BBQ hosts serving a mixed group
Put plain water alongside flavoured choices so guests can choose. For a self-service table, Highland Spring lists 1.5L bottles and 6 x 1L multipacks; check how much space you have to chill and serve them.
Who is buying?
Guests who want flavour without sugar
Look beyond the front-of-pack description. Sainsbury's lists Maison Perrier Forever Lime without sugar or sweeteners, while its own-label no-added-sugar lemon and lime sparkling drink contains a sweetener. Check the particular flavour and pack you plan to buy.
Plain-water buyers and mixed-drink makers
An unflavoured sparkling water can be served on its own or combined with a garnish or mixer. Highland Spring describes its sparkling water as spring water with bubbles added; Perrier describes its plain carbonated mineral water as containing no sugar.
What should you check?
Plain sparkling water
Choose it when: you want an unflavoured drink to serve on its own or use as a mixer.
Bear in mind: guests wanting fruit flavour will need a garnish or a separate flavoured drink.
Flavoured without sweeteners
Choose it when: you want a declared fruit flavour but do not want a sweetener in the drink.
Bear in mind: check the exact flavour's label rather than applying one product's declarations to the whole range.
Flavoured with sweetener
Choose it when: a sweeter-tasting flavoured drink fits your guests' preferences and they accept sweeteners.
Bear in mind: no added sugar and sugar-free describe different things; neither tells you by itself whether sweeteners are present.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars and energy | Compare sugars and energy per 100ml, then check the amount in the bottle or can you will serve. Read the ingredients for sugar or fruit juice. | I want to compare drinks on the same basis, rather than assume every flavoured sparkling drink has the same sugar content. |
| Sweeteners | Read the ingredients for named sweeteners and check any no-sweeteners declaration on the exact variant. M&S lists steviol glycosides in its Lemon and Lime Sparkling Water. | Fruit flavour appeals to me, but I want to know whether it comes in a drink with or without sweetener. |
| Serving format | Compare bottle or can size, pack quantity and the space needed to chill them. Highland Spring lists both 1.5L bottles and a 6 x 1L multipack. | For a self-service table, I may prefer larger bottles; for drinks handed to guests, individual portions may be simpler. |
| Fruit ingredients | Check whether a flavoured drink contains juice or flavourings, and compare its sugars per 100ml. The UK Department of Health and Social Care and partner health administrations include sugars naturally present in fruit juice within their definition of free sugars. | If I am choosing between fruit-flavoured drinks, I want the ingredients and nutrition panel to show what is in each one. |
Common buying mistakes
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Assuming flavoured means no sweetener
Products take different approaches: Sainsbury's lists Maison Perrier Forever Lime with no sweeteners, while M&S lists steviol glycosides in its Lemon and Lime Sparkling Water.
Read the ingredients on the exact flavour and pack if the presence of a sweetener affects your choice.
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Reading no added sugar as sugar-free
The two descriptions do not give the same information about a drink's total sugars.
Check sugars per 100ml as well as the ingredients, particularly when a flavoured drink contains fruit juice.
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Choosing a pack before planning how to serve it
Larger bottles can be poured at a self-service table; 330ml cans and 500ml bottles provide individual portions.
Estimate guest numbers and decide whether people will pour their own drinks or take a container before selecting a pack.
Individual containers also take space to chill and leave more separate containers to collect afterwards.
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Planning around one specific flavoured product
The Sainsbury's listing for S.Pellegrino Essenza Tangerine & Strawberry showed it as out of stock; that does not describe the availability of other flavours or retailers.
Check the current listing or shelf before relying on a particular flavour for the BBQ.
Brand and retailer references
These examples show why the exact product line matters: plain, flavoured without sweetener and flavoured with sweetener are distinct choices.
Highland Spring
A plain sparkling-water option with bottle sizes suited to individual servings or a shared table.
- Highland Spring says its sparkling water comes from Scotland's Ochil Hills with bubbles added, and lists 500ml, 1.5L and 6 x 1L formats.
- For fruit flavour, serve it with a garnish or mixer.
S.Pellegrino
Offers plain sparkling mineral water and a separate Essenza flavoured range.
- S.Pellegrino describes Essenza as having no sugars or sweeteners; check the exact flavour when selecting a pack.
- The Sainsbury's listing for Essenza Tangerine & Strawberry showed it as out of stock, so check current availability.
Perrier
Its plain carbonated mineral water is an unflavoured option for the table or mixed drinks.
- Perrier describes its plain water as containing no sugar and zero calories.
- Check the exact UK product listing and do not transfer plain-water declarations to a flavoured line.
Maison Perrier
Forever Lime is a specific flavoured option listed without sugar or sweeteners.
- Sainsbury's lists the 4 x 330ml Forever Lime pack with zero sugar, zero calories and zero sweeteners.
- Those declarations apply to the listed Lime product, not automatically to every Perrier or Maison Perrier drink.
Tesco
Its sparkling-water range includes plain multipacks and flavoured own-label options.
- Tesco lists a 6 x 2L British sparkling natural mineral water pack and separate flavoured sparkling waters.
- Check the individual flavoured product's ingredients and nutrition panel rather than assuming all options have the same formulation.
Sainsbury's
Its own-label flavoured sparkling water offers a no-added-sugar route that uses sweetener.
- The Sainsbury's Lemon & Lime 1L listing describes a carbonated no-added-sugar drink with sweetener.
- It is not the same formulation as a flavoured water declared to contain no sweeteners.
M&S
Its Lemon and Lime Sparkling Water is a flavoured choice for shoppers who accept sweeteners.
- M&S labels this product sugar-free and lists steviol glycosides in the ingredients.
- Choose a different formulation if avoiding sweeteners is a requirement.
Plain sparkling water on Joybuy
These packs offer plain sparkling water for a BBQ table. Choose between larger bottles for pouring and 500ml bottles for individual servings; check each pack's nutrition information if you need its stated sugar or energy figures.
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San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water 6 x 1L
Six 1L bottles provide a plain sparkling option for pouring at a self-service BBQ table. Add a garnish or mixer separately if guests want flavour.
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Buxton Sparkling 8 x 500ml
Eight 500ml bottles suit a BBQ where guests take individual portions of plain sparkling water rather than pour from a shared bottle.
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San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water 6 x 0.5L
This six-bottle pack offers 0.5L portions of plain sparkling mineral water, suitable for handing out individually or serving with a separate mixer.
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Highland Spring Sparkling Spring Water 6 x 1L
Six 1L bottles provide a plain sparkling-water format for a shared table. Check the pack's nutrition panel if stated sugar or energy values matter to your choice.
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Highland Spring Sparkling Spring Water 8 x 500ml
Eight 500ml bottles provide individual portions of plain sparkling spring water. Check the pack's nutrition panel if you need stated sugar or energy values.
Questions about BBQ sparkling water
Does no added sugar mean sugar-free?
No. The descriptions convey different information about sugars in a drink. Check sugars per 100ml on the nutrition panel and read the ingredients, particularly if the drink contains fruit juice.
Which sparkling water can I serve as a plain option?
Choose an unflavoured sparkling spring or mineral water if you want a drink that can be served alone or with a separate garnish or mixer. Highland Spring says its sparkling water has bubbles added, while Perrier describes its plain carbonated mineral water as containing no sugar.
Can flavoured sparkling water contain neither sugar nor sweeteners?
Yes, for specific products. Sainsbury's lists Maison Perrier Forever Lime with zero sugar and zero sweeteners, and its S.Pellegrino Essenza Tangerine & Strawberry listing makes both declarations. Check the exact flavour's label rather than assuming they apply across either range.
Does a no-added-sugar flavoured drink contain sweeteners?
It can. Sainsbury's describes its own-label Lemon & Lime sparkling flavoured water as no added sugar and with sweetener. If you want to avoid sweeteners, check the ingredients on the particular drink.
What if a flavoured sparkling drink contains fruit juice?
Check its sugars per 100ml and ingredients rather than treating it as equivalent to plain water. UK Department of Health and Social Care guidance, issued with NHS England and the devolved administrations, includes sugars naturally present in fruit juice within its definition of free sugars.