Choose plain sparkling water if you want an unsweetened drink alongside hiking snacks; the NHS suggests sparkling water for people who dislike the taste of still water. Flavoured waters and diet soft drinks call for a closer look at the ingredients, especially if you want to avoid sweeteners as well as sugar. Plan how much to carry around the walk’s duration, conditions and exertion rather than choosing by bottle size alone.
The useful distinction is whether you want plain water, flavour without sweeteners, or a sweet-tasting diet drink.
If you want fizz with your snacks but would rather carry water, plain sparkling water is one option. The NHS suggests trying sparkling water if you dislike the taste of still water and advises extra fluid after sweating during physical activity.
Check ingredients as well as sugar information: a no-added-sugar diet drink can still contain a sweetener. Marks & Spencer, for example, lists sucralose in its Diet Pineapple and Grapefruit drink.
A 500ml bottle may be simpler to fit into a pack than a large bottle. Sainsbury’s listings include 500ml sparkling-water formats from Highland Spring, San Pellegrino, Sainsbury’s and Buxton; decide how many to take for your particular walk.
Decide what kind of drink you want, then check its label and choose a quantity that fits the walk.
Choose it when: You want fizz without a sweet-tasting drink alongside your food.
Bear in mind: Fizz is a taste preference; you still need to plan enough fluid and pack your snacks separately.
Choose it when: You want some flavour but intend to avoid both sugar and sweeteners.
Bear in mind: Flavourings, extracts and acids can be present, so check the current ingredients rather than relying on the drink’s name.
Choose it when: You prefer a sweet soft-drink flavour and its ingredients suit your preferences.
Bear in mind: No added sugar does not mean no sweeteners; Marks & Spencer lists sucralose in its Diet Pineapple and Grapefruit drink.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fluid for the walk | Consider the route’s duration, heat and exertion. The NHS advises extra fluid after sweating during physical activity; government hydration guidance says requirements vary with conditions and describes drinking in stages. | I want enough to drink during the walk, not just a fizzy bottle to have with lunch. |
| Sugar and ingredients | Read the nutrition information and ingredient list together. Marks & Spencer lists 0.5g sugars per 100g and sucralose for its no-added-sugar Diet Pineapple and Grapefruit drink. | If I want to avoid sweeteners too, a no-added-sugar claim on the front is not enough to settle the choice. |
| Flavour | Distinguish plain water from flavoured water and diet soft drinks. Sainsbury’s lists Dash Lime Sparkling Water as containing lime extract, natural flavourings and citric acid, with no sugar or sweeteners. | A little flavour appeals to me, but I would rather check what creates it than assume every flavoured drink is alike. |
| Carry format | Check the size of each bottle or can, not just the multipack. Check the storage instructions if you plan to keep any drink after opening. | I can take the number of individual drinks that fits my pack and walk, instead of carrying an entire multipack. |
Flavoured waters and diet soft drinks can have different ingredients. Sainsbury’s lists Dash Lime Sparkling Water without sugar or sweeteners, while Marks & Spencer lists sucralose in its Diet Pineapple and Grapefruit drink.
Read both the nutrition information and ingredients if sugar or sweeteners affect your choice.
Retailer listings include individual 500ml bottles as well as larger formats. The amount you need for a walk depends on its conditions and duration, not on which format looks convenient on a shelf.
Plan the amount for your route, then choose bottles or cans that fit your pack and let you drink during the walk.
A drink can be labelled no added sugar and still contain a sweetener: the Marks & Spencer Diet Pineapple and Grapefruit listing names sucralose.
For a no-sweetener preference, check the full ingredients list on the current pack.
These product examples show why the drink type and pack format matter more than the brand name alone.
Sainsbury’s lists a 500ml San Pellegrino carbonated natural mineral water bottle.
Tesco describes its 1L Perrier listing as natural mineral water fortified with gas from the spring.
Sainsbury’s lists Highland Spring carbonated spring water in a 500ml bottle.
Tesco lists own-label sparkling natural mineral water in 12 × 500ml, 2L and 6 × 2L formats.
Sainsbury’s lists its British bottled sparkling spring water as a 12 × 500ml pack.
Marks & Spencer lists both a 750ml sparkling natural mineral water and a Diet Pineapple and Grapefruit sparkling drink.
These options include plain sparkling waters in individual-size bottles or cans, plus a diet cola for shoppers who want a sweet-tasting soft drink instead. Choose how many units to take for the walk rather than carrying a multipack by default.
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For plain sparkling water with your snacks, this pack provides eight individual 500ml bottles. Decide how many to carry for the route rather than taking the whole pack.
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For a plain mineral-water option, this pack contains six individual 0.5L bottles. Take the quantity your walk calls for and check the bottle’s instructions if keeping it after opening.
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For plain sparkling spring water in individual cans, this pack contains twelve 500ml units. Check the packaging if the resealable feature matters to you, and carry only the number needed for the walk.
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For a plain sparkling spring-water choice, this pack provides eight individual 500ml bottles. Check the current nutrition label if a particular sugar threshold matters, and choose how many bottles to pack.
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If you prefer a diet cola to plain sparkling water with your snacks, this pack contains eighteen individual 330ml cans. It contains sweeteners and is identified as a source of phenylalanine; check the current can if either matters to your choice. Plan the number of cans to carry rather than taking the whole pack.
Yes, if you enjoy drinking it. The NHS suggests sparkling water for people who dislike the taste of still water and advises extra fluid after sweating during physical activity. Plan the amount you carry for the conditions, duration and exertion of your walk.
No. Marks & Spencer describes its Diet Pineapple and Grapefruit drink as having no added sugar, but lists sucralose among the ingredients. Check the ingredients if you want to avoid sweeteners.
No. A sugar claim does not tell you whether a drink is flavoured or contains sweeteners. Read the ingredient list as well as the nutrition information to distinguish plain water from flavoured water or a diet soft drink.
Check the unit size, ingredients, nutrition information and any instructions for storing an opened drink. GOV.UK advises using nutrition labels to compare products; for this choice, the ingredients also help you identify flavourings and sweeteners.
Pack food separately rather than treating plain sparkling water or a diet drink as a snack. Choose the drink for your fluid and flavour preferences, and plan what food to bring for the walk.