For an office packed lunch, choose plain sparkling water if you want fizz without flavour or sweeteners. If you prefer flavour, compare sugars per 100ml and check the ingredients for sweeteners: a “no added sugar” fruit drink can still contain juice sugars, so the wording alone does not tell you whether it fits a lower-sugar choice.
If you pack a fizzy drink with lunch and want to reduce sugar, compare the nutrition labels of plain and flavoured alternatives. The NHS suggests swapping sugary drinks for diet, sugar-free or no-added-sugar drinks and checking their labels.
If you want flavour without sugar or sweeteners, check both the nutrition panel and ingredients. Dash Lime and S.Pellegrino Essenza are examples whose retailer or brand information states that they contain no sweeteners; confirm the label on the flavour you choose.
Front-of-pack wording does not replace a check of total sugars and ingredients. M&S lists 6.6g sugars per 100g for its no-added-sugar Juicy Apple & Elderflower drink, while Sainsbury's lists sucralose in its no-added-sugar Lemon & Lime sparkling flavoured water.
Start with the flavour you want, then compare total sugars and ingredients before choosing a pack size for one lunch or several.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars | Compare total sugars per 100ml and the serving size. For a juice-based drink labelled per 100g, keep that unit in mind rather than treating it as per 100ml. | I want fizz with less sugar than my usual lunchtime drink. A “no added sugar” label is not enough on its own: M&S lists 6.6g sugars per 100g for Juicy Apple & Elderflower. |
| Sweeteners and flavour | Read the ingredients for sweeteners such as sucralose. Check the selected flavour's label, not just the product range name. | If I want flavoured fizz without sweeteners, I need to check the ingredients. Sainsbury's Lemon & Lime contains sucralose; the retailer or brand information for Dash Lime and S.Pellegrino Essenza states no sweeteners. |
| Pack and storage | Choose a container size you can carry and finish. Follow the selected bottle's instructions for storage after opening. | A 330ml can or 500ml bottle may suit one packed lunch better than a large bottle if I cannot store the remainder. |
| Frequent sipping | Consider when you drink fizzy water as well as its sugar content. Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust cautions that sugar-free fizz is still acidic and can contribute to tooth erosion. | If I tend to sip a drink throughout the afternoon, I do not want to mistake zero sugar for the same dental exposure as still water. |
Fruit ingredients can contribute sugars even when none are added. M&S lists 6.6g sugars per 100g for its no-added-sugar Juicy Apple & Elderflower drink.
Compare total sugars on the nutrition panel and check the serving size if minimising sugar is your priority.
Sainsbury's lists sucralose in its no-added-sugar Lemon & Lime sparkling flavoured water. Sugar wording alone does not identify every ingredient used for sweetness.
Check the ingredients list if avoiding sweeteners matters to you.
A bottle left unfinished needs storage that fits its label instructions, which may be inconvenient away from home.
Consider a single-serving container for lunch, or check how an opened larger bottle must be stored.
Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust cautions that sugar-free fizzy drinks remain acidic and can contribute to tooth erosion.
If you drink fizz repeatedly through the workday, consider when you drink it rather than judging it by sugar content alone.
These examples illustrate label and format differences; they do not imply that every product from a brand has the same ingredients.
Plain sparkling spring water for shoppers who do not want added flavour.
Plain carbonated mineral water.
Its S.Pellegrino Essenza range offers flavoured sparkling mineral water.
A retailer whose sparkling-water range includes plain and flavoured products.
Its Lemon & Lime sparkling flavoured water is labelled no added sugar.
Its sparkling drinks show why diet and no-added-sugar wording need separate label checks.
These options include plain sparkling water and flavoured fizzy drinks in individually sized cans or bottles. Choose by the flavour and ingredients you want, then check the current pack label for the nutrition details that matter to you.
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Plain sparkling water in individual 330ml cans for packed lunches. The 24-can multipack is worth considering if you pack lunches regularly; check the current nutrition label for exact values.
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Plain sparkling water in eight 500ml bottles, giving you a separate bottle to pack with lunch. Check the current nutrition and storage instructions on the pack.
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A lemon-flavoured option in six individual 330ml bottles. If you are avoiding sweeteners as well as sugar, check the current ingredients and nutrition label before choosing it.
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A lychee-flavoured drink in six 330ml bottles for individual lunches. Its listed ingredients include erythritol and sucralose, so choose another option if you want to avoid sweeteners.
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Plain sparkling spring water in eight 500ml bottles for individual lunches. Highland Spring describes its sparkling water as having nothing added but bubbles; check this pack's label if you need exact sugar or energy values.
Plain sparkling water or a drink whose label confirms the sugar content you want can be an alternative. The NHS suggests swapping sugary drinks for diet, sugar-free or no-added-sugar drinks and checking nutrition labels; it also suggests sparkling water if you do not like plain water.
No. Check total sugars on the nutrition panel: M&S labels its Juicy Apple & Elderflower drink no added sugar but lists 6.6g sugars per 100g.
Read the ingredients list alongside the sugar figure. Sainsbury's no-added-sugar Lemon & Lime drink lists sucralose, whereas the product information for Dash Lime and S.Pellegrino Essenza states no sweeteners; check the current label of the pack you choose.
Not for dental exposure. Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust cautions that sugar-free fizz is still acidic and can contribute to tooth erosion, so sugar content is not the only consideration if you sip it throughout the afternoon.
Follow the storage and use instructions on that bottle. If you cannot store the remainder as directed, an individual can or bottle may be easier to pack for one office lunch.