Focus On Bottled Water: 12 February

By Rob Brown rob_j_a_brown@hotmail.com 

Publishing: 12 February 2022
Advertising deadline: 28 January 2022
Submissions deadline: 21 January 2022

The bottled water market is flowing rather nicely right now. Take home sales have jumped by 13.1% [NielsenIQ 52 w/e 31 October 2021], and the loosening pandemic restrictions have brought back more opportunities for on the go sales. But sales could soon dry up, with looming financial troubles and environmental concerns incentivising shoppers to fill up their water bottles at home. So how can suppliers respond? Will flavours, premium options and other innovation make bottled water worth the price tag? What about the functional benefits? And can the category be made sustainable enough for sceptics?

Functional benefits: Bottled water suppliers have been bolstering their products with vitamins for several years, tapping into shoppers’ increased focus on health. How important are such benefits proving in terms of sales? And what new ideas are being tried?

Flavours: Flavoured water has seen reasonable growth over the past year, but it still lags the plainer sort. What strategies are suppliers and retailers trying to win over shoppers?

Sustainable packaging: As with other beverages sold in plastic, bottled water suppliers have been focusing on reducing their environmental impact. So what progress have they made of late? How can they improve things further? And what’s the consumer response been like?

Reusable bottles: Reusable bottles have proved a hit with consumers seeking to reduce their plastic use. Are such products a threat to the wider category?

Water filters and soda streams: The pandemic encouraged many shoppers to invest in more home appliances. So with more of us having water filters and soda streams at homes, how is it affecting bottled water?

Innovations: Profile of four new products or ranges that have not appeared in The Grocer before. We need launch date, rsp, and a hi-res picture of each.