For a TV-night drink, choose by the sugar and sweeteners in the diluted drink, as well as the flavour you want. Tesco Groceries lists 0 g sugars per 250 ml diluted serving for Robinsons Double Strength Apple & Blackcurrant, which contains sweeteners; Sainsbury's Groceries lists 4.4 g sugars per 100 ml diluted for real-sugar Rocks Lemon; and Waitrose & Partners lists 11.4 g sugars per suggested 250 ml serving for its No.1 Raspberry & Pomegranate Cordial. Check each bottle's sparkling-water directions, dilution ratio and ingredients before choosing.
A no-added-sugar concentrate may suit someone having a fizzy drink alongside crisps or popcorn, provided its sweeteners and ingredients suit them. Compare nutrition for the diluted serving, not just the claim on the front of the bottle.
A real-sugar squash such as Rocks Lemon offers a different ingredient choice. Sainsbury's Groceries lists 4.4 g sugars per 100 ml diluted, so the finished drink's sugar content remains part of that choice.
A fruit or citrus cordial offers another sparkling-water option. Compare the suggested dilution, diluted sugars and ingredients: Waitrose & Partners lists 11.4 g sugars per suggested 250 ml serving for its No.1 Raspberry & Pomegranate Cordial, while Belvoir Lemon & Lime No Added Sugar contains a stevia-derived sweetener.
Start with the preparation directions, then compare nutrition on the same diluted basis and check whether the opened bottle fits how often you will use it.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sparkling-water use | Check whether the bottle permits sparkling water and follow its dilution directions. Sainsbury's Groceries gives one part Rocks Lemon to six parts water; Waitrose & Partners suggests one part No.1 Raspberry & Pomegranate to four parts water. | I want a fizzy drink prepared in the way the product recommends, without guessing how much concentrate to add. |
| Diluted sugars | Compare values for the prepared drink and keep the serving size alongside each figure. Tesco Groceries lists 0 g sugars per 250 ml diluted for Robinsons Double Strength Apple & Blackcurrant; Sainsbury's Groceries lists 4.4 g per 100 ml diluted for Rocks Lemon. | For a drink with my snacks, I want to know the sugar content of the glass I will make, rather than compare undiluted bottles. |
| Sweeteners and ingredients | Read the current ingredients and allergen information. Tesco Groceries lists acesulfame K, sucralose and sodium metabisulphite in Robinsons Double Strength Apple & Blackcurrant; Waitrose & Partners lists steviol glycosides from stevia in Belvoir Lemon & Lime No Added Sugar. | If I avoid a particular sweetener or ingredient, a no-added-sugar label alone does not answer my question. |
| After opening | Check refrigeration and use-by-opening directions for the exact bottle. Sainsbury's Groceries says to use Rocks Lemon within two weeks of opening; Waitrose & Partners gives one month for its No.1 cordial and three weeks for Belvoir Lemon & Lime. | I may only make this drink on occasional TV nights, so I want a bottle I expect to finish within its stated period. |
Some no-added-sugar drinks use sweeteners: Tesco Groceries lists acesulfame K and sucralose in Robinsons Double Strength Apple & Blackcurrant, while Waitrose & Partners lists a stevia-derived sweetener in Belvoir Lemon & Lime.
Read the ingredients alongside the nutrition panel if your choice depends on avoiding sweeteners.
Products have different dilution directions, and nutrition may be stated per 100 ml or per serving of the diluted drink. A bottle-size comparison will not tell you the sugars in your glass.
Use each product's stated dilution and compare diluted nutrition on a consistent volume basis.
The stated periods differ: Sainsbury's Groceries gives two weeks for Rocks Lemon, while Waitrose & Partners gives one month for its No.1 Raspberry & Pomegranate Cordial and three weeks for Belvoir Lemon & Lime.
For occasional use, check whether you expect to finish the bottle within its storage guidance.
An unfinished bottle may need to be discarded once its stated post-opening period has passed.
The ingredients of the bottle you serve matter when you have an allergy or ingredient restriction. Tesco Groceries lists sodium metabisulphite in Robinsons Double Strength Apple & Blackcurrant.
Check the current pack's ingredients and highlighted allergen information before serving.
These examples describe particular products or ranges, not every drink carrying the brand name.
Tesco Groceries lists Double Strength Apple & Blackcurrant as a no-added-sugar squash diluted one part concentrate to nine parts water.
Sainsbury's Groceries presents Rocks Lemon Squash for mixing with still or sparkling water.
Waitrose & Partners describes Belvoir Lemon & Lime No Added Sugar Cordial for still or sparkling water.
Waitrose & Partners suggests serving its Raspberry & Pomegranate Cordial with ice and sparkling water.
Marks & Spencer presents squash and cordial ranges that can be mixed with sparkling water.
These are squash concentrates to consider if a no-added-sugar drink interests you. Before buying one specifically for a fizzy serve, check its current preparation directions for sparkling-water use, along with its diluted nutrition and ingredients.
No image availableA blackcurrant concentrate for a no-added-sugar option. Check the pack's sparkling-water directions and diluted nutrition before using it for this drink.
No image availableAn orange squash for a no-added-sugar choice. Confirm the mixing ratio and whether the current pack recommends sparkling water; check its ingredients if avoiding sweeteners or sulphites.
No image availableA pineapple and passion fruit alternative among the no-added-sugar squashes. Check sparkling-water preparation, dilution and the current ingredients before choosing it for TV-night drinks.
No image availableA lemon squash if you prefer a citrus flavour. Check the bottle's dilution and sparkling-water directions, plus the ingredients relevant to you.
No image availableA summer-fruits option in the no-added-sugar selection. Check the current pack for sparkling-water directions, the diluted nutrition panel and post-opening guidance before comparing servings or planning occasional use.
Yes, when the product's preparation directions allow it. Sainsbury's Groceries presents Rocks Lemon for still or sparkling water, and Waitrose & Partners does the same for Belvoir Lemon & Lime and its No.1 Raspberry & Pomegranate Cordial. Start with the dilution on the bottle you choose.
No. Tesco Groceries lists acesulfame K and sucralose in Robinsons Double Strength Apple & Blackcurrant, while Waitrose & Partners lists steviol glycosides from stevia in Belvoir Lemon & Lime No Added Sugar. Read the ingredients if sweetener choice matters to you.
Compare nutrition for the diluted drink, keeping the stated volume with each value. Sainsbury's Groceries gives Rocks Lemon figures per 100 ml diluted and a one-to-six mix; Tesco Groceries gives Robinsons Double Strength Apple & Blackcurrant figures per 250 ml diluted and a one-to-nine mix.
Check the current bottle's ingredients and highlighted allergen information before serving. GOV.UK guidance says allergens must be listed and highlighted on applicable packaged food labels; Tesco Groceries lists sodium metabisulphite in Robinsons Double Strength Apple & Blackcurrant.
Follow that bottle's refrigeration and use instructions. Sainsbury's Groceries says to use Rocks Lemon within two weeks of opening; Waitrose & Partners gives one month, refrigerated below 5°C, for its No.1 Raspberry & Pomegranate Cordial and three weeks, refrigerated, for Belvoir Lemon & Lime.