Between 1993 and 2008, the UK bottled water market (including water coolers), has grown from just 580 million litres to 2.06 billion litres.

The UK bottled water market is worth almost £1.5 billion.
Bottled water holds a significant share of the soft drinks industry in the UK and sales in this country of locally-produced waters continue to account for an enormous proportion of the total: in 2008 1598 million litres of UK-produced bottled water were consumed here in the UK. Total UK bottled water production stood at 1658 million litres in 2008. As a nation we now drink more bottled water than fruit juices/nectars, wine or spirits. The long term growth in bottled water consumption is testament, perhaps, to the now ubiquitous acceptance of the advice to drink 8 glasses of water a day for optimum health. Interest in natural foods and drinks is gaining ground reflected in the fact that natural water – Natural Mineral Water and Spring Water – have each seen a one per cent increase in share of the total bottled water market according to the latest figures.

UK bottled water consumption per person reached 33.7 litres in 2008, up from 26.9 litres in 2001. Zenith International estimates that longer-term growth will continue, with bottled water consumption projected to reach 40 litres per person by 2015. However, compare this with Italian bottled water consumption rates, which have grown from 194 litres per head in 2002 to an estimated 200 litres in 2008. US citizens drank an average 67 litres per head in 2002 compared with an estimated105 litres in 2008. There is clearly considerable room for growth in the UK market.

Consumer demands have driven three main packaging developments. There has been considerable increase in the purchase of 50cl PET, 1.5 litre and 2 litre PET formats. Alongside this, water coolers, predominantly in 19 litre polycarbonate sizes, have made strong gains over the years. more