People packing one drink for lunch
If you expect to finish your drink at work, an individual can avoids having to store an opened bottle. ASDA, Sainsbury’s and R. White’s each list 330ml lemonade cans.
Who is this for?
Shoppers comparing sugars
Check the sugars figure for the serving you will actually drink, particularly when comparing a can with a larger bottle. The NHS suggests sugar-free, diet or no-added-sugar drinks as alternatives to sugary fizzy drinks.
Shoppers choosing by ingredients
If fruit ingredients or avoiding particular sweeteners matters to you, compare ingredient lists as well as pack sizes. ASDA’s listing for Fever-Tree Sparkling Sicilian Lemonade, for example, specifies lemon fruit from concentrate and no artificial sweeteners; it also lists sugars.
What matters when choosing?
Start with the amount you will drink at lunch, then compare nutrition and ingredients for that amount rather than judging the pack by its front label alone.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Serving size | Check whether the pack contains an individual can or a larger bottle. If you will open a bottle, read its storage instructions. | I want one sealed drink I can finish with lunch, without taking an opened bottle home. |
| Sugars | Compare sugars per 100ml with the amount you expect to drink. ASDA Groceries lists 0g per 330ml can for ASDA Diet Lemonade; Tesco lists 12g per 330ml bottle for R. White’s Traditional Cloudy Lemonade. | When comparing diet and sugar-containing lemonade, I want the figure for my actual portion, not just the per-100ml figure. |
| Ingredients | Read the exact pack’s ingredients for fruit content, sweeteners and any relevant warnings. ASDA’s Sprite Lemon Lime listing contains both sugar and sweeteners and carries a phenylalanine warning. | I may prefer a particular lemonade style or need to check for a sweetener before choosing. |
| Lemonade style | Distinguish lemonade from lemon-and-lime drinks, and compare cloudy or fruit-containing versions by their own ingredients and nutrition. Sainsbury’s Diet Cloudy Lemonade lists lemon fruit and sweeteners. | Cloudy lemonade appeals to me, but I still want to know what is in this particular drink. |
What should you watch for?
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Reading ‘low calorie’ as ‘sugar-free’
ASDA lists 4.4g sugars per 100ml for its low-calorie Sprite Lemon Lime drink.
Check the sugars line and ingredients rather than relying on the description on the front of the pack.
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Assuming diet lemonade has no sweeteners
ASDA Diet Lemonade, Sainsbury’s Diet Cloudy Lemonade and R. White’s Diet Lemonade list different sweetener combinations.
Read the ingredients on the exact pack, including any warning relevant to you.
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Choosing a large bottle for one lunch
An opened bottle may need storage after lunch. M&S instructs customers to refrigerate its 1L Diet Lemonade after opening and consume it within three days.
Decide whether you will finish or share the bottle before choosing it over an individual can.
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Relying on an online description as the final label
Retailer product information can change, including ingredients and nutrition details.
Use the listing to compare options, then check the pack you receive before drinking it.
Relevant brand references
R. White’s
Tesco lists both diet cans and Traditional Cloudy Lemonade bottles in 330ml multipacks.
- Tesco lists 0g sugars per can for R. White’s Diet Lemonade.
- The diet cans list aspartame, acesulfame K and saccharin; the Traditional Cloudy version lists 12g sugars per bottle.
Sprite
A lemon-and-lime sparkling drink to compare separately from lemonade.
- ASDA lists a 3L bottle for shared use.
- That low-calorie listing contains sugar and sweeteners, with 4.4g sugars per 100ml and a phenylalanine warning.
Tesco
Its lemonade range includes individual diet cans and larger cloudy-lemonade bottles.
- The listed formats offer a choice between a can for lunch and a bottle for more than one serving.
- Check the current product label for ingredients and nutrition when selecting a particular pack.
Sainsbury’s
Its Diet Cloudy Lemonade comes as a 6 × 330ml can multipack.
- Sainsbury’s lists lemon fruit and 0.8g sugars per can.
- The listed ingredients include sucralose and acesulfame K.
ASDA
Its Diet Lemonade is listed in 250ml and 330ml individual portions as well as a 2L bottle.
- ASDA lists 0g sugars per 330ml can for its Diet Lemonade.
- The listed 330ml cans contain acesulfame K and sucralose; check the label of the pack you buy.
M&S
Its Diet Lemonade is a 1L bottle sweetened with sucralose.
- The bottle offers more than an individual lunch portion if you plan to share it.
- M&S instructs customers to refrigerate it after opening and consume it within three days.
Joybuy product options
These canned sparkling lemonades and lemon-and-lime drinks offer individual portions for an office packed lunch. Compare the can size and check each pack’s ingredients and nutrition before choosing.
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7 Up Lemonade Zero 24 × 330ml
A 330ml can gives you an individual lunch portion. If you are choosing it to reduce sugars, check the nutrition and sweetener information on the pack.
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Karma Lemony Can 24 × 250ml
The 250ml can is a smaller individual portion than a 330ml can. Check the sugars figure per can if you are comparing it with a diet drink.
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7UP Zero 8 × 330ml
These 330ml cans offer an individual lemon-and-lime drink rather than one labelled as lemonade. Check the pack label for its calorie figure, ingredients and any relevant warnings.
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Fever-Tree Premium Lemonade 6 × 150ml
A sealed 150ml can avoids an opened bottle, though you may want to check whether that smaller portion is enough for lunch. Compare its sugars per can with your other options.
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Schweppes Original Lemonade 12 × 150ml
The 150ml can is an individual portion that may be smaller than you want with lunch. Read the pack’s sugars and ingredient information if either affects your choice.
Frequently asked questions
Is diet or no-added-sugar lemonade free from sweeteners?
Not necessarily. The ingredient listings for ASDA Diet Lemonade, Sainsbury’s Diet Cloudy Lemonade and R. White’s Diet Lemonade all include sweeteners, with different combinations. Check the ingredients on the exact pack.
How should I compare sugars in a can and a larger bottle?
Compare the amount you expect to drink, not just the per-100ml figures. ASDA Groceries lists 4.4g sugars per 100ml for its 500ml Fever-Tree Sparkling Sicilian Lemonade bottle, which works out to 22g if you drink the whole bottle; Sainsbury’s lists 0.8g per 330ml can for its Diet Cloudy Lemonade.
Which label details help me choose a packed-lunch lemonade?
Check the pack size, nutrition per serving and per 100ml, and the ingredients for fruit, sugar, sweeteners and relevant warnings. The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and Food Standards Agency’s UK prepacked-food guidance covers ingredient, allergen, quantity, date and nutrition information; read the physical pack for the drink you buy.
Is a can simpler to pack than a larger bottle?
A sealed individual can avoids storing leftover drink after a single lunch. Handle carbonated packs carefully when opening them; if you choose a larger bottle, follow its storage instructions. M&S says to refrigerate its 1L Diet Lemonade after opening and consume it within three days.