Shoppers replacing sugary fizzy drinks
If you want an unsweetened fizzy option, start with plain sparkling water and check the ingredients and nutrition panel of the bottle you choose.
Who might choose each option?
Shoppers who prefer flavour
A sugar-free flavoured drink may suit your taste, but read its ingredients as well as its sugar figure. The M&S Lemon and Lime example contains citric acid and a sweetener.
People concerned about acidic drinks
Sugar-free fizz can still be acidic. If you are trying to limit acidic drinks because of dental concerns, still water is an alternative to consider; seek individual advice from your dental professional where needed.
What should you check?
Start with the type of drink you would actually use, then check the exact bottle’s ingredients, nutrition information and pack format.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar and calories | Read the sugar and energy figures on the exact product. Check plain and flavoured varieties separately. | I want a fizzy alternative to a sugary soft drink, so the figures on the bottle I buy matter more than the range name. |
| Ingredients | Look for added flavourings, fruit juice, acids and sweeteners. A sugar-free label does not describe the entire ingredient list. | Flavour appeals to me, but I also want to know whether the drink contains sweeteners or acids. |
| Pack format | Compare bottle size, bottle count and storage space. Consider how soon you will use an opened bottle. | For a household shop, I need a pack I can store and use, rather than simply the largest one on the shelf. |
| Acidity | Do not use a zero-sugar claim as a measure of acidity. Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust warns that sugar-free fizz can contribute to tooth erosion. | If acidic drinks are a dental concern for me, I need to consider still water as well as the sugar figure. |
Common label mistakes
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Assuming sugar-free means plain water
M&S lists its Lemon and Lime Sparkling Water as sugar-free, but its ingredients include citric acid, flavourings and steviol glycosides.
Read both the nutrition panel and ingredient list of the specific flavour, especially if you prefer to avoid particular ingredients.
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Treating zero sugar as a measure of acidity
Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust warns that sugar-free fizzy drinks remain acidic and can cause tooth erosion.
If dental erosion or sensitivity concerns you, do not rely on a diet label to answer that question. Discuss individual concerns with a dental professional.
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Using a previous bottle’s label for a new purchase
A plain water and a flavoured variety can have different ingredients, even under the same brand.
Check the current label for the exact variety and pack before choosing it for a specific sugar or ingredient preference.
Brand and own-label references
These examples show why it is worth checking the particular range and flavour, rather than treating a brand name as a nutrition label.
Tesco
Tesco lists own-label plain sparkling natural mineral water in multipack formats.
- Its 6 x 500ml sparkling water is described as carbonated natural mineral water.
- Check the label of the particular pack if its ingredient or nutrition details matter to you.
Highland Spring
Highland Spring offers sparkling water in several bottle and multipack formats.
- The brand describes its sparkling water as having nothing added but bubbles.
- Highland Spring states that its sparkling water has a pH between 4 and 5; a plain ingredient list does not mean the drink is non-acidic.
S.Pellegrino
S.Pellegrino has plain sparkling mineral water and a separate flavoured Essenza range.
- The Joybuy listing for its plain 6 x 1L water gives natural mineral water and carbon dioxide as ingredients, with 0g sugars per 100ml.
- Do not assume the ingredient details of the plain water apply to every flavoured product.
M&S
M&S lists both plain mineral water and flavoured sparkling-water options.
- Its Lemon and Lime Sparkling Water lists less than 0.1g sugars and 2 kcal per 100g.
- That flavoured drink also lists citric acid, flavourings, a preservative and steviol glycosides.
Perrier
Perrier offers carbonated mineral water alongside flavoured varieties.
- Perrier describes its carbonated mineral water as sugar-free and calorie-free.
- Check the label of a specific flavoured variety rather than applying the plain-water description to it.
Plain sparkling water on Joybuy
These are plain sparkling-water multipacks in different bottle sizes and bundle formats. Check the current label of your chosen variant if you need a particular sugar figure.
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San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water 6 x 0.5L
For individual bottles of plain sparkling water, this pack contains six 0.5L bottles. Check the current nutrition panel if you need an exact sugar figure for this variant.
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San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water 6 x 1L
For a plain sparkling-water multipack, Joybuy lists natural mineral water and carbon dioxide as the ingredients of this six-bottle variant, with 0g sugars per 100ml.
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Buxton Sparkling 8 x 500ml
For individual bottles of sparkling water, this pack contains eight 500ml bottles. Read the current ingredients and nutrition panel if you are choosing by a particular sugar figure.
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Highland Spring Sparkling Spring Water 4 x (8 x 500ml)
For stocking up on individual bottles, this bundle contains four packs of eight 500ml bottles. Check that you have room for the full bundle and read its current label for exact nutrition values.
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Highland Spring Sparkling Spring Water 8 x 500ml
For a single multipack of individual bottles, this option contains eight 500ml bottles. Check the current nutrition panel if you need exact sugar or calorie values.
Questions about sparkling water
Is plain sparkling water a zero-sugar choice?
Check the exact bottle’s label rather than assuming every product is alike. Joybuy lists 0g sugars per 100ml for its S.Pellegrino plain 6 x 1L water; check flavoured varieties separately.
Can sugar-free flavoured water contain sweeteners?
Yes. M&S describes its Lemon and Lime Sparkling Water as sugar-free, while its ingredient list includes steviol glycosides and citric acid. Read the ingredients if either matters to your choice.
Can sugar-free fizzy drinks affect teeth?
Yes. Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust warns that sugar-free fizz is acidic and can cause tooth erosion. A zero-sugar figure alone does not address acidity; seek individual dental advice if erosion or sensitivity concerns you.
Are fizzy drinks suitable for babies and young children?
NHS guidance advises against diet or reduced-sugar drinks for babies and young children and notes that fizzy drinks are acidic and can damage tooth enamel. Follow its age-appropriate drinks guidance instead.