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Water’s vital statistics: industry data

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STILL AND SPARKLING WATER
Sales of still water continue to out-strip sparkling water. From around 30% of total bottled water volume in 1998, sparkling water's share has since more than halved, with still water now accounting for over 86%. Some of these gains can be put down to the rise of water cooler volumes. However, still small pack volumes have also witnessed stronger volume gains than their sparkling counterparts. Although, despite a share decline, sparkling water has registered annual volume gains in the past 2 years (albeit not at the same rate as still water).

TYPES OF BOTTLED WATER
The latest (2007) figures from Zenith International show a breakdown by type of packaged bottled water as follows:

  • Natural Mineral Water accounts for 60% of the UK market
  • Spring Water accounts for 26%
  • Bottled drinking waters (ie. So-called ‘table’ waters) account for 11%
  • Purified water <3% of the total market.

    We are grateful to Zenith International & ACNielsen except where otherwise indicated for data provision..
    Year  Volume of bottled
    water consumed in UK
    (including water coolers)
    Year  Volume of bottled
    water consumed in UK
    (including water coolers)
    Year  Volume of bottled
    water consumed in UK
    (including water coolers)
    1976   20 million litres
    1980   30 million litres
    1990   420 million litres
    1991   480 million litres
    1992   520 million litres
    1993   580 million litres
    1994   700 million litres
    1995   800 million litres
    1996   795 million litres
    1997   900 million litres
    1998   990 million litres
    1999   1.2 billion litres
    2000   1.42 billion litres
    2001   1.59 billion litres
    2002   1.76 billion litres
    2003   2.07 billion litres
    2004   2.08 billion litres
    2005   2.2 billion litres
    2006   2.27 billion litres
    2007   2.18 billion litres
    Source: Zenith International

    Some facts about bottled water

  • In the UK we drink seven times as much tea as bottled water, although the gap between the two beverages is closing (2007)
  • We drink almost 3 times as much beer as bottled water but the gap is narrowing (2007)
  • UK bottled water production stood at 1714 million litres in 2007.
  • UK bottled water exports amounted to 55 million litres in 2007.
  • In 2007 1642 million litres of UK-produced bottled water were consumed in this country

    Source: Zenith International

  • The Best of British Bottled Water