Lunch diners reducing sugar
If you want a flavoured drink with lunch, the useful comparison is the sugar content of a prepared glass, not just the wording on the bottle.
Who is this choice for?
Canteen buyers planning a drinks range
Choose individual concentrates with serving instructions and labels that staff can use consistently. Check the ingredients and allergen information for each product offered.
People checking particular ingredients
Sweeteners and sulphites vary by product. Aspartame needs particular attention for people with phenylketonuria (PKU): the NHS says it is unsuitable for them.
What matters when choosing?
Choose the type of drink first, then compare labels using the same prepared serving size and the dilution specified for each bottle.
Standard no-added-sugar squash
Consider it when: the canteen wants a diluted, flavoured lunch drink with a low stated sugar figure per glass.
Keep in mind: check the exact product for naturally occurring sugars, sweeteners, acids and declared allergens.
Higher-juice no-added-sugar squash
Consider it when: a fruit-led option matters more than choosing the lowest sugar figure among these examples.
Keep in mind: juice or concentrate can contribute sugar even when no sugar has been added.
Fruit cordial
Consider it when: the particular cordial’s flavour and prepared-serving label suit the lunch offer.
Keep in mind: do not assume a separate cordial range has the same nutrition as a brand’s no-added-sugar squash.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar and calories | Compare sugars and kcal per prepared serving at the stated dilution. Tesco lists 0.5 g sugars and 4 kcal per 250 ml of its Double Strength Summer Fruit Squash. | I want a flavoured lunch drink and need to know what is in the glass I will actually drink. |
| Fruit content | Read the juice content alongside prepared-serving nutrition. Sainsbury’s lists 50% fruit juice, 2.0 g sugars and 19 kcal per prepared 250 ml of its Pink Grapefruit High Juice Squash. | A fruit-led option appeals to me, but I do not want to mistake “no added sugar” for “sugar-free”. |
| Ingredients | Check the current ingredients and allergen declaration for sweeteners and sulphites. The NHS says aspartame is unsuitable for people with PKU. | Before choosing from a shared canteen offer, I need to check ingredients that matter to me. |
| Serving and sipping | Follow the bottle’s dilution instructions. For people with dietary acid-related tooth-wear risk, UK oral-health guidance advises reducing how often acidic foods and drinks are consumed. | I would rather have a drink with lunch than keep sipping an acidic drink throughout the afternoon. |
What is easy to overlook?
-
Reading “no added sugar” as “sugar-free”
Fruit ingredients can still contribute sugar. Sainsbury’s lists 2.0 g sugars and 19 kcal per prepared 250 ml of its Pink Grapefruit High Juice Squash, while Tesco lists 0.5 g sugars and 4 kcal per prepared 250 ml of its Double Strength Summer Fruit Squash.
Compare both sugars and calories for drinks prepared according to their own dilution instructions.
-
Choosing by the front label alone
A no-added-sugar label does not tell you which sweeteners or allergens a particular bottle contains. The NHS says aspartame is unsuitable for people with PKU.
Use the exact product’s current ingredients and allergen declaration; check for aspartame or E951 when PKU is relevant.
-
Treating low sugar as a reason to sip all afternoon
Reducing sugar does not remove every consideration associated with acidic drinks. UK oral-health guidance advises people with dietary acid-related tooth-wear risk to reduce the frequency of acidic foods and drinks.
Offer squash with lunch and keep plain water available for drinking through the working day.
-
Assuming every product from a brand is alike
A brand can sell no-added-sugar squash alongside a separate cordial range, and an individual product’s formulation may change.
Check the current bottle’s ingredients, dilution instructions and prepared-serving nutrition when selecting each canteen line.
Brand ranges worth distinguishing
These brand examples illustrate label differences; a brand name alone does not establish the nutrition or ingredients of every bottle in its range.
Robinsons
Robinsons sells no-added-sugar squash as well as a separate Fruit Cordials range.
- Sainsbury’s lists the Double Strength Lemon No Added Sugar Squash at 5 calories per glass when diluted one part concentrate to nine parts water.
- Do not apply that squash’s label to Robinsons Fruit Cordials; check the particular bottle.
Tesco
Its Double Strength Summer Fruit Squash is a no-added-sugar option for a prepared-glass comparison.
- Tesco lists 0.5 g sugars and 4 kcal per diluted 250 ml glass.
- Use the current pack label when preparing and serving it.
Sainsbury’s
Its Pink Grapefruit High Juice Squash illustrates how a no-added-sugar drink can still contain sugars from fruit ingredients.
- Sainsbury’s lists 50% fruit juice for this product.
- It lists 2.0 g sugars and 19 kcal per prepared 250 ml; compare that serving rather than assuming it matches a standard squash.
Asda
Asda Orange Squash is another no-added-sugar option to compare by the diluted glass.
- Asda lists 4 kcal and less than 0.5 g sugars per diluted 250 ml serving.
- Its retailer listing says it contains sweeteners; check the current bottle for ingredient and allergen details.
M&S
Its Orange Squash is a no-added-sugar fruit squash, rather than a basis for judging every M&S cordial.
- Marks & Spencer describes this product as made with 20% fruit.
- Its listed ingredients include sucralose and sulphites; check the physical pack before serving.
Waitrose
Essential No Added Sugar Summer Fruits Squash provides a labelled prepared serving for comparison.
- Waitrose lists 0.5 g sugars and 4 kcal per 250 ml serving.
- Its listing includes sweeteners and sodium metabisulphite; use the pack for current allergen information.
Joybuy squash options
These four concentrates are no-added-sugar squash options for a workplace lunch. Compare each one as a prepared drink, and check its current label before adding it to a shared canteen offer.
No image available
Robinsons No Added Sugar Orange Squash 1L
An orange squash concentrate for a flavoured lunch drink. Follow the bottle’s dilution instructions and check its prepared-serving sugars, sweeteners and allergen declaration when comparing canteen options.
No image available
Robinsons No Added Sugar Summer Fruits Squash 1L
A summer-fruits concentrate for a no-added-sugar lunch option. Check the dilution instructions and prepared-serving nutrition on the current pack before comparing it with other flavours.
No image available
Ribena Concentrated Blackcurrant No Added Sugar 1.5L
A blackcurrant concentrate for a canteen offering more than one flavour. Check the current dilution directions, prepared-serving nutrition and ingredients; aspartame requires particular attention for people with PKU.
No image available
Ribena Pineapple and Passion Fruit Squash No Added Sugar 850ml
A pineapple and passion-fruit squash concentrate for a different lunch flavour. Use the current bottle’s dilution and prepared-serving nutrition for comparisons, and check its ingredients and allergen declaration before serving.
Common questions
Does “no added sugar” mean a cordial is sugar-free?
No. Sugar naturally present in ingredients such as fruit juice can remain. For example, Sainsbury’s lists 2.0 g sugars per prepared 250 ml serving of its no-added-sugar Pink Grapefruit High Juice Squash. Check the diluted drink’s nutrition panel rather than relying on the front label alone.
Should a canteen compare squash before or after dilution?
Compare the drinks as served, following each bottle’s dilution instructions. Concentrates can have different strengths, so an undiluted figure and a prepared-glass figure do not describe the same drink.
What ingredient checks matter for a shared canteen drink?
Check each current bottle for sweeteners and declared allergens, including sulphites where listed. If PKU is relevant, check specifically for aspartame or E951: the NHS says aspartame is unsuitable for people with PKU.
Does no added sugar remove concerns about frequent sipping?
No. A no-added-sugar label does not establish that an acidic drink is suitable for repeated sipping. UK oral-health guidance advises people with dietary acid-related tooth-wear risk to reduce how often they consume acidic foods and drinks.