Is Tesco Indian Tonic Water ultra-processed?

Tonic water Sold in the United Kingdom

Yes, it's ultra-processed

1 Unprocessed
2 Kitchen staple
3 Processed
4 Ultra-processed

Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:

Flavouring
E954 Saccharin and its salts
E955 Sucralose

9 ingredients
6 additives

Less processed tonic water

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

Ingredients

Ultra-processing Processing signs are highlighted

Carbonated Water, Sugar (processing marker), Citric Acid, Flavourings (ultra-processing marker) (contain Quinine Hydrochloride), Trisodium Citrate, Potassium Sorbate (processing marker), Sucralose (ultra-processing marker), Sodium Saccharin (ultra-processing marker)

Additives: E202 Potassium sorbate , E330 Citric acid , E331 Sodium citrates , E331iii Trisodium citrate , E954 Saccharin and its salts , E955 Sucralose

As written on the pack

Carbonated Water, Sugar, Citric Acid, Flavourings (contain Quinine Hydrochloride), Acidity Regulator (Trisodium Citrate), Preservative (Potassium Sorbate), Sweeteners (Sucralose, Sodium Saccharin).

What makes it ultra-processed

Cosmetic additives

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

E954 Saccharin and its salts Sweeteners are substances used to impart a sweet taste to foods or in table-top sweeteners.
E955 Sucralose Sucralose is a sweetener made by chlorinating sugar.
Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.

3 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.
Sodas Products in the category "Sodas" are at least group 3.
Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 24 tonic water

From least to most processed, this one ranks 21st. 75% of the tonic water 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.

All 24 tonic water, least processed first

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5000119017116, last edited 24 September 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.
General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.