For protein per 100ml, compare dedicated high-protein cartons with everyday soya drinks: Alpro UK lists 5.0g protein and 2.5g sugars per 100ml for Soya High Protein Plain, while Waitrose lists 3.4g protein and 0.0g sugars per 100ml for Essential Unsweetened. If avoiding declared sugars matters more, an unsweetened carton may suit you better. For a roughly six-pint household supply, check the total volume and carton count rather than assuming a family-size bottle.
The useful distinction is between prioritising protein per drink volume, avoiding declared sugars and managing a larger household supply.
If you regularly add soya drink to cereal, porridge or shakes, compare the protein declaration per 100ml. Alpro UK lists 5.0g per 100ml for Soya High Protein Plain, compared with 3.4g for Waitrose Essential Unsweetened and 3.3g for Alpro No Sugars on their respective product information.
Waitrose Essential Unsweetened and Alpro No Sugars each list 0.0g sugars per 100ml, alongside 3.4g and 3.3g protein per 100ml respectively. Check both lines on the carton if sugar and protein matter to your choice.
Check the combined pack volume and how quickly each opened carton will be used. Waitrose and M&S instruct shoppers to refrigerate their cited unsweetened drinks after opening and consume them within three days.
Start with protein and sugars on a like-for-like label basis, then check fortification and whether the pack size works for your household.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | Compare protein per 100ml on ready-to-drink cartons. Alpro UK declares 5.0g per 100ml for Soya High Protein Plain; Waitrose declares 3.4g for Essential Unsweetened. | I use soya drink regularly and want to know how much protein the same volume provides. |
| Sugars | Read sugars alongside protein per 100ml. Alpro UK lists 2.5g sugars for Soya High Protein Plain and 0.0g for No Sugars; Waitrose lists 0.0g for Essential Unsweetened. | A drink with no declared sugars matters more to me than getting the highest protein figure among these cartons. |
| Fortification | Check the individual label for added calcium, iodine, vitamin D and vitamin B12. The NHS advises people following a vegan diet to include fortified dairy alternatives such as soya drinks. | If I use soya drink regularly instead of dairy milk, I want to know which nutrients the carton declares. |
| Pack and storage | Check total volume, carton count and instructions after opening. The cited Waitrose and M&S cartons specify refrigeration and use within three days of opening. | For a roughly six-pint household shop, I need a quantity we can store and use without opening too many cartons at once. |
| Allergens | Read the current ingredient list and allergen declaration. The Food Standards Agency identifies soya as an allergen. | Someone in my household has a food allergy, so a dairy-free label alone does not settle whether the drink is suitable. |
Protein declarations differ between the cited cartons: Alpro UK lists 5.0g per 100ml for Soya High Protein Plain, while Waitrose lists 3.4g for Essential Unsweetened.
Compare the protein line per 100ml rather than relying on the words “soya drink” alone.
Alpro No Sugars and Waitrose Essential Unsweetened list 0.0g sugars per 100ml, but less protein per 100ml than Alpro Soya High Protein Plain, according to their product information.
Decide which declaration matters more to you, then check both figures on the current carton.
Waitrose and M&S specify refrigeration and consumption within three days after opening for their cited unsweetened drinks.
Check each pack’s storage instructions and open cartons at a pace your household can use.
Cartons left open beyond their stated use period may have to be discarded.
The Food Standards Agency identifies soya as an allergen; a dairy-free soya drink is not suitable for someone with a soya allergy.
Check the current ingredients and allergen declaration for anyone whose allergy affects the choice.
These product lines provide useful label comparisons; the figures describe the named drinks, not every product sold under each brand.
Alpro UK lists both a Soya High Protein Plain drink and a Soya No Sugars drink, allowing a comparison between protein and sugars priorities.
The Essential Unsweetened Soya Drink is a 1L option for comparing no declared sugars with a stated protein figure.
The Unsweetened Soya Drink offers another own-label nutrition panel to check when choosing a regular soya drink.
Tesco Groceries lists own-label sweetened and unsweetened soya drinks alongside Alpro High Protein Soya Original in 1L formats.
These ready-to-drink soya listings include 1L options and smaller individual cartons. For a roughly six-pint household supply, check the combined volume of the listing you choose.
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A ready-to-drink soya option for a protein-first shop. The “6” in the listing name does not establish the number of cartons: confirm the carton count and total volume before relying on it for a household supply. Check the current sugar and allergen declarations if they affect your choice.
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This multi-carton option suits a household prioritising no declared sugars over the protein figure of Alpro’s dedicated high-protein drink. Alpro UK declares 0.0g sugars and 3.3g protein per 100ml for Soya No Sugars. Eight 1L cartons exceed a roughly six-pint target, so check that the quantity suits your storage and usage.
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Six individual 250ml cartons offer a smaller combined volume than a six-pint household supply. Although the original listing calls this drink “Low-Sugar”, its reported nutrition table lists 10g sugars per 100ml; check the current pack label rather than relying on that wording when comparing sugars. Check its protein declaration and instructions after opening too.
Not necessarily. Alpro UK declares 5.0g protein per 100ml for Soya High Protein Plain and 3.3g per 100ml for Soya No Sugars; Waitrose declares 3.4g per 100ml for Essential Unsweetened. Compare the current per-100ml labels for the cartons you are considering.
Choose by the declaration that matters more to your shop. Alpro UK lists 5.0g protein and 2.5g sugars per 100ml for Soya High Protein Plain, while Alpro No Sugars lists 3.3g protein and 0.0g sugars per 100ml. Waitrose Essential Unsweetened lists 3.4g protein and 0.0g sugars per 100ml.
Check the combined volume and carton count rather than assuming one bottle or a number in a listing name equals six pints. The named Alpro, Waitrose and M&S comparison drinks are listed as 1L cartons, while the Vita option shown here contains six 250ml cartons.
Check each carton’s instructions before doing so. Waitrose Essential Unsweetened and M&S Plant Kitchen Unsweetened specify refrigeration after opening and consumption within three days; opening only what your household can use in that period helps you follow those instructions.
No. The Food Standards Agency identifies soya as an allergen and a possible risk for someone allergic to it. Check the current ingredients and allergen declaration rather than treating “dairy-free” as an allergy-safe claim.