Who is this for?

Lunch-on-the-go shoppers reducing sugar

If you want a drink labelled sugar-free or zero sugar, compare its sugars figure and sweeteners as well as its caffeine content.

Shoppers comparing caffeine per can

Can size matters when comparing servings. Red Bull UK states 80 mg caffeine for its 250 ml Sugarfree can; Monster Energy UK states 150 mg for its 500 ml Ultra can.

Shoppers who need to check caffeine warnings

Sugar-free wording does not remove a high-caffeine warning. Read the warning on the individual can, particularly when buying for a child or checking pregnancy-related or caffeine-sensitivity advice.

What should you check?

Start with the exact sugar claim you need, then compare caffeine for the whole can and check its ingredients and size.

Priority What to check Your needs
Sugars and claims Read the sugars figure in the nutrition table and the precise claim on the can. “Zero sugar” wording does not itself confirm a separate “no added sugars” claim. If I need the exact “no added sugars” claim, I’ll check for those words on the pack rather than rely on a search filter.
Caffeine per can Compare the amount for the full can, not just per 100 ml. Red Bull UK states 80 mg for Sugarfree 250 ml; Monster Energy UK states 150 mg for Ultra 500 ml. Check the current pack. I want to know how much caffeine one lunchtime can contains alongside any other caffeine I expect to have that day.
Ingredients and warnings Read the sweetener list and high-caffeine warning. Tesco lists sucralose and acesulfame K for Red Bull Sugar Free 250 ml. Zero sugar may fit what I’m looking for, but I might also need to check particular sweeteners or caffeine warnings.
Can size Check the volume of each can and the number of cans in a multipack; a per-can caffeine figure applies to that stated can size. For lunch on the go, I’d rather compare the individual serving I’ll carry than judge a multipack by its total volume.

Common label mistakes

  • Treating “zero sugar” as proof of “no added sugars”

    Those wordings do not establish the same claim. A sugars figure of 0 g also does not tell you which claim appears on the pack.

    If the precise claim matters to you, read the can’s wording, nutrition table and ingredients before choosing.

  • Overlooking caffeine in a sugar-free drink

    Red Bull UK states 80 mg caffeine in a 250 ml Sugarfree can, while Monster Energy UK states 150 mg in a 500 ml Ultra can. Sugar content does not remove high-caffeine warnings.

    Compare caffeine for the whole can and read its warning, taking account of other caffeine you expect to consume.

  • Assuming every flavour from a brand qualifies

    Relentless lists both sucrose and glucose in its Cherry variant’s ingredients, even though it also lists a sweetener.

    Check the exact flavour and current ingredient list instead of choosing by brand name alone.

  • Relying only on a retailer listing

    Tesco notes that food product information can change when products are reformulated.

    Check the nutrition table, ingredients and warning on the can you receive.

Brands and retailers to check

These references help distinguish specific drinks and listings; a brand or retailer name alone does not establish that a particular can meets your sugar-claim requirement.

Red Bull

The 250 ml Sugarfree can is a smaller format to compare for lunch on the go.

  • Red Bull UK states 80 mg caffeine per 250 ml can; Tesco lists 0 g sugars and the sweeteners sucralose and acesulfame K.
  • Check the can if you require the exact “no added sugars” claim, and read its high-caffeine warning.

Monster

Monster Energy UK describes Ultra as a zero-sugar energy drink in a 500 ml can.

  • Monster Energy UK states 0 g sugar and 150 mg caffeine for its 500 ml Ultra can.
  • Check the particular can’s caffeine figure, ingredients and claim wording before treating another listing as applicable to it.

Relentless

The ingredient list for a specific flavour matters more than the brand name for this decision.

  • Relentless lists sucrose and glucose in its Cherry variant, so that variant does not fit a no-added-sugar selection.

Lucozade

Lucozade describes its Zero range as zero-sugar soft drinks.

  • It is an option to examine if a zero-sugar soft drink, rather than a specified energy-drink caffeine amount, is what you want.
  • Check the individual drink before treating it as an energy drink or assuming a caffeine amount.

Tesco

Tesco’s listings can help you compare the named Red Bull Sugar Free and Monster Zero Sugar products.

  • Its product information includes nutrition and ingredients for the listed variants.
  • Check the physical can for current information; lunch-deal inclusion depends on the offer where you shop.

Sainsbury's

Its Red Bull Sugar Free 250 ml listing is another place to check the named product’s details.

  • The listing identifies sweeteners and gives a high-caffeine warning of 32 mg per 100 ml.
  • Check the can and the offer in your shop rather than assuming the listing establishes meal-deal inclusion.

Joybuy energy-drink options

These multipacks offer 250 ml Sugarfree or 500 ml Ultra Zero Sugar cans for someone comparing individual lunchtime servings. Check the exact sugar claim and caffeine information on the cans you buy.

Red Bull Sugarfree Energy Drink, four 250 ml cans

Red Bull Sugarfree Energy Drink, 4 × 250 ml

The 250 ml cans are a smaller individual serving to consider for lunch on the go. Red Bull UK states 80 mg caffeine per 250 ml Sugarfree can, and Tesco lists 0 g sugars for this drink. Check the current can for its exact sugar-claim wording, sweeteners and high-caffeine warning.

View on Joybuy
Monster Energy Ultra Zero Sugar, four 500 ml cans

Monster Energy Ultra Zero Sugar, 4 × 500 ml

The 500 ml cans offer a larger individual serving for lunch on the go. Monster Energy UK describes its 500 ml Ultra drink as having 0 g sugar, but check this pack’s label for its caffeine amount before choosing it. Read the ingredients, high-caffeine warning and exact sugar-claim wording too.

View on Joybuy

Questions about sugar and caffeine

Does “zero sugar” prove an energy drink has no added sugars?

No. “No added sugars” is a distinct claim, so zero-sugar wording or a 0 g sugars figure does not establish that the exact claim appears on a particular can. Check the pack’s wording and ingredients if that distinction matters to your purchase.

Can sugar-free energy drinks contain sweeteners?

Yes. Tesco lists sucralose and acesulfame K for Red Bull Sugar Free 250 ml and for its listed Monster Zero Sugar 500 ml product. Read the ingredient list on the exact drink if you want to avoid a particular sweetener.

Does sugar-free mean caffeine-free?

No. Red Bull UK states 80 mg caffeine per 250 ml Sugarfree can, and Monster Energy UK states 150 mg per 500 ml Ultra can. Check caffeine for the whole can and read its warning rather than relying on its sugar wording.