Still, naturell, medium, classic, pur – what the terms on the bottle mean
German mineral water bottles carry many words that sound technical. Only a small part of them is regulated by law. The familiar terms for the carbonation level are trade names chosen by the producers. This page shows which terms mean the same, where there are nuances, and what you can actually rely on when reading the label.
As of 26 Oct 2026 · Not legal advice, sources are listed at the end of the page.
At a glance: trade terms for carbonation
These terms have no legal definition. Consumer organisations have long asked for them to be tied to the actual carbon dioxide content. Until then the name only tells you what the producer means by it.
| Term | What it usually means | Same meaning as | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Still | No or hardly any carbonation. | Naturell, Naturelle | Not regulated by law. Whether carbon dioxide is natural or added is stated in the small print. |
| Naturell, Naturelle | Like “still”: no bubbles. | Still | In a spot check by Lebensmittelklarheit all eleven “Naturell(e)” waters contained no carbon dioxide. Selling water with added carbon dioxide as “naturelle” is considered misleading by consumer organisations. |
| Pur, Natur | Producer’s extra name, for mineral water usually the still variety. | Still (check per brand) | No definition. Example: Elisabethen Quelle “Pur” is, according to a retailer, a still mineral water without carbon dioxide. But “Pur & Fruchtig” is a flavoured water, and “Natur” or “Pur” for juices means something else (no additives). |
| Medium | Medium carbonation: fewer bubbles than classic. | no confirmed equivalent | According to Stiftung Warentest, medium contains on average about a third less carbon dioxide than classic. There are no fixed limits, two “medium” waters can differ in fizz. |
| Classic | Lots of carbonation, strongly sparkling. | Sprudel, Spritzig (per brand) | Figures vary by source and producer, there is no uniform limit to “medium”. |
| Sprudel | Lots of carbonation. | Classic | The only one of these terms that also appears in the regulation: it may be used instead of “Säuerling”, even if the carbon dioxide was added. |
| Spritzig | Mostly used for the highly carbonated variety. | Classic, Sprudel (per brand) | Mainly appears as a variety name and is not defined anywhere. |
| Sodawasser, Soda | Legally defined: table water with at least 570 mg sodium bicarbonate per litre and carbon dioxide. In everyday speech often any water with carbonation. | not the same as classic or sprudel | It is not natural mineral water but table water. The baking soda gives a slightly alkaline taste. Water from a home soda maker reaches the carbonation but usually not the prescribed amount of bicarbonate and is therefore not soda water in the sense of the regulation. Austria has a different rule: there table water with 4 g/l carbon dioxide or more may be called “Sodawasser”, even without bicarbonate. |
| Feinperlig, sanft, leise, mild | Marketing words for rather low or fine bubbles. | no confirmed equivalent | Not defined. Some brands offer a “Sanft” variety in addition to “Medium” and “Still”, so it is not the same as “still”. When in doubt, check the label and the carbonation statement. |
What is really regulated by law
The German Mineral and Table Water Regulation (Min/TafelWV) defines “natural mineral water”, “spring water” and “table water”. Medicinal water is expressly excluded.
Natural mineral water
Comes from protected underground sources, is originally pure and keeps its composition and temperature constant within natural fluctuations. It is the only one of these waters with official recognition and is bottled at the source. No minimum amount of minerals is required. Only a few treatments are allowed: removing iron and sulphur (and with ozone-enriched air also manganese and arsenic) as well as removing or adding carbon dioxide. Nothing else may be added. (§§ 2, 6)
The carbonation designations
When carbon dioxide matters, the regulation prescribes exact wording: “natürliches kohlensäurehaltiges Mineralwasser” (spring carbon dioxide still present as at the source), “natürliches Mineralwasser mit eigener Quellkohlensäure versetzt” (more carbon dioxide from the same spring) and “natürliches Mineralwasser mit Kohlensäure versetzt” (foreign carbon dioxide added). If carbon dioxide was removed, “Kohlensäure ganz entzogen” or “teilweise entzogen” must be stated. “Säuerling” or “Sauerbrunnen” may only be used for water with naturally more than 250 mg carbon dioxide per litre. (§ 8)
Spring water
Also from underground springs, but it need not be officially recognised as mineral water, need not have a constant composition and only has to reach drinking water quality. Purity requirements are lower. (§§ 10, 14)
Table water
An industrial product: drinking or natural mineral water to which natural brine, sea water, table salt or magnesium chloride may be added (magnesium at most 77 mg per litre); carbon dioxide is also allowed and may appear in the designation. No source needs to be stated, the limits of the drinking water regulation apply. (§§ 10, 11, 14)
Soda water (Sodawasser)
A protected special form of table water: with at least 570 mg sodium bicarbonate per litre and carbon dioxide, “Tafelwasser” may be replaced by “Sodawasser”. (§ 14) It is therefore not the same as a “classic” or “sprudel” mineral water: the bicarbonate is mandatory here and gives it a slightly alkaline taste. In Austria the threshold is different (at least 4 g/l carbon dioxide, no bicarbonate requirement).
Medicinal water (Heilwasser)
Legally a medicinal product. It needs authorisation under medicines law (BfArM) and a healing, relieving or preventive effect must be proven. A natural mineralisation of at least 1,000 mg per litre or a certain content of valuable constituents such as fluoride or iodide is usual. Medicinal water is not covered by the Min/TafelWV and should be drunk after talking to a doctor.
Numbers on the label: what is regulated
Statements about mineral content may only be made if certain limits are reached (Annex 6 of the regulation).
| low mineral content | residue at most 500 mg/l |
| very low mineral content | residue at most 50 mg/l |
| high mineral content | residue above 1,500 mg/l |
| bicarbonate | hydrogen carbonate above 600 mg/l |
| contains calcium | calcium above 150 mg/l |
| contains magnesium | magnesium above 50 mg/l |
| sulphate / chloride | each above 200 mg/l |
| contains sodium | sodium above 200 mg/l |
| low in sodium (“suitable for a low-sodium diet”) | sodium below 20 mg/l |
| “Suitable for preparing infant food” | among others sodium at most 20, nitrate at most 10, nitrite at most 0.02, sulphate at most 240 mg/l; uranium at most 0.002 mg/l |
How to tell what is really in the bottle
- Look at the legal designation (“natürliches Mineralwasser …”) and not at the variety name. It tells you whether carbon dioxide was added.
- “Still”, “naturell” and “pur” are no quality seal. They say nothing about minerals or quality.
- If you care about sodium or buy water for babies, you need the numbers in the analysis extract and the explicit claim “suitable for infant food”.
- Medicinal water is not an everyday drink but a medicinal product. It is usually on the shelf next to mineral waters, but carries the note “Heilwasser”.
Sources
- Min/TafelWV § 1 scope
- Min/TafelWV § 2 definitions
- Min/TafelWV § 6 production methods
- Min/TafelWV § 8 labelling (carbon dioxide)
- Min/TafelWV §§ 10 and 14 (spring, table and soda water)
- Min/TafelWV § 11 production of table water
- Soda water (encyclopedia, incl. Austrian rule)
- Min/TafelWV Annex 6 (limits for claims)
- Verbraucherzentrale: tap, mineral and table water
- Lebensmittelklarheit: the name “naturelle” raises the wrong expectation
- Stiftung Warentest: mineral water test
- LfU Bayern: bottled waters (medicinal water)
- LGL Bayern: water for infant food
- REWE: Elisabethen Quelle mineral water Pur (retailer information)