Hosts serving an unflavoured drink
Plain sparkling water gives guests fizz alongside food without a sweetened flavour. The Highland Spring sparkling-water factsheet describes plain sparkling water as containing no sugar or calories.
Who is each option for?
Guests who want fruit flavour without sweeteners
Look for a flavoured sparkling water whose ingredients contain no sweeteners. S.Pellegrino describes its Essenza range this way, but check the label of the particular flavour and pack you choose.
Hosts offering a sweeter fizzy alternative
A diet or no-added-sugar drink may suit guests who prefer a soft-drink-style flavour. Check the exact recipe: the Sainsbury’s and M&S examples use different sweeteners, and some contain fruit juice.
What should you check before choosing?
Decide whether the table needs an unflavoured drink, fruit flavour without sweeteners, or a sweeter fizzy drink. Then compare the labels and serving formats within that choice.
Plain sparkling water
Choose when: Guests want fizz without added flavour or sweeteners.
Trade-off: It will not provide the fruit flavour some guests prefer.
Unsweetened flavoured water
Choose when: Guests want fruit flavour but wish to avoid sweeteners.
Trade-off: Flavours and pack formats vary, so check the exact product before planning the table.
Sweetened diet-style drink
Choose when: Guests specifically prefer a sweeter, soft-drink-style flavour.
Trade-off: ‘No added sugar’ does not mean no sweeteners or no sugars in the finished drink.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars and calories | Compare sugars and energy per 100 ml or 100 g, using the unit on the label. Check the serving size too: M&S lists 0.5 g sugars and 4 kcal per 100 g for its Diet Pineapple & Grapefruit drink, which contains fruit juice. | I want to know what is in each drink, rather than assume ‘no added sugar’ means the finished drink contains no sugars. |
| Sweeteners | Read the ingredients, not just the front label. Sainsbury’s lists sucralose in its no-added-sugar Lemon & Lime water; M&S lists steviol glycosides in its sugar-free Lemon & Lime water. | If a guest avoids sweeteners, I need a product whose ingredient list fits that preference. |
| Flavour | Distinguish plain water, flavoured water without sweeteners and fruit drinks containing juice or sweeteners. S.Pellegrino describes Essenza as flavoured sparkling mineral water without sweeteners; check the chosen variant’s label. | Some guests may want an unflavoured drink with food, while others would rather have fruit flavour. |
| Serving format | Check bottle or can size and the number in the pack. Tesco Groceries lists plain sparkling waters in several formats; the pack that works for shared pouring may differ from one intended as individual servings. | Will drinks be poured for the table, or would separate bottles or cans be easier for this brunch? |
| Frequent sipping | Consider how long drinks will be available. Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust identifies fizzy and fruit-flavoured drinks as acidic-drink categories relevant to dental erosion and advises reducing how often fizzy drinks are consumed. | For a long brunch, I would like still water available as well as fizzy choices. |
Common mix-ups to avoid
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Assuming ‘no added sugar’ means no sweeteners
The no-added-sugar Sainsbury’s Lemon & Lime water lists sucralose, while M&S uses steviol glycosides in its sugar-free Lemon & Lime water. Neither label phrase, by itself, answers a sweetener preference.
Check the ingredients of the exact drink if a guest wants to avoid sweeteners.
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Treating every fruity fizzy drink as unsweetened water
S.Pellegrino describes Essenza as flavoured water without sweeteners. M&S Diet Pineapple & Grapefruit is a different recipe, with fruit juices and sucralose listed among its ingredients.
Choose the type of drink first, then compare labels within that type.
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Planning around one particular flavour
A brunch drinks table can depend on a specific flavour or pack format being available when you shop.
Check the retailer’s current selection before settling on that flavour, and consider whether plain sparkling water would also work for your guests.
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Equating sugar-free fizz with still water for repeated sipping
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust identifies fizzy and fruit-flavoured drinks among acidic-drink categories relevant to dental erosion. Sugar content alone does not answer that separate consideration.
Include still water on the table, particularly if drinks will be sipped throughout a long brunch.
Brand and retailer examples
These examples illustrate different recipes and formats; a brand name alone does not establish what is in every variant.
S.Pellegrino
Offers plain sparkling mineral water and the flavoured Essenza range.
- S.Pellegrino describes Essenza as containing no sugars or sweeteners.
- Check the exact pack’s nutrition label: Sainsbury’s lists 3 kcal per 330 ml can for its Tangerine & Strawberry Essenza listing, despite the range’s zero-calorie description.
Perrier
A plain carbonated mineral-water option.
- Perrier describes its plain carbonated mineral water as sugar-free and calorie-free.
- Its international brand information does not establish the label or format of a particular UK-listed flavoured variant; check that product separately.
Highland Spring
A plain sparkling-water option for a shared table.
- The Highland Spring sparkling-water factsheet states that plain sparkling water contains no sugar or calories.
- Choose a bottle and pack size that suits how you plan to serve guests.
Tesco
Its grocery range includes own-label plain sparkling water and flavoured drinks.
- Tesco Groceries lists own-label plain sparkling mineral water in several pack formats.
- Do not assume an own-label flavoured variant is unsweetened; read its ingredients and nutrition panel.
Sainsbury’s
An own-label example of a sweetened, no-added-sugar flavoured water.
- Its Lemon & Lime sparkling flavoured water is labelled no added sugar and lists 1 kcal per 100 ml.
- The same product lists sucralose, so it does not suit someone looking for a drink without sweeteners.
M&S
Its flavoured sparkling drinks include distinct sweetener and fruit-juice recipes.
- M&S lists steviol glycosides in its Lemon & Lime sparkling water and sucralose with fruit juices in its Diet Pineapple & Grapefruit drink.
- Its Diet Pineapple & Grapefruit drink lists 0.5 g sugars per 100 g; do not treat the two drinks as interchangeable.
Joybuy options for the brunch table
These options include plain sparkling water for the table and sweetened fizzy drinks for guests who prefer a soft-drink-style alternative.
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Highland Spring Sparkling Spring Water 6 × 1 L
Plain sparkling spring water for guests who want an unflavoured drink alongside food. The six 1 L bottles can be poured at the table; the Highland Spring sparkling-water factsheet describes plain sparkling water as containing no sugar or calories.
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S.Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water 6 × 1 L
A plain sparkling mineral water for serving an unflavoured drink with brunch. The pack contains six 1 L bottles; this is the plain water, not the flavoured Essenza range.
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Buxton Sparkling 8 × 500 ml
A plain sparkling option in eight 500 ml bottles, which may suit a table where guests take individual bottles rather than pour from larger ones.
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Tango Sugar Free Apple 8 × 330 ml
An apple-flavoured, sugar-free soft drink for guests who want a fizzy alternative to sparkling water. The pack contains eight 330 ml cans; check the ingredients if avoiding sweeteners matters.
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Woongjin Nature’s Marlin Peach Zero PET 500 ml
A single peach-flavoured fizzy drink for someone who prefers a fruit-flavoured alternative. Check the bottle’s ingredients for sweeteners and its nutrition label before relying on a particular calorie figure.
Frequently asked questions
Does ‘no added sugar’ mean a sparkling drink contains no sugars?
No. M&S lists its no-added-sugar Diet Pineapple & Grapefruit drink at 0.5 g sugars per 100 g and includes fruit juices among its ingredients. Check both the sugars line and the ingredient list for the particular drink.
Is a sugar-free sparkling drink also free from sweeteners?
Not necessarily. M&S lists steviol glycosides in its sugar-free Lemon & Lime sparkling water, while Sainsbury’s lists sucralose in its no-added-sugar Lemon & Lime water. If a guest avoids sweeteners, check the ingredients rather than relying on the front label.
What can I serve guests who want neither sugar nor sweeteners?
Plain sparkling water is an unflavoured option; the Highland Spring sparkling-water factsheet states that plain sparkling water contains no sugar or calories. For fruit flavour, look for a product whose particular label confirms no sugars and no sweeteners, such as a suitable S.Pellegrino Essenza variant.
Does sugar-free fizz need a separate consideration at a long brunch?
Yes, if drinks will be sipped frequently. Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust identifies fizzy and fruit-flavoured drinks among acidic-drink categories relevant to dental erosion and advises reducing how often fizzy drinks are consumed. You can offer still water alongside the sparkling choices.