Choose a squash or cordial whose directions allow mixing with sparkling water if you want to adjust the strength of each glass; choose a ready-to-drink sparkling option if you would rather chill and pour. Compare sugars on the prepared-drink basis, check ingredients that matter to you, and choose a bottle you can use within its stated period after opening.
A no-added-sugar squash or cordial lets you follow the stated dilution directions while choosing how much to prepare. Check the sugars in the diluted drink and the sweeteners in the ingredients, rather than relying on the front-of-pack wording alone.
A citrus or elderflower cordial may suit a particular drink you want to make with sparkling water. Check that the product permits sparkling-water mixing, then compare its prepared-drink nutrition and ingredients.
A ready-to-drink sparkling bottle or can needs no dilution. If it will not be finished at once, check its size and instructions for storage after opening before adding it to a delivery order.
Decide whether you want to mix the drink or pour it straight from the container, then compare labels using the serving basis stated for each product.
Choose it when: You want to prepare individual glasses and select a squash or cordial with directions that permit sparkling water.
Bear in mind: You supply the sparkling water and must follow that product’s dilution directions; sweeteners and prepared-drink sugars vary.
Choose it when: A particular cordial flavour and making several drinks from one bottle matter more to you than having a pre-mixed drink.
Bear in mind: Check the sugars in the drink as prepared, as well as the ingredients and dilution instructions.
Choose it when: You want a carbonated drink that can be chilled and served without mixing.
Bear in mind: You cannot adjust its dilution, and the period for using it after opening may affect which size to order.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Serving format | Check whether the drink is a concentrate or already carbonated. For a concentrate, look for directions that permit sparkling water and follow its stated dilution ratio. | I want to decide the strength of each glass, or I need a drink I can chill and pour without mixing. |
| Sugars | Compare figures for the drink as prepared, keeping the dilution ratio beside each figure. Tesco lists 0g sugars per 250ml diluted serving for Robinsons Orange No Added Sugar at 1 part concentrate to 4 parts water; Ocado lists 1.1g per 250ml for Belvoir Farm No Added Sugar Sicilian Lemon & Lime at 1:6. | For drinks I make regularly, I want to compare what is in a finished glass, not an undiluted concentrate with a ready-to-drink bottle. |
| Ingredients | Read the current sweetener and allergen information. GOV.UK says regulated allergens in prepacked food and drink must be clearly labelled when present. | A particular sweetener, ingredient or allergen may determine which product I can order. |
| Use after opening | Check the product’s refrigeration and use-after-opening instructions, then consider the container size and how many drinks you plan to serve. | If I only make sparkling drinks occasionally, I want a container I can use within its stated storage period. |
| Delivery choice | Check that the listing matches the flavour, format and pack size you intend to buy. If considering a substitution, compare its dilution directions and ingredients rather than assuming they match. | Should my first choice change before delivery, I want the replacement to work for the same drink I planned to make. |
No-added-sugar concentrates can have different sweeteners, dilution directions and sugars in the prepared drink.
Compare the ingredients and the nutrition figure at each product’s stated dilution before choosing a flavour.
An undiluted cordial figure does not describe the glass you make from it, while a ready-to-drink sparkling product needs no dilution.
Use the prepared-drink figure and serving size, retaining the concentrate’s dilution ratio when making a comparison.
Sweetener choices differ between products, and an allergen requirement can rule out an otherwise appealing flavour.
Check the current online ingredients when ordering and the label on the delivered pack before drinking.
Once opened, a sparkling bottle may need to be used within a different period from a concentrate.
Match the container size to when you expect to serve it, and follow that product’s storage instructions.
These brand examples show what to compare between individual products; each flavour and format needs its own label check.
The Orange No Added Sugar Squash listed by Tesco is a concentrate, not a pre-carbonated drink.
The cited range includes a cordial for mixing and a separate ready-to-drink sparkling elderflower product.
The cited elderflower cordial is a mixer; the cited pomegranate and elderflower pressé is a separate sparkling-drink format.
These options include squash concentrates for preparing drinks and one fizzy elderflower drink for serving without dilution. Check each concentrate’s directions if mixing it with sparkling water is central to your choice.
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A concentrate to consider if you want to make individual glasses rather than buy a pre-carbonated drink. Tesco lists 0g sugars per 250ml diluted serving for this orange squash at 1 part concentrate to 4 parts water; check the bottle’s directions if you intend to use sparkling water.
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This blackcurrant concentrate suits a plan to mix drinks rather than serve them straight from the bottle. Check its directions before using sparkling water, and compare nutrition using the prepared drink at the stated dilution.
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The six-bottle pack is an option if your household plans to make summer-fruits squash on multiple occasions. Check the dilution and storage directions on each bottle, including whether sparkling water is suitable.
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This fizzy elderflower drink is the ready-to-serve option in this selection, rather than a squash you dilute. Choose it when a 330ml pre-carbonated drink fits the occasion; check its label for ingredients and storage instructions.
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Consider this concentrate if you want a pineapple and passion fruit flavour that you prepare by the glass. Check its directions before mixing with sparkling water, and use prepared-drink nutrition when comparing it with a ready-to-drink option.
No. Squash is a concentrate to dilute, including with sparkling water if its directions allow it; a sparkling pressé is already carbonated and ready to serve. Check the product name and preparation directions before ordering.
Compare the cordial as prepared at its stated dilution with the ready-to-drink product on its labelled serving basis. For example, Tesco lists 0g sugars per 250ml diluted serving for Robinsons Orange No Added Sugar at 1:4, while Ocado lists 1.1g per 250ml for Belvoir Farm No Added Sugar Sicilian Lemon & Lime Cordial at 1:6; those figures belong to different products prepared in different ways.
Yes, if an allergen or intolerance affects what you can buy. GOV.UK says regulated allergens in prepacked food and drink must be clearly labelled when present; check the current listing while ordering and the delivered pack before drinking.
Follow the instructions for the particular bottle or can: concentrates and ready-to-drink sparkling products can have different storage and use-after-opening directions. Consider how quickly you will serve the drink before choosing its size.
Check whether the substitute is a concentrate or a ready-to-drink product before accepting it. If you need it for a particular sparkling-water mix, also compare the directions, ingredients and pack size rather than relying on a similar flavour name.