Hosts serving guests of different ages
Offer clearly labelled drink choices rather than assuming one squash suits everyone. If you plan to make fizzy servings, choose a concentrate with directions that permit sparkling water.
Who is this for?
The serving set-up and guests' ingredient preferences help determine which drinks to put on the table.
Hosts accommodating sweetener preferences
Check each bottle: Tesco lists sweeteners in Vimto Remix No Added Sugar, while the Rocks Blackcurrant product information describes a sugar-containing squash without artificial sweeteners. Those are different ingredient choices.
Hosts setting up self-service drinks
Keep dilution directions beside the concentrate, provide sparkling water separately and leave readable packaging available so guests can check ingredients.
What should you check before buying?
Decide whether guests will mix drinks themselves, then compare the prepared drinks and the practicalities of serving them.
Squash or cordial with sparkling water
Choose it when: Guests would value a choice of flavour strength from a concentrate whose directions permit sparkling water.
Allow for: A separate mixer, the bottle's dilution directions and space to prepare drinks.
Ready-to-drink fizzy drinks
Choose it when: Sealed individual servings and dispensing without a mixing station matter more than adjusting flavour strength.
Allow for: The drink's sweetness and strength are set in the can or bottle; check its ingredients individually.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sparkling preparation | Check that the selected concentrate's directions permit sparkling water. Look for its dilution instructions and add the sparkling water close to serving. | I want fizzy servings that guests can mix to their preferred flavour strength. |
| Sugars and sweeteners | Compare sugars per 100ml of the diluted drink, prepared as directed, and read the sweeteners in the ingredients. Tesco lists 0.2g sugars per 100ml diluted for Vimto Remix; Sainsbury's lists 4.4g for Rocks Blackcurrant. They are different products with different dilution directions. | Some guests may prefer a no-added-sugar drink; others may want to avoid artificial sweeteners. I need labels that make the difference clear. |
| Dilution | Follow the ratio for the exact bottle rather than using one measure for every squash. Sainsbury's gives 1 part Rocks Blackcurrant to 8 parts water; Tesco gives 1 part Vimto Remix to 4 parts water. | When several people are preparing jugs, I want each drink mixed consistently. |
| Ingredients and storage | Keep packaging accessible for ingredient checks and follow each bottle's after-opening storage directions. GOV.UK's community-event guidance recommends retaining prepacked packaging for people with food hypersensitivities. | Guests need to be able to identify what is in each drink, particularly at a self-service table. |
What can catch hosts out?
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Assuming any squash has sparkling-water directions
Some product information explicitly mentions sparkling water, while other directions simply say to add water. The category name alone does not settle how to prepare a particular bottle.
For a fizzy serve, choose a product whose own label or product directions permit sparkling water, then follow its dilution instructions.
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Treating 'no added sugar' as 'no artificial sweeteners'
Tesco lists sweeteners in Vimto Remix No Added Sugar. Rocks Blackcurrant is described as having no artificial sweeteners but contains sugars in the diluted drink.
Read the ingredients and diluted-drink nutrition for both choices, and identify each drink clearly at the table.
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Comparing nutrition for undiluted concentrates
Rocks Blackcurrant and Vimto Remix have different stated dilution ratios, so figures for concentrates do not describe equivalent prepared servings.
Use each bottle's directions and compare nutrition on a per-100ml diluted basis.
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Removing the labels from the drinks table
Guests cannot check a prepared drink's ingredients from an unmarked jug. GOV.UK recommends retaining prepacked packaging at community events so people with food hypersensitivities can inspect it.
Keep a clean, readable bottle or ingredient label beside each dispenser and identify which concentrate was used.
Which brand ranges are relevant?
These range and product examples offer different starting points; check the exact bottle before deciding what to serve.
Robinsons
Tesco lists Robinsons Fruit Creations and double-strength no-added-sugar squash in its UK range.
- Listed options include different fruit flavours and bottle sizes.
- Check the chosen variant's dilution directions, ingredients and suitability for your intended sparkling-water preparation.
Tesco
Tesco's own-label range includes quadruple-strength no-added-sugar squash in several fruit flavours.
- Its listed formats include 750ml and 1.5L bottles.
- Use the individual product label for dilution, sweeteners and prepared-drink nutrition.
Vimto
Vimto has no-added-sugar fruit-flavoured concentrates, but their directions and ingredients need to be checked variant by variant.
- Tesco lists Vimto Remix Orange, Raspberry & Passionfruit at 0.2g sugars per 100ml diluted, with a 1:4 dilution direction.
- That Remix product contains sweeteners. A separate Vimto No Added Sugar product page permits sparkling water; do not assume the same directions apply to Remix.
Rocks
Rocks Blackcurrant is a sugar-containing squash described as having no artificial sweeteners.
- Sainsbury's product information permits still or sparkling water and gives a 1:8 dilution ratio.
- Sainsbury's lists 4.4g sugars per 100ml diluted; this is not a no-added-sugar choice.
M&S
M&S describes squash and cordial options that can be mixed with still or sparkling water.
- Its range covers several fruit flavours and includes high-juice and no-added-sugar options.
- Range descriptions do not establish the ingredients, nutrition or dilution directions of every bottle; check the selected product.
Joybuy drink options for a street party
These options include a ready-to-drink fizzy multipack and two no-added-sugar squash concentrates. If the drink must be sparkling, check the concentrate's own directions before buying it for that purpose.
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Tango Apple Sugar-Free, 24 × 330ml cans
The individual cans avoid a mixing station for guests who want a ready-to-drink fizzy option. This is not squash concentrate, so guests cannot adjust its flavour strength by dilution; check the ingredient label for sweeteners.
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Ribena Concentrated Blackcurrant No Added Sugar 1.5L
This blackcurrant concentrate is an option for a self-serve drinks table, but check the bottle directions before using sparkling water. Check its current label for prepared-drink nutrition and ingredients; its product information advises against serving it to children under 3.
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Robinsons No Added Sugar Orange Squash 1L
This orange concentrate offers a squash option for guests to dilute. Check its bottle directions before planning sparkling servings, and leave its ingredients visible at the drinks table; its product information says it is not suitable for children under 36 months.
Street-party drinks questions
Can I make squash sparkling?
Yes, when the selected product's directions permit sparkling water. Sainsbury's says Rocks Blackcurrant can be diluted with still or sparkling water, and M&S describes sparkling-water use for its squash and cordials. Check the directions for the exact bottle and mix close to serving.
Is no-added-sugar squash the right choice for every guest?
No single squash suits every ingredient preference. No-added-sugar products may contain sweeteners: Tesco lists them in Vimto Remix. Check the particular bottle's ingredients and compare sugars using the diluted-drink nutrition rather than its front label alone.
Should I keep the bottles beside prepared drinks?
Yes, keep each drink identifiable and its packaging available for ingredient checks. GOV.UK's guidance for community and charity events recommends retaining prepacked packaging so people with food hypersensitivities can inspect it.
Does a residents' street party in England need a licence?
GOV.UK's guidance says a street party just for residents and neighbours in England does not need a licence, although the local council may require a simple application form. Check with the relevant local authority for your event, particularly if it falls outside that scenario or outside England.
What if drinks are sold or supplied at a community event?
GOV.UK says food and drink supplied, sold or provided at community events must comply with food law and be safe. Its cited community-event guidance covers England, Northern Ireland and Wales; ask the relevant local authority which requirements apply to your event, especially if you plan to sell drinks or organise events regularly.