Shoppers avoiding sweeteners
If you want fizz without sweeteners, plain sparkling water is one route. For fruit flavour, check the ingredients of the exact variant rather than relying on a no-added-sugar label.
Who is choosing?
Families choosing a flavoured breakfast drink
If a fruit-style flavour and a format for sharing matter, compare bottle sizes alongside sugars per 100ml and any sweeteners in the ingredients.
Shoppers considering dental acidity
If acidity affects your choice, sugar status is not the whole picture. The NHS associates carbonated drinks with dental erosion because of their acid content, whether or not they contain sugar or sweeteners.
What matters when choosing?
Decide whether you want flavour and whether you accept sweeteners, then compare the exact label and serving format.
Plain sparkling water
Choose it when: You want carbonation without fruit flavour or sweeteners.
Bear in mind: It will not provide a fruit-style flavour, and carbonation does not remove the NHS dental-acidity consideration.
Flavoured water without sweeteners
Choose it when: You want flavour but also want to avoid both sugars and sweeteners; S.Pellegrino describes its Essenza range this way.
Bear in mind: Check the named flavour rather than applying that formulation to every flavoured sparkling drink.
No-added-sugar water with sweeteners
Choose it when: You want a sweeter fruit-style flavour and are happy for the drink to contain sweeteners.
Bear in mind: No added sugar does not mean no sugar: Tesco lists 0.2g sugars per 100ml for its Apple & Raspberry drink.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars and sweeteners | Read sugars per 100ml and the ingredients list. Tesco Groceries lists 0.2g sugars per 100ml and sucralose for its No Added Sugar Apple & Raspberry drink. | I may want to avoid added sugar, all sugars or sweeteners; those are different requirements, so I need the exact product label. |
| Flavour | Distinguish plain water from flavoured water. For its Tangerine & Wild Strawberry Essenza, S.Pellegrino lists mineral water, carbon dioxide and natural flavourings. | Fruit flavour matters at our breakfast table, but I want to decide separately whether sweeteners belong in the drink. |
| Carbonation and acidity | Consider the drink itself, not just its sugar claim. The NHS associates carbonated drinks with dental erosion due to acid content, regardless of sugar or sweeteners. | If dental acidity concerns me, switching to a sugar-free fizzy drink does not settle that question. |
| Bottle format | Compare the stated bottle volume and pack quantity with how many people will be drinking it. Check the bottle's instructions for storage after opening. | For a small breakfast, individual bottles may suit how we serve drinks; for a group, I may prefer a larger bottle. |
What should you watch for?
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Reading “no added sugar” as “no sugar” or “no sweeteners”
Tesco Groceries lists both sucralose and 0.2g sugars per 100ml for its No Added Sugar Apple & Raspberry drink. Sainsbury's lists sweeteners for its No Added Sugar Apple & Elderflower drink.
Read the ingredients and sugars per 100ml on the exact product before choosing.
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Assuming sugar-free fizz removes the acidity consideration
The NHS associates carbonated drinks with dental erosion due to acid content, regardless of whether they contain sugar or sweeteners.
Use the sugar information to assess sugar content, not to draw a conclusion about dental acidity.
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Choosing a bottle size without considering when it will be finished
A larger bottle may not match the amount your breakfast group will drink once it has been opened.
Compare pack formats and follow the storage and use-after-opening directions on the bottle.
An unfinished opened bottle may leave some of the drink unused.
Brand references
These brands illustrate different formulations; check the particular drink rather than applying a range-level description to every variant.
Highland Spring
Highland Spring describes its sparkling water as water with bubbles added. The Joybuy listing for its 6 x 1L product names natural sparkling mineral water as the ingredient.
- A plain sparkling-water option when flavouring and sweeteners are not wanted.
- Highland Spring states that its sparkling water has a pH of 4 to 5; plain sparkling water is not the same as still water when considering acidity.
San Pellegrino
Alongside plain sparkling mineral water, S.Pellegrino offers Essenza flavoured sparkling mineral water, which the manufacturer describes as containing no sugars or sweeteners.
- The Tangerine & Wild Strawberry Essenza ingredient list names mineral water, carbon dioxide and natural flavourings.
- Check other San Pellegrino drinks individually; the Essenza formulation does not describe every variant.
Perrier
Perrier describes its plain carbonated mineral water as having no sugar and zero calories.
- A plain-water reference for shoppers who do not want fruit flavour.
- Check the exact formulation of any flavoured Perrier drink separately.
Tesco
Tesco's No Added Sugar Apple & Raspberry Sparkling Flavoured Water comes as a 4 x 500ml pack.
- Tesco Groceries lists 0.2g sugars per 100ml for this named drink.
- Its ingredients include fruit juice from concentrate and sucralose, so it does not fit a no-sweetener requirement.
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's lists no-added-sugar flavoured sparkling waters in 1L bottles, including Apple & Elderflower and Blackcurrant & Cherry.
- The larger bottle format may suit a shared breakfast.
- The Apple & Elderflower drink lists acesulfame K and sucralose; check the current label if you are avoiding sweeteners.
M&S
M&S lists plain and flavoured water options in its UK drinks range.
- The range gives shoppers both plain and flavoured categories to consider.
- Check the ingredients and nutrition panel of the specific bottle before deciding whether it meets a no-sugar or no-sweetener preference.
Plain sparkling water on Joybuy
These options are plain sparkling waters for a weekend breakfast. Compare the named bottle formats, and check the current product details if pack quantity or the nutrition panel is important to your choice.
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San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water 6 x 0.5L
For a breakfast where you want plain sparkling water in smaller bottles, this variant is named as a pack of six 0.5L bottles. Check the current label if sugars per 100ml or ingredients determine your choice.
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San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water 6 x 1L
For a shared breakfast where larger bottles suit the table, this plain sparkling-water variant is named as six 1L bottles. Follow the bottle's directions once opened.
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Highland Spring Sparkling Spring Water 8 x 500ml
If individual bottles suit your breakfast, this plain sparkling-water variant is named as 8 x 500ml. Confirm the pack contents on the product page before ordering.
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Highland Spring Sparkling Spring Water 6 x 1L
For a group sharing plain sparkling water, the Joybuy product listing identifies natural sparkling mineral water and a 6 x 1L quantity. Confirm the pack contents before ordering and follow the bottle's directions after opening.
Common questions
Does “no added sugar” mean a sparkling drink contains no sugar?
No. Tesco Groceries lists 0.2g sugars per 100ml for its No Added Sugar Apple & Raspberry drink, whose ingredients include fruit juice from concentrate. Read the nutrition panel of the exact drink, including the figure per 100ml.
Can no-added-sugar sparkling water contain sweeteners?
Yes. Tesco's Apple & Raspberry drink lists sucralose, while Sainsbury's No Added Sugar Apple & Elderflower lists acesulfame K and sucralose. Check the ingredients if you want to avoid sweeteners.
Does choosing sugar-free fizz remove the dental-acidity concern?
No. The NHS associates carbonated drinks with dental erosion due to their acid content, regardless of whether they contain sugar or sweeteners. Assess sugar content and carbonation as separate considerations.
What can I choose if I want flavour but no sweeteners?
Check a flavoured product whose exact formulation meets both requirements. S.Pellegrino describes its Essenza range as having no sugars or sweeteners and lists mineral water, carbon dioxide and natural flavourings for Tangerine & Wild Strawberry; do not assume other flavoured drinks use the same ingredients.
How should I choose a bottle size for a weekend breakfast?
Match the stated bottle and pack sizes to the number of people drinking it and when you expect to finish an opened bottle. Follow the storage and use-after-opening instructions on the particular product.