Fizzy-drink switchers
If flavour matters at lunch, decide whether you are comfortable with sweeteners as well as checking the no-added-sugar wording. Sainsbury’s and Tesco both describe flavoured examples that contain sweeteners.
Who is this choice for?
People avoiding sweeteners
Plain sparkling water is one route. If you want flavour too, check that the exact drink explicitly states it contains no sweeteners rather than relying on a no-added-sugar claim.
Office fridge sharers
A larger bottle can make sense when several people will use it. Check its serving count and instructions for storing it after opening before choosing it over an individual portion.
What should you check?
Start with the formulation, then choose a pack you can finish or store as directed.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar and sweeteners | Read the sugars figure per 100ml and the ingredient list. If avoiding sweeteners, look for an explicit statement about them on the exact drink. | I want to know whether the drink is simply labelled no added sugar or also contains no sugars and no sweeteners. |
| Lunch portion | Compare the volume of an individual portion with the bottle’s serving count. Check whether a larger bottle needs refrigerating after opening. | One portion suits my lunch; a multi-serving bottle makes more sense if I can share it or keep it in a fridge. |
| Drinking pattern | Consider whether you will have the drink with lunch or keep sipping it through the day. Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust identifies fizzy and fruit-flavoured drinks as acidic-drink examples and advises reducing how often fizzy drinks are consumed. | I would rather have one drink with lunch than leave a fizzy drink open at my desk all afternoon. |
| Exact product | Check the flavour, pack size, ingredients and nutrition panel when choosing. Different product lines from the same brand need not have the same formulation. | If I am avoiding sweeteners, the label on the particular flavour matters more than the brand name alone. |
Common buying mistakes
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Reading “no added sugar” as “no sweeteners”
Sainsbury’s Apple & Elderflower lists acesulfame K and sucralose despite its no-added-sugar label; Tesco’s Apple & Raspberry is also described as containing sweetener.
Read the ingredients if avoiding sweeteners is part of your choice. Plain sparkling water or a drink explicitly labelled without sweeteners may fit instead.
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Treating a 1L bottle as one lunch portion
Sainsbury’s lists four servings for its 1L Apple & Elderflower bottle and instructs customers to refrigerate it after opening and use it within three days.
Choose a portion you expect to finish at lunch, or check that you can store the remainder as the label directs.
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Assuming sugar-free fizz is not acidic
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust includes fizzy and fruit-flavoured drinks among acidic-drink examples and explains that acid can wear away tooth enamel.
Consider having a fizzy drink with lunch rather than sipping it repeatedly throughout the workday.
Relevant brand ranges
Check the product line as well as the brand: plain waters and flavoured drinks can have different ingredients.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s describes its 1L Apple & Elderflower sparkling drink as no added sugar.
- The bottle lists four servings and gives storage instructions for use after opening.
- Its ingredients include citric acid, acesulfame K and sucralose, so it is not a sweetener-free choice.
Tesco
Tesco describes its Apple & Raspberry sparkling drink as a no-added-sugar flavoured water in a 4 × 500ml pack.
- The pack divides into individual 500ml portions.
- Tesco lists juice from concentrates and sweetener; no added sugar does not mean unsweetened.
Volvic
Tesco describes Volvic Touch of Strawberry Sparkling as a flavoured drink with sweeteners in 330ml cans.
- An individual can is a compact option for a desk lunch.
- It is not a sweetener-free drink; check the current retailer listing before choosing the pack.
S.Pellegrino
S.Pellegrino offers plain sparkling mineral water and the flavoured Essenza range.
- According to S.Pellegrino, Essenza contains no sugars or sweeteners.
- That statement concerns Essenza; check the exact flavour and label rather than applying it to other S.Pellegrino drinks.
Highland Spring
Highland Spring’s plain sparkling-water range includes 500ml and larger bottles.
- The brand says nothing is added to this water but bubbles.
- Plain water will not provide the fruit flavour of a flavoured drink.
Perrier
Perrier describes its plain carbonated mineral water as containing no sugar.
- It provides a plain mineral-water option rather than a flavoured soft-drink formulation.
- Check the exact pack when choosing a size for one lunch.
Joybuy product options
These options include plain sparkling water in individual and larger bottles, orange-infused sparkling water and a compact soda-water multipack. Check the exact label if avoiding sweeteners matters to you.
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DASH Water Orange-Infused Sparkling Water, 12 × 330ml
The 330ml portions offer an orange-infused option for an individual lunch. Check the current ingredients and nutrition panel if sugar or sweeteners determine your choice.
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San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water, 6 × 0.5L
Take one 0.5L bottle for a plain sparkling-water lunch drink rather than a fruit-flavoured option.
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Buxton Sparkling Water, 8 × 500ml
This pack divides into eight 500ml portions if you want one plain sparkling-water bottle with lunch.
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Highland Spring Sparkling Spring Water, 6 × 1L
The 1L bottles are worth considering when you can share or store a larger plain sparkling-water bottle. Follow the pack’s instructions after opening.
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7FRESH Original Soda, 6 × 330ml
Its 330ml portions offer a compact carbonated drink for lunch. Check the current pack label before choosing it if you need to avoid sweeteners.
Questions about sparkling water
Does “no added sugar” mean a drink has no sugar at all?
No. That wording alone does not tell you whether the drink contains naturally occurring sugars. Check the sugars figure per 100ml and the ingredients on the exact product.
Can no-added-sugar sparkling water contain sweeteners?
Yes. Sainsbury’s lists acesulfame K and sucralose in its no-added-sugar Apple & Elderflower drink, while Tesco describes its Apple & Raspberry drink as containing sweetener. Check the ingredients if you want to avoid them.
Which size suits one desk lunch?
A 330ml or 500ml portion is easier to plan as one lunch drink than a multi-serving bottle. If choosing a larger bottle, check its serving count and whether you can store what remains as directed.
Is a sugar-free fizzy drink still acidic?
Sugar-free wording does not settle acidity. Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust identifies fizzy and fruit-flavoured drinks as acidic-drink examples and advises reducing how often fizzy drinks are consumed.
Should I refrigerate a large bottle after opening?
Follow the instructions for that bottle. Sainsbury’s says its 1L Apple & Elderflower sparkling drink should be refrigerated after opening and used within three days.