If when you go shopping you choose sparkling water thinking that the most famous brands are automatically the best, the new Altroconsumo 2026 test might surprise you. In fact, first place is not won by Sant’Anna, Ferrarelle or San Pellegrino, but by a large-scale retail brand water.
The consumer association compared the main sparkling waters sold in Italian supermarkets, evaluating their mineral composition, presence of contaminants, quality of packaging and environmental impact. The result especially rewards supermarket brand products, which obtain higher scores than some of the more well-known labels.
Coop Frizzante is the best in the test
With 68 points, Coop Frizzante wins the title of best sparkling water in the Altroconsumo 2026 test. On the second step of the podium is Alpe Guizza Frizzante with 66 points, also awarded as Best Purchase for the quality-price ratio.
Conad Frizzante completes the podium, obtaining 64 points, tied with Viviland (MD) Biancaneve Frizzante, also recognized as Best Purchase.
However, some very well-known brands are disappointing: San Pellegrino stops at 54 points, Ferrarelle Maxima at 51, while Levissima Frizzante and Sant’Anna Frizzante close the ranking with just 49 points.
The complete ranking of sparkling waters
- Coop Frizzante – 68 points (Best in the test)
- Alpe Guizza Frizzante – 66 points (Best Purchase)
- Conad Frizzante – 64 points
- Viviland (MD) Sparkling Snow White – 64 points (Best Purchase)
- Vera In Bosco Frizzante – 63 points
- S. Bernardo Frizzante – 63 points
- Brio Blu Lightly Sparkling – 63 points
- San Benedetto Benedicta Frizzante – 63 points
- Eva Frizzante – 63 points
- San Benedetto Majella Park – 62 points
- Valmora Frizzante – 61 points
- Boario Frizzante – 60 points
- Brio Rossa Frizzante – 60 points
- Vitasnella Frizzante – 59 points
- Perrier Frizzante – 57 points
- San Pellegrino Frizzante – 54 points
- Ferrarelle Maxima Frizzante – 51 points
- Levissima Frizzante – 49 points
- Sant’Anna Frizzante – 49 points
How the test was carried out
To draw up the ranking, Altroconsumo purchased the bottles in Italian supermarkets at the beginning of 2026 and subjected them to a series of laboratory analyses.
The evaluation took into consideration various parameters: the composition of mineral salts, the presence of any contaminants such as arsenic, nickel, aluminum and TFA, the weight of the bottle, the use of recycled plastic, the recyclability of the packaging, the completeness of the information reported on the label and the practicality of use.
In the final score, the greatest weight was attributed to the quality of the water (50%), followed by the evaluation of the packaging and environmental impact (20%), the information on the label (10%) and other aspects relating to contaminants and practical characteristics.
Supermarket brands are more convincing than historic brands
The most interesting data that emerged from the survey is the success of large-scale retail branded waters. Coop, Conad and MD in fact occupy the top positions in the ranking, demonstrating that a higher price or a better-known brand do not necessarily represent a guarantee of superior quality.
For those who regularly purchase sparkling water, the test therefore suggests looking beyond the brand’s notoriety and also evaluating the results of independent analyses, which in this case mainly reward large-scale retail labels.
