For a large household wanting an unsweetened fizzy drink, start with plain sparkling water and a pack size that suits shared use. If flavour matters, compare the sugars figure and ingredients: a flavoured water may contain sweeteners, while a drink labelled “no added sugar” can still contain sugars from fruit juice.
If your family wants an alternative to sugary fizzy drinks, compare total sugars as well as the wording on the front of the pack. Fruit-based drinks labelled “no added sugar” and plain sparkling water are not the same choice.
Plain sparkling water suits shared meals or use as a mixer when flavourings and sweeteners are not wanted. Check the ingredients and choose between bottles for sharing and smaller bottles for individual servings.
Flavoured sparkling drinks vary in their sugars and ingredients. Decide whether sweeteners are acceptable, then check the nutrition panel and ingredients rather than assuming all “no added sugar” drinks have zero sugar.
Choose the type of drink before comparing pack sizes: plain sparkling water, flavoured water with or without a sweetener, and fruit-based sparkling drinks answer different preferences.
Choose it when: Your household wants fizz without a sweet or fruit flavour.
Bear in mind: It may not appeal to people who want a flavoured drink.
Choose it when: Flavour matters, and you can find a product whose sugars and sweeteners suit the household.
Bear in mind: Flavoured products differ in their ingredients; a sugar claim alone does not tell you whether a sweetener is present.
Choose them when: Fruit content matters more to you than keeping total sugars near zero.
Bear in mind: “No added sugar” does not exclude sugars naturally present in juice.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Total sugars | Compare sugars per 100ml or per 100g on the same basis. Check the ingredients for juice or concentrate as well as any “no added sugar” claim. Marks & Spencer lists 6.6g sugars per 100g for its no-added-sugar Apple & Elderflower drink. | I want to know how much sugar is in our everyday drinks, regardless of whether any was added. |
| Sweeteners and flavour | Read the full ingredients list. Sainsbury's lists sucralose in its Lemon & Lime flavoured water; Marks & Spencer lists steviol glycosides in its Lemon & Lime version. Tesco describes San Pellegrino Essenza Tangerine & Strawberry as having no sweetener. | Some of us want flavour, but I need to decide whether a sweetened or unsweetened option belongs in the family shop. |
| Pack format | Compare total litres, bottle size and where the pack will be stored. Highland Spring lists both 6 x 1L and smaller sparkling-water formats; Tesco lists the Essenza flavour in four 330ml cans. | For drinks shared at home, I want enough volume without relying entirely on individual cans or bottles. |
| Frequency of drinking | Consider when fizzy drinks will be served and keep still water available. Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust identifies fizzy and fruit-flavoured drinks as acidic in its guidance on dental erosion. | If family members sip fizzy drinks throughout the day, I do not want to treat a sugar-free label as meaning the drink is identical to still water. |
Juice can contribute sugars even when none has been added. Marks & Spencer lists 6.6g sugars per 100g for its no-added-sugar Apple & Elderflower sparkling drink.
Compare the sugars line on the nutrition panel before choosing a drink for regular household use.
Flavoured waters can differ in their sweeteners. Sainsbury's lists sucralose in its Lemon & Lime product, while Marks & Spencer lists steviol glycosides in its version.
Read the ingredients if avoiding sweeteners matters to your household; do not rely on the sugars figure alone.
Eight 500ml bottles provide 4L in total, while six 1L bottles provide 6L. The smaller bottles may suit individual servings, but they offer less shared supply per pack.
Work out the total litres you need, then choose the bottle size that fits how your household serves and stores drinks.
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust identifies fizzy and fruit-flavoured drinks as acidic when explaining dental erosion; sugar content is not the only consideration.
If frequent sipping is a concern, keep still water available alongside sparkling drinks.
These examples show why ingredients, nutrition panels and formats matter more than a brand name alone; check the particular product you intend to buy.
Highland Spring describes its plain sparkling-water range as water with bubbles added and lists 500ml, 1.5L and 6 x 1L formats.
Alongside plain mineral water, San Pellegrino has an Essenza Tangerine & Strawberry flavoured product listed by Tesco in a 4 x 330ml pack.
Sainsbury's lists a 4 x 2L British Bottled Sparkling Spring Water pack and a separate Lemon & Lime flavoured-water multipack.
Marks & Spencer product listings illustrate the difference between a sweetened flavoured water and a fruit-based sparkling drink.
These packs cover the plain sparkling-water route, with 1L bottles for sharing and 500ml bottles for individual servings. Check the current label if a stated sugars value or particular ingredients are essential to your choice.
No image available
Six 1L bottles provide 6L in a format suited to shared household use. This is the plain mineral-water option rather than a flavoured drink.
No image available
Eight 500ml bottles provide 4L in individual portions. Compare that total with larger-bottle packs if most drinks will be shared at home.
No image available
Six 1L bottles provide 6L for serving at home. Highland Spring describes its sparkling range as water with bubbles added; check this pack's current label if you require a stated sugars value.
No image available
Eight 500ml bottles provide 4L in individual portions. If the household mainly shares drinks at home, compare this format with the six 1L bottles; check the current label when a stated sugars value matters.
No. Sugars from fruit juice may still be present. Marks & Spencer lists 6.6g sugars per 100g for its no-added-sugar Apple & Elderflower drink, so check the nutrition panel for total sugars.
Read its ingredients list. Sainsbury's lists sucralose in its Lemon & Lime flavoured water, and Marks & Spencer lists steviol glycosides in its Lemon & Lime product. Tesco describes San Pellegrino Essenza Tangerine & Strawberry as having no sweetener.
Start by comparing total litres and how the drinks will be served. Highland Spring lists a 6 x 1L sparkling-water format as well as smaller bottles; individual bottles may be more useful when people need drinks to take out.
It can be an option if your household wants a fizzy drink without the sugars in its usual choice. NHS guidance suggests trying sparkling water if you do not like still water and advises checking drink labels; for flavoured products, check both sugars and ingredients.
No: a sugar-free label does not address acidity. Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust identifies fizzy and fruit-flavoured drinks as acidic in its dental-erosion guidance. If frequent sipping is a concern, keep still water available too.