Breakfast commuters
If you take breakfast with you and want a fizzy drink without the sweetness of a soft drink, plain sparkling water in an individual bottle is worth considering.
Who is this choice for?
People who prefer flavour
If plain water does not appeal, the useful distinction is between unsweetened flavoured water, drinks with sweeteners and fruit drinks that may contain naturally occurring sugars.
Weekday multipack planners
If you want several drinks ready for separate mornings, check the number and size of the individual bottles rather than relying on the pack size alone.
What should you check?
Start with the type of drink you want, then check its label and whether the container suits your journey.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar | Distinguish plain water from fruit drinks. For a drink labelled ‘zero added sugar’, read total sugars per 100ml and check the ingredients for juice; Sanpellegrino says its Zero Added Sugar range contains naturally occurring sugar. | I want a fizzy drink without assuming that ‘zero added sugar’ means no sugar at all. |
| Flavour and sweeteners | Check the ingredients of the exact flavour. Sanpellegrino describes S.Pellegrino Essenza as containing no sweeteners, while Marks & Spencer lists steviol glycosides in its Lemon and Lime Sparkling Water. | Flavour matters to me, but I want to know whether the drink is unsweetened or uses a sweetener. |
| Container size | Check the volume of each bottle, not just the total pack volume. A multipack of individual 500ml bottles gives you separate drinks to take on different mornings. | One bottle needs to fit into my breakfast journey; a larger bottle may be more useful when I am staying at home. |
| Exact formulation | Do not apply advice about plain water to every flavoured drink. The UK Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England’s oral-health guidance specifically discusses unflavoured carbonated mineral water; check the ingredients of a different formulation. | If I sip a drink through the morning, I want to distinguish plain water from a fruit-flavoured or juice-containing option. |
Common label mix-ups
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Reading ‘zero added sugar’ as ‘no sugar’
A fruit drink can contain naturally occurring sugars even when no sugar has been added. Sanpellegrino says its Zero Added Sugar range contains fruit juice and naturally occurring sugar.
If total sugar matters to your choice, read the sugars figure per 100ml as well as the front-of-pack wording.
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Assuming flavoured water has no sweeteners
Recipes differ: Sanpellegrino describes S.Pellegrino Essenza as containing no sweeteners, whereas Marks & Spencer lists steviol glycosides in its Lemon and Lime Sparkling Water.
Choose the exact flavour and check its current ingredients list if you want to avoid sweeteners.
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Extending plain-water guidance to every flavoured drink
The UK Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England’s oral-health guidance addresses unflavoured carbonated mineral water. Fruit-flavoured and juice-containing drinks can have different formulations.
Check the ingredients of the drink you plan to use rather than treating all sparkling drinks as interchangeable.
Brand and retailer references
A familiar name does not tell you whether every drink in its range has the same ingredients; choose the specific product and check its label.
S.Pellegrino / Sanpellegrino
The range includes plain sparkling mineral water, Essenza flavoured sparkling mineral water and separate Zero Added Sugar fruit drinks.
- Sanpellegrino describes Essenza as containing zero calories and no sweeteners.
- Sanpellegrino says its Zero Added Sugar fruit drinks contain naturally occurring sugar, so the sub-ranges should not be treated as nutritionally identical.
Perrier
Perrier offers plain carbonated mineral water in portable formats, including cans and bottles.
- Perrier states that its plain carbonated mineral water has no sugar and zero calories.
- Check the exact format and product label when choosing a drink to take with breakfast.
Highland Spring
Highland Spring sparkling spring water appears in individual-bottle multipacks as well as larger bottle formats.
- An 8x500ml sparkling-water pack gives you individual bottles for separate journeys.
- If choosing a flavoured variant instead, check that product’s own ingredients and nutrition label.
Tesco
Tesco lists plain sparkling mineral water in individual-bottle multipacks and larger formats, alongside flavoured options.
- A 12x500ml plain sparkling mineral-water format offers individual bottles for weekday breakfasts.
- Check the individual bottle size and the exact variety before choosing a pack.
M&S
M&S lists plain sparkling mineral water and flavoured sparkling-water options, including a 500ml Lemon and Lime drink.
- Marks & Spencer lists less than 0.1g sugars per 100g for its Lemon and Lime Sparkling Water.
- That product also lists steviol glycosides; read the current label if sweeteners affect your choice.
Plain sparkling water on Joybuy
These plain sparkling-water multipacks offer individual 500ml containers to take alongside breakfast. Choose between bottle counts and the resealable option according to how you plan to carry your drink.
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San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water 6 X 0.5L
Six individual 0.5L bottles suit taking one plain sparkling water with breakfast. Choose a flavoured drink instead if you want fruit flavour or sweetness.
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Highland Spring Sparkling Spring Water 8x500ml
This pack of eight 500ml bottles offers separate servings for breakfasts on different days. It is plain sparkling spring water, rather than a flavoured drink.
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Buxton Sparkling 8X500ml
Eight individual 500ml servings make this a plain sparkling-water option to take with breakfast. It does not offer the fruit flavour of a flavoured drink.
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Cano Water Sparkling Resealable 12x500ml
This pack contains twelve individual 500ml sparkling waters. Its resealable format may suit a journey where you want to close the container between drinks; it is a plain-water choice rather than a flavoured one.
Frequently asked questions
Can sparkling water be the drink with a quick breakfast?
Yes. The NHS suggests sparkling water as an option for people who do not like the taste of plain water. Take it alongside breakfast food, not instead of it.
Does ‘zero added sugar’ mean a sparkling drink has no sugar?
No. Sanpellegrino says its Zero Added Sugar fruit drinks contain naturally occurring sugar from fruit juice. Check total sugars on the nutrition label if that distinction matters to you.
Are all flavoured sparkling waters free from sweeteners?
No. Sanpellegrino describes S.Pellegrino Essenza as having no sweeteners, while Marks & Spencer lists steviol glycosides in its Lemon and Lime Sparkling Water. Read the ingredients for the exact drink you choose.
Does guidance about plain sparkling water cover flavoured drinks?
Not automatically. The UK Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England’s oral-health guidance specifically discusses unflavoured carbonated mineral water. A fruit-flavoured or juice-containing drink can have a different formulation, so check its ingredients rather than assuming the same guidance applies.
How should I keep a sparkling-water bottle after opening it?
Follow the instructions on the exact bottle. For its Lemon and Lime Sparkling Water, Marks & Spencer advises refrigeration after opening and consumption within three days; do not assume those instructions apply to every sparkling water.