Is Sprite Zero ultra-processed?

Yes, it's ultra-processed

Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:

Less processed isn't automatically healthier, so compare the labels for what matters to you, such as sugar or salt.

Ultra-processing Processing signs are highlighted

Carbonated water, food acids (330, 331), sweeteners (ultra-processing marker) (951, 950), preservatives (processing marker) (202, 211)

Additives: E202 Potassium sorbate , E211 Sodium benzoate , E330 Citric acid , E331 Sodium citrates , E950 Acesulfame k , E951 Aspartame

Also detected, but not matched to one ingredient: E950 Acesulfame k, E951 Aspartame, E202 Potassium sorbate.

As written on the pack

Carbonated water, food acids (330, 331), sweeteners (951, 950), preservatives (202, 211).

Added to change how the food looks, feels or tastes, not to keep it safe. A hallmark of ultra-processed food.

E950 Acesulfame k Acesulfame K is a synthetic sweetener about 200 times sweeter than sugar, often combined with aspartame or sucralose.
E951 Aspartame Aspartame is a synthetic sweetener about 200 times sweeter than sugar, used in diet drinks and sugar-free products.
Sweetener Sweeteners give sweetness with few or no calories, many at hundreds of times the strength of sugar.

2 ingredients that would only make it processed

Kitchen staples like sugar, salt and oil. On their own they make a food processed, not ultra-processed.

E202 Potassium sorbate Preservatives are substances which prolong the shelf-life of foods by protecting them against deterioration caused by micro-organisms and/or which protect against growth of pathogenic micro-organisms.
Preservative Preservatives slow spoilage by microbes.

From least to most processed, this one ranks 5th. 93% of the carbonated soft drinks without fruit juice here are ultra-processed.

Ranked by NOVA group, then by the number of ultra-processing signs, additives and ingredients. Our ordering, not part of NOVA.

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 9300675087131, last edited 11 February 2026), available under the Open Database License. If something is wrong or the recipe has changed, you can correct it there.
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors, CC BY-SA 3.0.
The NOVA group is an automated estimate from crowdsourced data: a missing or mistyped ingredient can change it.
NOVA measures processing, not nutrition. For nutrition, Open Food Facts gives this product a Nutri-Score of C (from A, best, to E).
General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.