Hosts offering a choice of plain water
Still water can serve as the main drink, with sparkling water alongside it for guests who prefer fizz. The NHS suggests sparkling water for people who do not like the taste of plain water.
Who is each option for?
Hosts adding a sugar-free flavour
A flavoured option gives guests another taste, but its ingredients need checking separately from its sugar content. Volvic UK’s Touch of Strawberry Sugar Free 1.5L, for example, lists 0g sugars per 100ml and contains sweeteners.
Hosts choosing how to serve drinks
Larger bottles suit a table where guests pour water into cups; smaller bottles make individual portions easier to hand out. Compare bottle capacity and pack count so the total volume fits the gathering.
What should you check before buying?
Decide how guests will take their drinks before choosing pack sizes, then consider whether fizz or flavour needs a separate place on the table.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Plain water | Check whether the bottle is still or sparkling and whether it is plain or flavoured. The NHS identifies water as a drink that contributes to fluid intake. | I want an unflavoured drink available throughout the party, with a separate fizzy option only if guests would use it. |
| Flavour and ingredients | For flavoured water, read sugars per 100ml and per serving, then check the ingredients for sweeteners and other additions. Volvic UK lists 0g sugars per 100ml for Touch of Strawberry Sugar Free 1.5L, which contains acesulfame K and sucralose. | Some guests may welcome a fruit flavour, but I do not want to assume that sugar-free means free from sweeteners. |
| Fizz | Check the still or sparkling designation and bottle size. The NHS suggests sparkling water as an option for people who dislike the taste of plain water. | If guests enjoy carbonation, I can offer it alongside still water rather than making it their only choice. |
| Serving format | Multiply bottle capacity by pack count to compare total litres. Check how many bottles need chilling and whether guests will pour into cups or take their own bottles. | A self-serve drinks table calls for a different format from handing each guest a 330ml or 500ml bottle. |
Common buying mistakes
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Assuming flavoured water has the same ingredients as plain water
A sugar-free flavoured drink can still contain sweeteners and other ingredients. Volvic UK’s Touch of Strawberry Sugar Free 1.5L lists citric acid, potassium benzoate, acesulfame K and sucralose.
Check the ingredient list and nutrition panel for the exact product, and keep plain water available as a separate choice.
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Buying only sparkling water
Fizz is a matter of preference, so a sparkling-only supply may not suit guests who want still water.
Set aside still water as well, then choose the sparkling quantity according to the guests and serving plan.
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Comparing packs by bottle count alone
Six 2L bottles hold a different total volume from six 500ml bottles, and the formats suit different ways of serving drinks.
Compare total litres, individual bottle size and space for chilling or storage before choosing a pack.
Water brands and retailer ranges
These ranges illustrate different bottle sizes and drink types; check the exact product when deciding what to serve.
Highland Spring
Highland Spring lists still spring-water bottles in several sizes, from 330ml to 2L.
- Its published still-water range includes 330ml, 500ml, 750ml, 1.5L and 2L bottles.
- Check the capacity and cap type of the particular bottle you choose; they vary across the listed sizes.
Evian
Evian presents its 330ml natural mineral water bottle as an option for events and parties.
- The 330ml format gives hosts an individual bottle to hand out.
- For a larger gathering, compare the number of small bottles with the total litres needed.
Volvic
Volvic offers plain water and Touch of Fruit Sugar Free flavoured water.
- Volvic UK lists 0g sugars per 100ml for Touch of Strawberry Sugar Free 1.5L.
- That flavoured product also lists sweeteners, citric acid and a preservative, so it is not the same ingredient choice as plain water.
Buxton
Buxton offers still and sparkling water for different taste preferences.
- The two water types let hosts offer guests a choice about fizz.
- Check the format of the specific pack rather than assuming the still and sparkling options come in the same sizes.
Tesco
Tesco’s water range lists own-label still and sparkling formats alongside branded water.
- Its grocery listing includes 6 x 2L still and sparkling own-label packs, as well as smaller-bottle multipacks.
- Check the current range for your delivery area before planning around a particular pack.
Joybuy water options
These options cover plain still water for shared or individual service, sparkling water in two pack formats, and a sugar-free flavoured option.
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Highland Spring Still Water 4 x 10L
Four 10L containers provide 40L of still water for shared serving. Check that this quantity fits the number of guests and the space available to store it.
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Highland Spring Sparkling Spring Water 6 x 1L
Six 1L bottles offer a sparkling choice that guests can pour into cups. The pack totals 6L; offer still water too if not everyone wants fizz.
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Buxton Sparkling Water 8 x 500ml
Eight 500ml bottles suit individually handed-out sparkling portions. The pack totals 4L, so compare that volume with expected demand and keep a still option available.
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Volvic Touch of Strawberry Sugar Free 6 x 500ml
This strawberry-flavoured pack contains six 500ml bottles for individual portions. Check its current nutrition panel and ingredients if guests are choosing it for its sugar content or avoiding particular sweeteners; it is an additional choice alongside plain water.
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evian Mineral Water 6 x 500ml
Six 500ml bottles provide individual plain-water portions, with 3L in the pack. Compare that total with attendance if this will be a main water supply.
Garden-party water FAQs
Is plain bottled water a lower-sugar party drink?
Yes. Plain water avoids the flavour ingredients found in some alternative drinks. The NHS identifies water as a drink that contributes to fluid intake; choose a bottle size that suits how guests will serve themselves.
Should I buy still water or sparkling water?
Offer still water as the main option and add sparkling water if guests are likely to want fizz. The NHS suggests sparkling water for people who dislike the taste of plain water, so the choice is about preference rather than a need to replace still water.
Does sugar-free flavoured water contain sweeteners?
It can. Volvic UK lists 0g sugars per 100ml for Touch of Strawberry Sugar Free 1.5L, while its ingredients include acesulfame K and sucralose. Read the ingredient list for the exact flavour and pack you plan to serve.
How can I check a flavoured water for sweeteners?
Read the ingredients for named sweeteners and compare sugars per 100ml on the nutrition panel. GOV.UK’s food-labelling guidance describes the wording “With sweetener(s)” and, where both sugar and sweeteners are present, “With sugar and sweetener(s)”.
Should I choose small bottles or larger ones?
Choose 330ml or 500ml bottles if you want to hand out individual portions; choose larger bottles if guests will pour water into cups. Compare total litres as well as bottle count: Evian presents its 330ml bottle as an events format, while Tesco’s water listing includes both 500ml multipacks and 2L bottles.