For shared use in a large household, start with a plain sparkling-water multipack and add a smaller flavoured pack if people want variety. Check the nutrition panel rather than relying on ‘no added sugar’: M&S lists 6.6g sugars per 100g for its juice-based Juicy Apple and Elderflower Sparkling Water.
If sparkling drinks are part of shared meals or regular fridge stock, the choice is between a larger plain-water supply and smaller flavoured packs for those who want variety. NHS guidance for adults includes sparkling water among alternatives for people who do not enjoy plain water.
A no-added-sugar fruit drink can still list sugars in its nutrition information. M&S’s Juicy Apple and Elderflower Sparkling Water, for example, lists 6.6g sugars per 100g; check the exact drink rather than assuming the front-of-pack wording means zero sugars.
If plain water does not suit everyone, look for a flavoured product whose ingredients and nutrition panel match the household’s preferences. Sanpellegrino lists 0g sugars per 100ml for S.Pellegrino Essenza Dark Morello Cherry & Pomegranate and describes the Essenza range as containing no sweeteners.
Choose the type of drink first, then compare its total pack volume and label with the way your household will use it.
Choose when: You want unflavoured water for shared meals; Highland Spring offers a 6 x 1L format, while Tesco lists a 6 x 2L plain sparkling-water pack.
Consider: A large plain pack offers no flavour choice for family members who want one.
Choose when: Flavour matters but you want a product with a stated zero-sugar figure; Sanpellegrino lists 0g sugars per 100ml for its Essenza Dark Morello Cherry & Pomegranate drink.
Consider: A 4 x 330ml pack contains 1.32L, so it serves a different purpose from a 6L family pack.
Choose when: You specifically want a juice-based flavour and are happy with the sugars stated on the label.
Consider: M&S lists over 60% juice and 6.6g sugars per 100g for its no-added-sugar Juicy Apple and Elderflower Sparkling Water; it is not equivalent to a zero-sugar drink.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars and ingredients | Read sugars per 100ml or 100g on the exact product and check the ingredients for juice, flavourings or sweeteners. Compare figures using the same units. | I want to know what is in the drink, not just whether its label says ‘no added sugar’. The NHS notes that sugars naturally present in fruit juice count as free sugars. |
| Total pack volume | Multiply bottle or can size by the number in the pack: 6 x 1L is 6L, while 4 x 330ml is 1.32L. Check whether the containers suit sharing or individual portions. | For shared meals, I need enough water in the shop; smaller cans may be for variety rather than the main supply. |
| Flavour choice | Decide whether plain water will be used by the household. For a flavoured drink, check the exact flavour’s ingredients and nutrition panel rather than assuming all products in a range are alike. | Some of us prefer flavour, but I do not want to buy a whole family pack on the strength of a range-wide claim. |
| Storage and use | Consider fridge space, container size and the storage directions on the pack, particularly after opening. | Large bottles work for sharing at home; smaller bottles are easier to allocate as individual portions. |
| Dental routine | Do not treat ‘sugar-free’ as meaning non-acidic. Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust’s adult oral-health leaflet advises against brushing immediately after a soft drink. | If fizzy drinks are consumed frequently, I want plain water available too and a routine that takes the leaflet’s acidity warning into account. |
A drink containing fruit juice may have no added sugar while still listing sugars. M&S’s Juicy Apple and Elderflower Sparkling Water lists 6.6g sugars per 100g.
Check total sugars on the nutrition panel and read the ingredients of each flavoured option before choosing it as a regular household drink.
A 4 x 330ml flavoured pack contains 1.32L; a 6 x 1L plain-water pack contains 6L. Pack count alone does not show how much drink you are buying.
Compare total litres with what the household will use for shared meals, then decide whether smaller portions are also useful.
Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust’s adult oral-health leaflet warns that sugar-free, no-added-sugar and fizzy drinks can be acidic and contribute to tooth wear.
Keep plain water available and follow the leaflet’s advice not to brush immediately after an acidic soft drink.
These examples show how plain water, flavoured water and juice-based sparkling drinks differ; check the exact product label and pack before buying.
A plain sparkling-water option with 1.5L bottles and a 6 x 1L multipack listed by Highland Spring.
Offers plain sparkling mineral water alongside the Essenza flavoured range.
Lists both larger plain sparkling-water packs and no-added-sugar flavoured options.
Its Juicy Apple and Elderflower Sparkling Water is a juice-based, no-added-sugar option rather than a zero-sugar plain-water equivalent.
An option to consider if you want carbonated mineral water rather than a flavoured fruit drink.
These Joybuy options are plain sparkling-water multipacks for shared use or individual portions. Compare their stated pack sizes with the amount your household expects to use; the flavoured and juice-based choices discussed above serve different preferences.
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For sharing plain sparkling water at home, this pack has six 1L bottles, or 6L in total. Joybuy lists natural sparkling mineral water as its ingredient. Check the pack’s nutrition panel if the exact sugars figure matters to your choice.
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For a plain-water family supply, the stated six 1L bottles provide 6L in total. Check the exact pack label for nutrition information and storage directions after opening.
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The six 0.5L bottles offer individual portions of plain sparkling water, with 3L across the pack. Compare that total with a larger pack if this needs to cover shared meals as well.
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Eight 500ml bottles provide individual portions and 4L across the pack. If you are choosing it for a no-added-sugar shop, check the exact pack’s ingredients and nutrition panel alongside its volume.
No. Check total sugars on the nutrition panel and juice in the ingredients. M&S lists 6.6g sugars per 100g for its no-added-sugar Juicy Apple and Elderflower Sparkling Water.
For shared use, start by comparing total litres rather than the number of containers. Tesco lists a 6 x 2L plain sparkling-water pack and Highland Spring offers 6 x 1L; a 4 x 330ml flavoured Essenza pack contains 1.32L and may serve a different purpose.
Yes. NHS guidance suggests sparkling water for adults who do not enjoy plain water and advises swapping sugary drinks for diet, sugar-free or no-added-sugar options. Check flavoured drinks individually, since ‘no added sugar’ does not establish their total sugars.
Yes. Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust’s adult oral-health leaflet says sugar-free, no-added-sugar and fizzy drinks can be acidic and contribute to tooth wear. It advises against brushing immediately after a soft drink.