or sulphites?
Check the ingredients on the exact pack. Asda’s 50% Fruit High Juice Orange lists sucralose, acesulfame K and sulphites, and Marks & Spencer’s Mediterranean Orange High Juice lists sucralose and sulphites. The no-added-sugar claim does not answer that ingredient question.
How should I store orange juice after opening?
Follow the storage instructions for the exact pack. Tesco’s listing for Tropicana Smooth Orange Juice 300ml says to refrigerate it and use it within five days of opening; do not assume the same period applies to another product or pack size.