2026: General Discussion

[owenstreet7]

“Free” refills (bottomless) of high fat, sugar, or salt content such as the ones previously available is now banned in restaurants and stuff as of October 2025.

I assume the ones they offer now are within government guidelines and as such they can be bottomless.

That only applies to full sugar drinks

Merlin have been only serving the zero and diet sugar drinks for years and if it did apply to those, the freestyles won't be compliant

It is a bonkers decision to remove it but it's probably a way of selling more bottled drinks instead if they wanted the fizzy drinks...

 

[GooseOnTheLoose]

“Free” refills (bottomless) of high fat, sugar, or salt content such as the ones previously available is now banned in restaurants and stuff as of October 2025.

The previous options of Coke Zero, Diet Coke, Sprite Zero and Fanta Zero were all HFSS compliant for "bottomless" drink promotions.

I assume the ones they offer now are within government guidelines and as such they can be bottomless.

Real fruit juices are exempt entirely from HFSS promotion curtailment.

I didn’t say they shouldn’t…

I was replying to a comment that suggested they got rid of the fizzy as a cost saving exercise. They got rid because they simply weren’t allowed to offer the same thing they did before.

But they are allowed to offer the same as they did before, as previously highlighted by @JAperson.

 

[DiogoJ42]

I'm just putting this out there: I'd much rather drink fruit juice (no matter how processed) than sweetener filled "diet" fountain drinks. I've never been a fan of fizz, unless booze is involved.
Of course, in the ideal world, people would have the choice.

 

[rob666]

Could I just have a beer please.
But none of your fizzy flipping IPA's.
Anyone know what they have got in the Tavern this year?