Hosts serving drinks from a jug
Concentrated squash suits a gathering where you can provide water and glasses and have someone mix the drinks. Guests can be served from a shared jug, but the drink needs preparing.
Who is each format for?
Hosts handing out individual drinks
If each guest needs a sealed drink to take without mixing, look at ready-to-drink can multipacks. Tesco Groceries lists these separately from its bottled squash and cordial range.
Shoppers checking ingredients for guests
Compare the labels of the particular drinks you plan to serve. Some no-added-sugar squash examples list sweeteners or sulphites; Marks & Spencer advises checking the purchased label because ingredients and allergen information can change.
What should you check before buying?
Bottled concentrated squash
Choose it when: You can mix drinks using water and serving glasses or a jug.
Allow for: Preparation during the gathering and the bottle’s post-opening instructions.
Ready-to-drink cans
Choose them when: Guests need sealed individual portions without dilution.
Keep in mind: A canned soft drink is not necessarily squash; check the exact drink as well as its pack size.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Serving format | Check whether the pack contains concentrate or ready-to-drink cans. For squash, check the dilution directions and whether you have water and serving equipment. | I want guests to pick up individual cans without anyone mixing drinks, or I have a jug and glasses ready for squash. |
| Amount to serve | For cans, check the can size and pack count. For concentrate, use that product’s stated dilution and serving instructions rather than treating bottle volume as prepared-drink volume. | How many people am I serving, and will they each want a separate drink during the match? |
| Drink as served | Compare nutrition on the ready-to-drink or diluted basis shown on each label. Check ingredients as well: no added sugar does not mean no sweeteners. | I need to know what will be in the drink guests actually consume, not just what is in the concentrate bottle. |
| Ingredients and storage | Read the purchased pack for declared allergens and current ingredients. If choosing squash, check its storage and post-opening directions; Waitrose & Partners says its Robinsons Double Strength Orange 1.75 litre bottle should be consumed within four weeks of opening. | If someone needs an ingredient checked, I’ll use the pack label before serving. I also want a bottle size that fits what we can use after the match. |
Common buying mistakes
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Assuming squash and canned multipacks are the same format
Buying concentrate when guests expect individual cans leaves you needing water and glasses; buying cans instead will not give you squash to mix. Tesco Groceries lists these formats in separate departments.
Decide which serving format you need, then confirm the container and pack count on the product page.
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Treating bottle volume as prepared-drink volume
Squash concentrate is diluted before serving, whereas a can contains a ready-to-drink portion. Waitrose & Partners gives its Robinsons Double Strength Orange 1.75 litre bottle a direction of one part concentrate to nine parts water and states 70 servings per bottle.
Use the directions for the particular squash you choose when planning portions; do not apply another product’s dilution ratio to it.
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Skipping the ingredient label on no-added-sugar squash
No-added-sugar products can still contain sweeteners. Marks & Spencer lists sweeteners and sulphites in its Orange Squash and advises shoppers to check the pack because product information can change.
Read the current label before serving, particularly when a guest needs an ingredient or allergen checked.
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Forgetting about the opened bottle
A bottle left after the match still needs to be used according to its own storage guidance. Waitrose & Partners says its Robinsons Double Strength Orange 1.75 litre bottle should be consumed within four weeks of opening.
Plan for the drinks needed during the gathering and check whether you can use the remainder within the selected bottle’s instructions.
Relevant brands and retailers
These references concern bottled squash ranges, not a selection of squash sold in multipack cans.
Robinsons
A bottled concentrated-squash option listed by Tesco Groceries and Waitrose & Partners.
- Waitrose & Partners states that its Robinsons Double Strength Orange No Added Sugar 1.75 litre bottle contains 70 servings when prepared according to its directions.
- That product is a concentrate, not an individual ready-to-drink can; check its current ingredients and post-opening instructions.
Tesco
Tesco Groceries lists own-label concentrated squash, including Quadruple Strength Orange No Added Sugar in 750 ml and 1.5 litre bottles.
- The listed bottle sizes give shoppers distinct concentrate formats to compare.
- Check the selected product’s dilution instructions before working out how much drink it will make.
M&S
Marks & Spencer lists concentrated squash varieties with product-specific fruit-juice and ingredient information.
- Its Pink Grapefruit High Juice listing states 50% fruit juice; its Orange Squash listing states 20% orange fruit. Those figures describe different products.
- Both are bottled concentrates. Marks & Spencer advises checking the purchased label for current ingredients and allergen information.
Waitrose
Waitrose & Partners lists own-label and Robinsons bottled squash, including different bottle sizes and concentration types.
- Its Robinsons Double Strength Orange product page provides a dilution direction and post-opening guidance.
- Check the selected product and local availability before arranging drinks for the gathering.
Joybuy options for both serving formats
These options include ready-to-drink can multipacks for handing out individual drinks and one bottled squash concentrate for mixing. The canned soft drinks are alternatives to squash, not canned squash.
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Tango Apple Sugar-Free 24 × 330 ml Cans
For handing out individual drinks without mixing: this is an apple soft drink in a 24 × 330 ml can pack, not squash. Check the current ingredients before serving.
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PEPSI Max 24 × 330 ml Cans
For guests taking separate ready-to-drink portions: this 24 × 330 ml pack contains cola, not squash. Check the pack label if caffeine or other ingredients matter to your guests.
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Vimto Original 8 × 330 ml Cans
For individual fruity drinks without dilution: this is an 8 × 330 ml can pack of soft drink, not squash. Check the current ingredient and allergen label before serving guests.
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Coca-Cola Original Taste 24 × 330 ml Cans
For serving individual drinks without preparation: this is a 24 × 330 ml pack of cola, not squash or a no-sugar option. Check the current nutrition and ingredient label for the guests you are serving.
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Ribena Blackcurrant No Added Sugar Concentrate 1.5 L
For mixing squash with water and serving it in glasses or a jug: this is a 1.5 L concentrate bottle, not a can multipack. Follow its own dilution and post-opening directions, and check the current ingredients before serving.
Questions about squash and cans
Can I assume a squash multipack contains cans?
No. Tesco Groceries lists bottled squash and cordial separately from ready-to-drink canned multipacks, and Waitrose & Partners also lists squash in bottles. If cans are essential, confirm the exact product’s container and pack count before buying.
How do I work out how much drink a squash bottle makes?
Use the dilution and serving directions for that bottle, not its concentrate volume alone. Waitrose & Partners states that its Robinsons Double Strength Orange 1.75 litre bottle contains 70 servings when diluted at one part concentrate to nine parts water; another squash may have different directions.
Does no added sugar mean there are no sweeteners to check?
No. The Robinsons Double Strength Orange and Marks & Spencer Orange Squash examples list sweeteners, and the M&S product also lists sulphites. Read the current label of the particular drink before serving guests.
What should I do with squash left after the match?
Follow that bottle’s storage and post-opening instructions. Waitrose & Partners says its Robinsons Double Strength Orange 1.75 litre bottle should be consumed within four weeks of opening; check the selected product rather than applying that period to every squash.