For a grocery order where sugar is the main consideration, start with plain sparkling water, or check the nutrition panel of a flavoured option labelled sugar-free. A fruit-based drink labelled ‘no added sugar’ can still contain sugar, so compare the sugars per 100 ml for the exact item in your basket. The NHS also notes that carbonated drinks are associated with dental erosion because of their acidity, even when they contain no sugar.
If you want to keep the fizz, plain sparkling water is a starting point. For flavour, compare the sugars and energy figures on the exact drink rather than assuming everything in a sparkling-water category has the same ingredients.
Pack size matters when you are adding water to a regular order. Check the bottle count and volume, then revisit the individual item’s ingredients and nutrition information before checkout: Tesco Groceries notes that food formulations can change.
A zero-sugar label does not settle the acidity question. The NHS associates carbonated drinks with dental erosion regardless of whether they contain sugar or sweeteners; still water is a non-carbonated option to consider alongside fizzy drinks.
Choose it when: You want fizz without choosing a flavoured or fruit-based drink; the NHS suggests sparkling water for people who dislike still water.
Keep in mind: The NHS associates carbonated drinks with dental erosion because of their acidity, even when no sugar is present.
Choose it when: You want flavour as well as fizz and the exact product’s nutrition information fits your sugar preference.
Keep in mind: Flavoured products can have different ingredients, and zero sugar does not remove the acidity consideration for carbonated drinks.
Choose it when: You specifically want a fruit-based drink and have checked its sugars per 100 ml and per serving.
Keep in mind: ‘No added sugar’ does not mean sugar-free; ingredients such as fruit juice can contribute naturally occurring sugars.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar and energy | Read the sugars and energy figures per 100 ml for the exact flavour and pack. Check the ingredients if you also want to avoid sweeteners. | I want fizz without assuming that a flavoured drink has the same sugar content as plain water. |
| Fruit-based varieties | Look for fruit juice in the ingredients, then compare sugars per 100 ml and the amount in the serving you plan to drink. Do not treat ‘no added sugar’ as ‘sugar-free’. | A fruit flavour appeals to me, but I still want to know how much sugar the drink contains. |
| Carbonation and acidity | Consider how often you choose carbonated drinks alongside still water. The NHS associates carbonated drinks with dental erosion regardless of sugar or sweetener content. | If I am concerned about dental erosion, zero sugar will not be my only consideration. |
| Pack and listing | Confirm bottle volume, pack count and the individual item’s current ingredients and nutrition information before checkout. Tesco Groceries advises reading the product label because formulations can change. | For a repeat delivery, I want the bottle size and drink variant in my basket to match what I intended to order. |
A fruit-based drink can contain naturally occurring sugars even when sugar has not been added for sweetening.
Compare its sugars per 100 ml and check the ingredients instead of relying on the front-of-pack phrase alone.
The NHS associates carbonated drinks with dental erosion because of their acid content, regardless of sugar or sweeteners.
If this concerns you, consider still water alongside carbonated drinks rather than using the sugar figure as your only criterion.
A category can contain plain, flavoured and fruit-based drinks. Tesco Groceries also notes that ingredients and nutrition information can change.
Open the individual item before checkout and confirm its variant, pack size and current label information.
A plain sparkling spring-water option available in several bottle formats.
An original carbonated mineral water to consider when you want a plain drink.
Its plain mineral water and flavoured Essenza range serve different choices within a sparkling-water order.
An own-label option to compare with branded sparkling water when putting together a grocery order.
Its sparkling-water category includes plain mineral water and flavoured choices.
These options include plain sparkling-water multipacks and one green-apple-flavoured sparkling drink. Compare the exact label if sugar or ingredients determine your choice.
No image available
A plain sparkling-water choice for an order needing six 1 L bottles. Check the current nutrition panel for the exact pack before checkout.
No image available
A sparkling-water multipack in smaller individual bottles. Confirm the ingredients and nutrition information on the exact item when ordering.
No image available
A plain spring-water option in six 1 L bottles. Highland Spring describes its sparkling water as having nothing added but bubbles; check this pack’s current label for the nutrition figures you need.
No image available
A green-apple-flavoured sparkling option in a fifteen-bottle case. If sugar or sweeteners affect your choice, check the exact item’s ingredients and sugars and energy figures per 100 ml before ordering.
Yes, if you want fizz without choosing a sugary soft drink, plain sparkling water is an option. The NHS suggests it for people who dislike still water; check the exact label when moving to a flavoured or fruit-based variant.
No. ‘No added sugar’ does not mean a drink contains no sugar: a fruit-based recipe may contain naturally occurring sugars. Compare the declared sugars per 100 ml when deciding between drinks.
Check the ingredients and nutrition panel for the exact flavour. S.Pellegrino says its Essenza range contains no sugars, sweeteners or calories, but that statement belongs to Essenza, not every flavoured sparkling drink.
Yes. The NHS associates carbonated drinks with dental erosion due to acidity whether they contain sugar, lower-calorie sweeteners or no-calorie sweeteners. Consider how often you drink them alongside still water.
Confirm the bottle volume, pack count and exact drink variant, then review its current ingredients and nutrition information. Tesco Groceries cautions that food formulations can change, so an earlier listing should not replace a check of the item you are ordering.