Hosts serving mixed preferences
Put plain and flavoured drinks in distinct places on the game table. Guests can then choose without having to assume that zero sugar also means no sweeteners.
Who is choosing the drinks?
Guests reducing sugar
Compare the sugars figure on the nutrition panel as well as the ingredients. A sugar-free flavoured drink and plain sparkling water need not contain the same ingredients.
Guests avoiding sweeteners or acidic fizz
Check flavoured drinks for named sweeteners, and provide still water for anyone who would rather avoid a fizzy drink.
What should you check before buying?
Choose the plain drink first, then decide whether a separate flavoured option meets your guests’ sugar and sweetener preferences.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar | Compare sugars per 100 ml on the nutrition panel and check for juice in the ingredients. “No added sugar” does not state the drink’s final sugars figure. | I want guests to be able to identify a lower-sugar choice without relying on the wording on the front of a bottle. |
| Sweeteners | Read the full ingredient list. Sainsbury’s describes its Blackcurrant & Cherry drink as containing a sweetener, while its Maison Perrier Forever Blackberry listing states 0 sweeteners. | Some guests want fruit flavour; others would rather avoid sweeteners. I need those options to be easy to tell apart. |
| Serving format | Compare bottle size and pack count with the number of people sharing the table. A large bottle serves from one container; smaller bottles allow separate choices. | Will everyone drink the same plain water, or would individual bottles make it easier to offer different drinks? |
| Fizzy or still | Keep still water alongside sparkling drinks. Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust notes that sugar-free fizz remains acidic and can cause tooth erosion. | I want guests who avoid fizzy drinks to have an easy alternative throughout the evening. |
Common mix-ups to avoid
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Reading “no added sugar” as “no sweeteners”
Those phrases answer different questions. Sainsbury’s describes its no-added-sugar Blackcurrant & Cherry sparkling water as a drink with a sweetener.
Read the ingredients when a guest wants to avoid sweeteners, and keep the plain and flavoured bottles clearly separate.
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Assuming flavoured water has the same ingredients as plain water
Tesco lists spring water and carbon dioxide for its plain sparkling water, but its Strawberry sparkling drink lists juice from concentrate, citric acid and sweeteners.
Check the flavoured bottle’s ingredients and sugars figure rather than using the plain bottle as a guide to its composition.
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Offering fizz as the only water choice
Zero sugar does not remove the acidity of a fizzy drink. Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust says sugar-free fizz can cause tooth erosion.
Put still water on the table as well, particularly when drinks will be available throughout a long session.
Brand and retailer examples
These examples show why the label of the particular drink matters more than a brand-wide assumption.
San Pellegrino
A sparkling natural mineral-water option listed in several bottle and multipack formats.
- Sainsbury’s lists formats suitable for either a shared bottle or separate portions.
- Check the ingredients and nutrition panel on the particular pack when choosing for a sugar or sweetener preference.
Perrier
Perrier describes its carbonated mineral water as sugar-free; flavoured Maison Perrier drinks need to be considered separately.
- Sainsbury’s labels Maison Perrier Forever Blackberry as having 0 sugar and 0 sweeteners.
- Check other flavours and products individually rather than extending the Blackberry label to the whole range.
Highland Spring
A plain sparkling-water option; Highland Spring describes its sparkling range as having nothing added but bubbles.
- Its plain range gives guests an alternative to a flavoured drink.
- It is still fizzy. Provide still water for anyone avoiding acidic or carbonated drinks.
Tesco
Tesco’s plain and flavoured sparkling-water listings illustrate different ingredient choices within one retailer’s range.
- Tesco Every Day Value Sparkling Water 2 Litre lists spring water and carbon dioxide.
- Tesco Strawberry Sparkling Flavoured Water lists juice from concentrate, citric acid and sweeteners; check its label separately.
Sainsbury’s
Its sparkling-water listings include plain formats and flavoured drinks with different label claims.
- Its Maison Perrier Forever Blackberry listing states 0 sugar and 0 sweeteners.
- Its own-label Blackcurrant & Cherry drink is labelled no added sugar but contains a sweetener.
M&S
M&S offers sparkling water as well as flavoured sparkling drinks.
- M&S describes its Lemon and Lime Sparkling Water as sugar-free.
- The Lemon and Lime drink contains a plant-based sweetener, so it is not a no-sweetener choice.
Plain sparkling water on Joybuy
These plain sparkling-water packs offer either smaller bottles for separate servings or 1 L bottles for sharing at a board game night. Check the pack label for any sugar or ingredient requirement before serving.
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Buxton Sparkling 8 × 500 ml
Eight smaller bottles allow players to take separate servings of plain sparkling water. Check the bottle label if a particular sugar figure or ingredient is important to a guest.
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San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water 6 × 1 L
Six 1 L bottles provide a plain sparkling option to pour at a shared table. Use the specific bottle’s ingredients and nutrition panel when checking a guest’s diet preference.
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San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water 6 × 500 ml
The six 500 ml bottles offer separate portions instead of a shared 1 L bottle. This is plain sparkling water rather than a fruit-flavoured choice; check the pack label for specific ingredients and nutrition values.
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Highland Spring Sparkling Spring Water 6 × 1 L
Six 1 L bottles suit a table where guests will pour plain sparkling water. Highland Spring describes its sparkling range as having nothing added but bubbles; check this pack’s label for a specific sugar figure.
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Highland Spring Sparkling Spring Water 8 × 500 ml
Eight 500 ml bottles let guests take separate servings of plain sparkling water. If the choice depends on an exact sugar amount or ingredient, check the label on this pack.
Questions about sugar, sweeteners and fizz
Does “no added sugar” mean a sparkling drink contains no sugar?
No. It does not tell you the final sugars figure. Compare the nutrition panel and check the ingredients, particularly on a fruit-flavoured drink.
Does sugar-free sparkling water contain no sweeteners?
Not necessarily. M&S describes its sugar-free Lemon and Lime sparkling water as containing a plant-based sweetener. If avoiding sweeteners matters, read the ingredients; Sainsbury’s labels Maison Perrier Forever Blackberry as having 0 sweeteners.
What should I serve as the plain option for a mixed group?
Choose a plain sparkling water whose label meets your guests’ ingredient preferences, then offer a flavoured drink separately if wanted. Tesco’s Every Day Value Sparkling Water, for example, lists spring water and carbon dioxide; flavoured drinks can have different ingredients.
Does zero sugar remove concerns about fizzy drinks and teeth?
No. Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust notes that sugar-free fizz remains acidic and can cause tooth erosion. Keep still water available for guests who prefer to avoid acidic fizzy drinks.
Which parts of a flavoured sparkling-water label matter most?
Check the sugars figure on the nutrition panel and read the ingredients for juice, acids and sweeteners. Use the label on the pack you are serving rather than assuming that every flavour or product from the same brand has the same formulation.