For a pantry stocked to replace sugary fizzy drinks, start with plain sparkling water if you want a short ingredient list; check each flavoured drink’s ingredients and sugar figure before treating it as an equivalent choice. A no-added-sugar drink can contain sweeteners and acids, while a fruit-based sparkling drink can contain juice and added sugar. NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board cautions that even sugar-free fizzy drinks are acidic, so still water remains a useful between-meal option if frequent fizz is a dental concern.
Plain sparkling water offers fizz without the juice or added sugar present in some sparkling drinks. The NHS also suggests sparkling water for people who do not enjoy still water; check flavoured alternatives individually rather than judging them by the aisle they occupy.
A pack of plain sparkling water can provide an option for household members who want fizz. For children, NHS guidance says to avoid sugary fizzy drinks, squash and juice drinks; keep that distinction in mind when a fruit-flavoured drink has “water” in its name.
Choosing a drink without sugar does not remove the acidity consideration. NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board says even diet fizzy drinks can wear away tooth enamel, making drinking frequency relevant when deciding how much fizz to keep at home.
Choose the type of drink before the pack size: plain water, no-added-sugar flavoured water and fruit-based sparkling drinks call for different label checks.
Choose it when: You want an unsweetened fizzy drink for regular pantry stock.
Bear in mind: Fizzy drinks remain acidic even without sugar, according to NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board.
Choose it when: Flavour matters and you are comfortable with the ingredients on the particular bottle.
Bear in mind: No added sugar does not mean no sweeteners or acids; Sainsbury’s Blackcurrant & Cherry version lists sucralose and malic acid.
Choose them when: You want a fruit-based drink and have checked its sugar figure rather than assuming it matches plain water.
Bear in mind: M&S Sparkling British Apple Spring Water lists apple juice from concentrate and sugar, with 7.6g sugars per 100g.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar and drink type | Read the ingredients and sugars figure, noting whether the nutrition panel uses 100ml, 100g or a serving. Distinguish plain sparkling water from a drink containing juice or added sugar. | I want fizz in the cupboard without routinely picking a sugary soft drink. An M&S apple sparkling drink, for example, lists juice and added sugar, so its name alone would not tell me whether it fits. |
| Flavouring and sweeteners | Check for sweeteners, juice and added acids as well as the sugar figure. Sainsbury’s Blackcurrant & Cherry no-added-sugar sparkling water lists sucralose and malic acid and less than 0.5g sugars per 250ml serving. | If I prefer a flavoured drink, I want to know what gives it its flavour and sweetness before stocking several bottles. |
| Drinking frequency | Consider how often you sip fizzy drinks. NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board says carbonated drinks are acidic and that diet versions can wear away enamel. | I may choose a drink without sugar but still want still water available between meals if acidity is a concern. |
| Pack format | Match bottle size and multipack quantity to storage, sharing and individual portions. Highland Spring lists 500ml and 1.5L bottles and a 6x1L pack; other listed plain-water formats include 2L bottles. | For sharing at home, larger bottles may suit me; smaller bottles make more sense when I need separate portions. |
Some sparkling fruit drinks contain juice and added sugar. M&S Sparkling British Apple Spring Water lists both and gives 7.6g sugars per 100g.
For plain pantry water, check for a short ingredient list such as water and carbon dioxide. Compare the nutrition panel before adding fruit-based alternatives.
A no-added-sugar flavoured drink can still contain sweeteners and acids. Sainsbury’s Blackcurrant & Cherry version lists sucralose and malic acid, while NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board cautions that fizzy diet drinks can affect enamel.
Read the full ingredients list, and consider how often you drink fizz if dental erosion is a concern.
These ranges illustrate why the exact bottle matters: brands and retailers can offer both plain water and drinks with additional ingredients.
Plain sparkling spring water is listed in individual bottles and a 6x1L multipack.
Its own-label choices include plain sparkling spring water and flavoured sparkling drinks.
Tesco’s sparkling-water range includes own-label plain water, flavoured drinks and other brands.
The range includes plain sparkling waters as well as fruit-based and flavoured sparkling drinks.
S.Pellegrino offers plain sparkling natural mineral water and an Essenza flavoured line.
Perrier is a plain sparkling natural mineral-water option.
These packs are plain sparkling-water options for stocking at home. Compare the bottle sizes with how you use them, and check the individual label when sugar content is a deciding factor.
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Six 1L bottles offer separate bottles for a household stocking plain sparkling mineral water. If you drink fizzy water frequently, consider the acidity of carbonated drinks alongside your sugar choice.
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This six-pack uses 500ml bottles rather than the 1L bottles in the other S.Pellegrino pack, a distinction worth checking when choosing between individual portions and larger bottles.
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Eight 500ml bottles provide individual portions of sparkling water for the pantry. Check the bottle label for the nutrition and ingredient details that matter to your choice.
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Six 1L bottles suit a pantry where larger bottles are more useful than individual 500ml portions. Highland Spring reports pH 4–5 for its sparkling water, which matters if you drink fizz frequently.
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This eight-pack offers 500ml bottles for separate portions rather than the 1L bottles in the other Highland Spring pack. If you need a quantified sugar comparison, check the nutrition label on the particular pack.
Yes, plain sparkling water is an option when you want fizz without choosing a sugary soft drink. The NHS suggests sparkling water for people who do not enjoy still water. Check flavoured and fruit-based drinks separately, as their ingredients and sugar content can differ.
No. Sainsbury’s Blackcurrant & Cherry no-added-sugar sparkling water lists sucralose and malic acid, alongside less than 0.5g sugars per 250ml serving. Read both the ingredients and nutrition panel if either matters to your choice.
Yes. NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board says fizzy drinks are acidic and that even diet fizzy drinks without sugar can wear away enamel. If you drink fizz frequently or are concerned about erosion, consider keeping still water available between meals.
No. M&S Sparkling British Apple Spring Water contains apple juice from concentrate and added sugar and lists 7.6g sugars per 100g. Compare the sugar figure and ingredients of the exact drink rather than relying on “spring water” in its name.
Start with the product description, ingredients, sugars figure and the quantity that figure refers to, such as 100ml, 100g or a serving. Then check the bottle size and any storage instructions so the drink and pack format both suit your pantry.