Holidaymakers avoiding sugar and sweeteners
Start with plain sparkling water, or check that a flavoured water explicitly contains neither sugars nor sweeteners. A no-added-sugar claim alone does not settle both questions.
Who is choosing?
The useful distinction is not simply plain versus flavoured: it is whether you also want to avoid sweeteners, account for sugars from juice, or carry the bottles during a day out.
Families sharing a self-catering fridge
Larger bottles and multipacks give a group several servings at their accommodation. Consider fridge space, how quickly an opened bottle will be used and the storage instructions on that particular pack.
Day-trippers who prefer fruit flavour
A flavoured sparkling drink may suit a picnic or journey, but its juice content, total sugars and sweeteners depend on the recipe. Read the ingredients and nutrition panel rather than relying on the front-of-pack wording.
What should you check?
Decide what kind of drink you want, then compare its ingredient list, nutrition panel and pack format. Flavoured products can take quite different approaches to sweetness.
Plain sparkling water
Choose it when: You want bubbles without a fruit-flavoured or sweetened recipe; Highland Spring says nothing is added to its sparkling water but bubbles.
Bear in mind: It will not provide the fruit flavour you may want in place of a soft drink.
Flavoured water without sugars or sweeteners
Choose it when: You want flavour while avoiding both; Sanpellegrino describes S.Pellegrino Essenza as containing no sugars or sweeteners.
Bear in mind: Essenza’s stated formulation does not describe every flavoured sparkling water, so check the flavour and pack you buy.
No-added-sugar fruit drink
Choose it when: You prefer a fruit-drink flavour and are comfortable checking the recipe; Sanpellegrino Limonata Zero Added Sugar contains lemon juice.
Bear in mind: Sanpellegrino lists sweeteners and 0.3g sugars per 100ml for that drink, so it does not meet a no-sweetener or zero-sugars preference.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Total sugars | Read sugars per 100ml and consider the amount in the container. Check for juice or concentrate when comparing flavoured drinks; keep any different units on labels distinct. | I want to know how much sugar is in the drink, not just whether sugar was added. Marks & Spencer lists 6.6g sugars per 100g for its no-added-sugar apple and elderflower drink. |
| Sweeteners | Read the full ingredient list as well as the front label. For example, Marks & Spencer lists steviol glycosides in its sugar-free lemon and lime sparkling water. | Sweeteners are something I prefer to avoid, even if a drink is labelled sugar-free or no added sugar. |
| Pack format | Check bottle size, bottle count and whether there is room to store the pack. Highland Spring lists 500ml and 1.5L bottles and a 6 x 1L format. | For a day out, I would rather carry individual bottles; for shared meals at our accommodation, I need enough for several people. |
| Storage | Read the instructions for the exact bottle before and after opening. Marks & Spencer says to refrigerate its 2L Sparkling Scottish Mountain Water after opening and consume it within three days. | A large bottle only works for our stay if we can store it as directed and use it within the time stated on its pack. |
Common buying mistakes
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Reading “no added sugar” as “no sugar”
Fruit-based drinks can contain sugars even when no sugar has been added. Marks & Spencer’s no-added-sugar apple and elderflower drink, for example, lists 6.6g sugars per 100g.
Compare the total-sugars value and the amount you expect to drink, then check whether the ingredients include juice or concentrate.
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Assuming sugar-free means sweetener-free
These are different ingredient preferences. Marks & Spencer lists the sweetener steviol glycosides in its sugar-free lemon and lime sparkling water.
If sweeteners matter to you, read the ingredient list for the current pack. Plain sparkling water is another route to consider.
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Choosing a large bottle for a day trip
A large bottle can be awkward to carry and may remain open after the outing. Storage directions also vary by product.
Match individual bottles to travel days and larger formats to shared use where you can follow the pack’s opening and storage instructions.
Brand and retailer examples
These ranges illustrate different recipes and pack formats; a brand name alone does not tell you what is in a particular drink.
Highland Spring
A plain sparkling-water option available, according to Highland Spring, in 500ml, 1.5L and 6 x 1L formats.
- Highland Spring says its sparkling water has nothing added but bubbles.
- The plain range is not a fruit-flavoured alternative; choose a pack size that fits where you will use it.
Sanpellegrino
Its relevant flavoured drinks do not share one formulation: S.Pellegrino Essenza and Sanpellegrino Zero Added Sugar are distinct ranges.
- Sanpellegrino describes Essenza as having no sugars or sweeteners.
- Its Limonata Zero Added Sugar contains lemon juice and sweeteners, with 0.3g sugars per 100ml listed by the brand.
Perrier
A plain carbonated mineral-water reference for shoppers who do not want a juice-based sparkling drink.
- Perrier describes its carbonated mineral water as having no sugar.
- Its international range description does not establish the details of a particular UK pack; check the product label.
Tesco
Tesco’s own-label listings include plain sparkling mineral water in different sizes and a separate no-added-sugar flavoured option.
- Tesco lists plain sparkling water in 500ml, 2L and 6 x 2L formats.
- A flavoured own-label drink needs its own ingredient and nutrition check; the plain-water range does not describe its recipe.
M&S
Marks & Spencer offers both plain sparkling water and flavoured drinks with different ingredients.
- Its Sparkling Scottish Mountain Water comes in a 2L bottle.
- Its sugar-free lemon and lime water lists a sweetener, while its no-added-sugar apple and elderflower drink lists 6.6g sugars per 100g. Check each drink separately.
Plain sparkling water on Joybuy
These are plain sparkling-water packs for individual outings or sharing at holiday accommodation. If you want a fruit-flavoured drink, use the ingredient and nutrition checks above rather than assuming these plain-water options provide that flavour.
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San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water 6 x 0.5L
Six individual 0.5L bottles offer a format to consider for holiday outings. This is plain sparkling mineral water rather than a fruit-flavoured drink; check the pack’s ingredients and nutrition panel if you are selecting by sugars or sweeteners.
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San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water 6 x 1L
The six 1L bottles are a format to consider for shared meals at holiday accommodation rather than carrying a whole pack on an outing. This is plain sparkling mineral water, not the flavoured S.Pellegrino Essenza range.
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Buxton Sparkling 8 x 500ml
Eight separate 500ml bottles are a format to consider when several people want a bottle to take out. This is a plain sparkling-water choice rather than a fruit-flavoured drink; follow the storage directions on the pack.
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Highland Spring Sparkling Spring Water 4 x 8 x 500ml
Four packs of eight 500ml bottles are more practical to store at shared accommodation than to carry together on a day trip. Highland Spring says nothing is added to its sparkling-water range but bubbles; check this pack’s nutrition label if you need its stated total-sugars value.
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Highland Spring Sparkling Spring Water 6 x 1L
Six 1L bottles offer a plain sparkling-water format for shared use at holiday accommodation. Highland Spring says nothing is added to its sparkling-water range but bubbles; check the pack’s nutrition label for its stated total-sugars value and follow its storage instructions.
Frequently asked questions
Does “no added sugar” mean a sparkling drink contains no sugar?
No. A drink can contain sugars from its fruit ingredients. Sanpellegrino lists 0.3g sugars per 100ml for Limonata Zero Added Sugar, while Marks & Spencer lists 6.6g sugars per 100g for its no-added-sugar apple and elderflower drink. Read the total-sugars value and note the unit used on each label.
Can a no-added-sugar sparkling drink contain sweeteners?
Yes. Sanpellegrino Limonata Zero Added Sugar lists sweeteners, while Sanpellegrino describes its separate S.Pellegrino Essenza range as having no sweeteners or sugars. Check the ingredients of the particular drink and flavour you plan to buy.
Which bottle size suits a summer day out?
An individual bottle is easier to allocate to a person or pack for an outing; a larger bottle or multipack may suit shared use at your accommodation. Highland Spring lists 500ml bottles as well as 1.5L and 6 x 1L formats. Check where you can store the bottles and follow the directions once opened.
What should I compare on two flavoured sparkling-drink labels?
Compare the ingredients, especially juice and sweeteners, and read the sugars value with its stated unit. A per-100ml figure and a per-100g figure use different bases, so do not treat them as directly interchangeable. The container size also matters when judging how much of either drink you expect to have.