Shoppers planning a shared drinks station
Bottled squash suits a setup with drinking water and a jug, cups or refillable bottles. It needs diluting before serving; follow the instructions on the bottle you buy.
Who is each format for?
Shoppers needing individual drinks
Multipack cans suit a plan to hand out drinks without mixing. Tesco Groceries lists canned multipacks separately from bottled squash, so choose the ready-to-drink category if that is the format you need.
Shoppers checking specific ingredients
Check the label for the exact flavour and formulation. The Robinsons Fruit & Barley Summer Fruits squash listed by Waitrose & Partners contains refined barley flour and sodium metabisulphite; that ingredient list should not be assumed to apply to other flavours.
What should you check before buying?
Decide whether drinks must be ready to serve, then check the quantities, equipment and labels for that format.
Bottled concentrated squash
Choose when: You can provide drinking water and containers for a shared or refillable-drink setup.
Bear in mind: The concentrate needs mixing and cannot be handed out as ready-to-drink cans.
Ready-to-drink multipack cans
Choose when: Individual portions need to be served without access to water or time to mix drinks.
Bear in mind: Tesco Groceries categorises these as soft drinks, separately from squash; check that your event permits cans.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Ready to serve | Check whether the drink is a concentrate or ready to drink. For squash, check its dilution instructions and the water and containers required. | I need to hand out drinks straight away, so individually portioned cans fit my serving plan better than concentrate. |
| Servings and pack size | Compare prepared servings for squash with the number and volume of cans. Waitrose & Partners lists 20 servings for its Robinsons Orange No Added Sugar Squash bottle when diluted as directed. | If I am mixing drinks for a group, I need enough drinking water and containers as well as enough squash. |
| Ingredients | Read the current label for the exact flavour and pack. Waitrose & Partners lists refined barley flour and sodium metabisulphite in Robinsons Fruit & Barley Summer Fruits Squash. | Where particular ingredients matter to my group, I cannot make the choice from the brand name alone. |
| Event packaging rules | Check your festival or venue’s current guidance for outside drinks and permitted containers before choosing bottles or cans. | I want to bring a drink format that my event allows. |
Common buying mistakes
-
Buying squash for a plan that needs ready-to-drink cans
Squash concentrate needs water and a way to mix and serve it. Without those, the drinks plan may not work on site.
Decide how drinks will be served before choosing a format. If you cannot dilute squash, look at ready-to-drink multipack cans instead.
-
Comparing concentrate volume directly with can volume
A bottle of concentrate is diluted before serving, so its bottle volume and the combined volume of ready-to-drink cans describe different things.
Use the squash bottle’s dilution directions and stated servings when planning quantities; compare cans by their count and volume per can.
-
Assuming every squash flavour has the same ingredients
Waitrose & Partners lists refined barley flour and sodium metabisulphite in Robinsons Fruit & Barley Summer Fruits Squash. That does not establish the ingredients of other flavours.
Read the physical label of the exact pack you intend to buy, particularly if anyone needs to avoid an ingredient.
Relevant brand and retailer references
These references help distinguish squash concentrate from canned soft drinks; they are not a list of products in the Joybuy selection below.
Robinsons
Waitrose & Partners lists Robinsons squash as a drink to dilute, including a small concentrated Mini format.
- Its Robinsons Orange No Added Sugar Squash listing instructs shoppers to mix one part concentrate with four parts water.
- Ingredients differ between products: its Fruit & Barley Summer Fruits listing includes refined barley flour and sodium metabisulphite. Check the current pack label.
Tesco
Tesco Groceries places bottled squash and multipack canned soft drinks in separate shopping categories.
- Its listings include Tesco quadruple-strength squash in bottles and, separately, canned soft drinks in 6 × 330 ml multipacks.
- A canned soft-drink multipack should not be treated as a squash product simply because both appear in the drinks range.
M&S
M&S Food describes its squash as diluting juice to mix with still or sparkling water.
- Its squash range includes 1 litre and 1.5 litre bottle formats.
- Those bottled concentrates do not serve the same purpose as individual ready-to-drink cans.
Ready-to-drink cans on Joybuy
These Joybuy options are multipack soft drinks for a festival plan that calls for individual drinks without dilution. They are not squash; check your event’s rules on bringing cans before choosing a pack.
No image available
J2O Orange & Passion Fruit 12 × 250 ml
An option for serving individual drinks without mixing; this is a soft drink, not squash. The pack contains 12 × 250 ml portions. Check the current label if sugar or sweeteners matter to your choice.
No image available
Pepsi MAX 24 × 330 ml
For serving individual cola drinks without dilution, this pack contains 24 × 330 ml portions; it is not squash. Check the current label if caffeine or a source of phenylalanine matters to your choice.
No image available
Coca-Cola Original Taste 24 × 330 ml
For a serving plan based on individual ready-to-drink portions, this cola comes in a 24 × 330 ml pack rather than as squash concentrate. Check the current label if sugar or caffeine matters to your choice.
No image available
7UP Zero 330 ml 24-pack
A lemon-and-lime soft-drink option for individual portions without mixing, rather than a squash concentrate. The pack contains 24 × 330 ml drinks. Check the current label if a source of phenylalanine matters to your choice.
No image available
Tango Apple Sugar-Free Can 24-pack
For individually portioned drinks without dilution, this is a 24-can apple soft-drink pack, not squash. Check the current label if sweeteners matter to your choice.
Frequently asked questions
Is squash the same as a multipack of ready-to-drink cans?
No. Tesco Groceries lists bottled squash under squash and cordial, while canned multipacks appear under soft drinks. Check the product’s own directions: squash sold as concentrate needs diluting, whereas ready-to-drink cans suit serving without mixing.
How much water should I add to Robinsons Orange squash?
Waitrose & Partners instructs shoppers to mix one part concentrate with four parts water for its Robinsons Orange No Added Sugar Squash listing. Follow the directions on the exact pack you buy, since instructions can differ between products.
Can Robinsons Minis replace ready-to-drink cans?
Not if drinks must be served without water. Waitrose & Partners describes Robinsons Minis as concentrated squash and says not to drink them undiluted, so you would still need water and a suitable container.
What should I check on a Fruit & Barley squash label?
Check the ingredients on the exact pack. Waitrose & Partners lists refined barley flour and sodium metabisulphite in Robinsons Fruit & Barley Summer Fruits Squash; do not apply that ingredient list to every Robinsons flavour.