Parents replacing sugary fizzy drinks
If a child wants fizz after school, compare the sugar and ingredients of possible replacements without overlooking when the drink will be served. NHS dental guidance recommends plain water or milk between meals.
Who is this choice for?
Families avoiding sugar and sweeteners
A flavoured drink labelled no added sugar can still contain a sweetener. Sainsbury's lists sucralose in its Lemon & Lime sparkling water, while M&S lists steviol glycosides in its Lemon and Lime version.
Households choosing bottles for snacks at home
Consider whether smaller bottles or a larger sharing format suit the number of servings. Check the storage instructions before choosing a multipack of flavoured water that may not be finished soon after opening.
What should you check?
Start with when the child will drink it, then compare the ingredients and bottle size of the options that fit that occasion.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Drink timing | Decide whether the drink is for a snack or meal, or for sipping between meals. NHS St George's dental guidance recommends only plain water or milk between meals and advises keeping acidic drinks to mealtimes. | If my child will keep drinking through the afternoon, I need a between-meal choice rather than relying on a no-added-sugar claim. |
| Sweeteners | Read the ingredients list, not just the front label. Sainsbury's Lemon & Lime lists sucralose; M&S Lemon and Lime lists steviol glycosides. The Dash Grapefruit listing says it is free from sweeteners. | I want fruit flavour, but I may also want to avoid sweeteners. Those are separate checks from added sugar. |
| Sugars and acids | Compare sugars per 100 ml and look for acids in the ingredients. Sainsbury's lists less than 0.5 g sugars per 100 ml and citric acid in its Lemon & Lime drink; the Dash Grapefruit listing also includes citric acid. | A low sugar figure matters to me, but I do not want to mistake it for a reason to offer a fizzy drink repeatedly between meals. |
| Flavour | Choose between plain water, a flavoured option without sweeteners, and a flavoured option with a listed sweetener. Check the particular variety: ingredients differ even within the sparkling-water category. | Would my child drink an unflavoured option, or is a fruit flavour important for this snack? |
| Bottle size | Compare the number and size of bottles with likely servings. Check the individual pack's instructions for storage after opening. | Smaller bottles may fit separate snack occasions; for shared pours, I would check that an opened larger bottle will be used as directed. |
Common buying mistakes
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Assuming no added sugar means no sweetener or acid
Ingredients vary: Sainsbury's Lemon & Lime contains sucralose and citric acid, while M&S Lemon and Lime contains steviol glycosides and citric acid.
Check the named ingredients on the particular bottle if avoiding sweeteners or acids matters to your choice.
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Leaving a fizzy drink out for all-afternoon sipping
Reducing sugar does not remove the dental consideration associated with fizzy and acidic drinks. NHS St George's guidance recommends plain water or milk between meals.
Use still water or milk for between-meal drinking; if offering a sparkling option, serve it with food rather than for repeated sipping.
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Choosing a multipack before trying the flavour
Plain, grapefruit-flavoured and sweetened lemon-and-lime drinks have different ingredients and tastes. A child who accepts one may not want another.
Try an individual bottle before committing to a multipack, and follow the storage instructions after opening.
An opened bottle that is not used within its labelled storage period may have to be discarded.
Brands and retailer ranges
These examples show why it is worth comparing individual drinks rather than assuming every sparkling water has the same ingredients.
Highland Spring
Highland Spring describes its plain sparkling water as water with nothing added but bubbles.
- An unflavoured option when added flavourings or sweeteners are not wanted.
- It remains fizzy; NHS dental guidance favours plain water or milk between meals.
San Pellegrino
The brand presents plain S.Pellegrino sparkling mineral water as well as Essenza flavoured varieties.
- Sanpellegrino lists natural mineral water, carbon dioxide and natural lemon flavouring for Essenza Lemon & Lemon Zest.
- Check the ingredients of the exact variety rather than applying one flavour's details across the range.
Perrier
Perrier describes its plain carbonated mineral water as containing no sugar.
- A plain, unflavoured sparkling-water option.
- Its lack of sugar does not make it the NHS-recommended between-meal drink for children.
Tesco
Tesco lists own-brand sparkling mineral water alongside branded sparkling-water packs.
- Different listed pack formats give households bottle-size choices.
- Check ingredients separately for flavoured products; an own-brand or branded label does not establish what has been added.
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's lists no-added-sugar flavoured sparkling-water varieties.
- Its Lemon & Lime listing provides ingredients and sugars per 100 ml for comparison.
- That variety contains sucralose and citric acid, so it does not meet a sweetener-free requirement.
M&S
M&S lists a Lemon and Lime Sparkling Water containing less than 0.1 g sugars per 100 g.
- The product's ingredients identify the sweetener used: steviol glycosides.
- It also lists citric acid; sugar-free wording does not mean sweetener-free or acid-free.
Plain sparkling water at Joybuy
These bottles cover the plain sparkling-water option for a snack served with food. Compare bottle sizes if that option suits your household; for drinking between meals, NHS dental guidance recommends plain still water or milk instead.
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San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water, 6 x 0.5 L
A plain sparkling-water option to consider with food if smaller bottles suit separate servings. The pack contains six 0.5 L bottles; it is still fizzy, so it is not the between-meal choice recommended by NHS dental guidance.
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Highland Spring Sparkling Spring Water, 8 x 500 ml
For households considering plain sparkling water with a snack, this pack provides eight 500 ml bottles. Highland Spring describes its plain sparkling water as having nothing added but bubbles; check the bottle label for the details of this pack.
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Highland Spring Sparkling Spring Water, 6 x 1 L
A larger-bottle plain sparkling option for pouring with food. The Joybuy product information identifies six 1 L bottles and lists natural sparkling mineral water as the ingredient. Consider whether an opened bottle will be used in line with its storage instructions.
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San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water, 6 x 1 L
For shared pours with a snack or meal, this pack contains six 1 L bottles. The Joybuy product information lists natural mineral water and carbon dioxide, with 0 g sugars per 100 ml. The larger bottle size is worth comparing with how much your household will use after opening.
Frequently asked questions
Should no-added-sugar sparkling water be the everyday after-school drink?
Not for repeated drinking between meals. NHS St George's dental guidance recommends plain water or milk between meals and keeping acidic drinks to mealtimes. If you choose sparkling water, serve it with food rather than leaving it out for all-afternoon sipping.
Does no added sugar mean no sweetener?
No. Sainsbury's Lemon & Lime sparkling water lists sucralose, while M&S Lemon and Lime lists steviol glycosides. Read the ingredients of the exact variety if you want to avoid sweeteners.
Can a low-sugar sparkling water still contain acid?
Yes. Sainsbury's Lemon & Lime and M&S Lemon and Lime both list citric acid. NHS dental guidance identifies acidic fizzy drinks as a tooth-erosion consideration, so check more than the sugar figure when choosing a child's between-meal drink.
Is sparkling water a routine drink for babies and young children?
No. NHS guidance for babies and young children says fizzy drinks are acidic and can damage tooth enamel; it also does not recommend diet or reduced-sugar drinks for this age group. Do not treat a no-added-sugar label as a reason to offer a fizzy drink routinely.