Households buying for regular use
Compare total pack volume and bottle size with the space you have at home. A larger multipack is less convenient if you cannot store or use it comfortably.
Who these options suit
Shoppers cutting back on sugary drinks
Separate plain sparkling water from flavoured drinks, sweetened drinks and juice-based options. The front-of-pack wording alone does not tell you the drink’s total sugars.
Shoppers choosing by flavour and ingredients
If you want fruit flavour, check whether it comes from flavourings or juice, and whether sweeteners appear in the ingredients list.
What to check before buying
Choose the type of drink first, then compare its label and pack format with how you expect to use it.
Plain sparkling water
Choose it when: You want fizz without fruit ingredients or a sweet flavour.
Bear in mind: Larger bottles and multipacks take storage space and may be awkward to carry.
Flavoured water with zero sugars
Choose it when: You want flavour but are checking for zero sugars; San Pellegrino lists 0.0g sugars for its Essenza Tangerine & Strawberry drink.
Bear in mind: Check the ingredients as well as the sugar figure if you want to avoid sweeteners.
Fruit-based sparkling drink
Choose it when: You want a juice-led flavour and are comfortable with the total sugars shown on the label.
Bear in mind: M&S lists 6.6g sugars per 100g for its no-added-sugar Juicy Apple and Elderflower Sparkling Water.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Total sugars | Read ‘of which sugars’ per 100ml or per 100g, as the product label specifies. Check for juice or juice concentrate in the ingredients. | I want to know how much sugar is in the drink, not just whether sugar was added. M&S lists 6.6g sugars per 100g for its no-added-sugar Juicy Apple and Elderflower drink. |
| Sweeteners and flavour | Check the full ingredients list for sweeteners and whether the flavour comes from juice or flavourings. Read the sugar figure separately. | I would like fruit flavour, but I may prefer flavourings without juice or want to avoid sweeteners. Those are separate label checks. |
| Pack format | Compare the number of bottles, volume per bottle and total volume. Check that the format fits your storage and usual servings. | For a regular household shop, I need a pack I can store and use; smaller bottles may suit taking out of the house. |
| Acidity | Consider how often you drink fizzy water, including sugar-free varieties. Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust notes that acidic fizz can contribute to tooth erosion. | If I drink fizz frequently, I do not want to assume that removing sugar also removes the dental consideration. |
Common label and shopping mistakes
-
Reading ‘no added sugar’ as ‘no sugar’
M&S Juicy Apple and Elderflower Sparkling Water is described as no added sugar, yet its label lists 6.6g sugars per 100g and apple juice from concentrate.
Read the total-sugars figure and ingredients before choosing a fruit-based drink when you want to minimise sugar.
-
Assuming sugar-free fizz has no dental trade-off
Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust warns that acidic fizz in sugar-free drinks can contribute to tooth erosion.
If you drink fizzy water frequently, consider your drinking pattern and ask a dental professional about individual concerns.
-
Planning around a product without checking stock
The Tesco Perrier 1L and Sainsbury’s Perrier 4x330ml listings showed out of stock when checked, so a named option may not be available for a planned shop.
Confirm local availability before relying on a particular bottle or pack format.
Relevant brands and product lines
Tesco
Tesco’s range includes plain sparkling mineral-water multipacks and a No Added Sugar Apple & Raspberry Sparkling Flavoured Water.
- Its plain sparkling water comes in several bottle and multipack sizes.
- Check the flavoured drink’s own ingredients and nutrition label if sweeteners or total sugars matter to you.
Highland Spring
Highland Spring describes its sparkling water as spring water with nothing added but bubbles.
- Plain sparkling water is available in bottle and multipack formats.
- Highland Spring states that its sparkling water has a pH between 4 and 5 because of added carbon dioxide; consider drinking frequency if acidity concerns you.
San Pellegrino
San Pellegrino offers plain sparkling natural mineral water and the flavoured Essenza range.
- The brand lists mineral water, carbon dioxide and natural flavourings for Essenza Tangerine & Strawberry, with 0.0g sugars.
- Check the exact variant’s label rather than applying one Essenza flavour’s ingredients to the whole range.
Perrier
Perrier is a sparkling natural mineral-water option available in different bottle formats.
- The Tesco 1L listing describes natural mineral water fortified with gas from the spring.
- Tesco’s 1L listing and a Sainsbury’s glass-bottle multipack listing showed out of stock when checked; confirm availability for your shop.
M&S
M&S has both a no-added-sugar fruit-based sparkling water and a Diet Pineapple and Grapefruit Sparkling Drink described as made with no added sugar.
- Its product pages distinguish different flavour-led drinks that shoppers can check individually.
- The Juicy Apple and Elderflower drink contains juice and lists 6.6g sugars per 100g despite its no-added-sugar description.
Plain sparkling water on Joybuy
These Joybuy options are plain sparkling-water multipacks in different bottle sizes. Check each product’s label where total sugars or ingredients are important to your choice.
No image available
San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water 6 x 0.5L
Six 0.5L bottles offer individual servings of plain sparkling mineral water. The Joybuy product information lists natural mineral water and carbon dioxide as ingredients and 0g sugars.
No image available
San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water 6 x 1L
Six 1L bottles provide a larger-bottle format for home use. Check that you have room to store the pack and that the bottle size suits your usual servings.
No image available
Buxton Sparkling 8 x 500ml
Eight 500ml bottles offer a multi-bottle format with smaller individual servings. Compare the pack size with your storage space and how you plan to use it.
No image available
Highland Spring Sparkling Spring Water 8 x 500ml
Eight 500ml bottles suit shoppers looking for individual servings of sparkling spring water. Check the bottle’s ingredients and nutrition panel when choosing it for a particular sugar or sweetener preference.
No image available
Highland Spring Sparkling Spring Water 6 x 1L
Six 1L bottles provide a larger-bottle option for home use. The Joybuy product information lists natural sparkling mineral water as the ingredient; check the bottle’s nutrition panel if you need its total-sugars figure.
Questions about sugar and sparkling water
Does ‘no added sugar’ mean a sparkling drink contains no sugar?
No. A fruit-based drink can have naturally occurring sugars even when described as no added sugar. M&S lists 6.6g sugars per 100g and apple juice from concentrate for its Juicy Apple and Elderflower Sparkling Water, so check the total-sugars figure and ingredients.
How should I choose a sparkling-water pack for a regular shop?
Start with the type of drink you want, then compare total volume, bottle size and the space needed to store it. A pack of larger bottles and one of smaller individual bottles may suit different routines even when both contain plain sparkling water.
Can a drink with zero sugars contain sweeteners?
Yes. A zero-sugars figure does not tell you whether sweeteners are used. Read the ingredients list if you want to avoid them; the UK Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition notes that non-sugar sweeteners are used in a range of drinks.
Does removing sugar remove the dental consideration with fizz?
No. Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust notes that acidic fizz in sugar-free drinks can contribute to tooth erosion. If you drink fizzy water frequently or have concerns about your teeth, seek individual dental advice.
Can I rely on a particular Perrier bottle format being in stock?
Check availability before planning your shop around it. The Tesco Perrier 1L and Sainsbury’s Perrier glass 4x330ml listings both showed out of stock when checked; that does not establish what is available now.