Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- Overview
- Moderate growth driven by avoidance of sugary drinks
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- Figure 1: Total US retail sales and forecast of bottled water, at current prices, 2009-19
- Convenience/PET leads but sparkling grows most
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- Figure 2: Total US retail sales of bottled water, by segment, in millions, at current prices, 2012 and 2014
- Key players
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- Figure 3: MULO share of sales of bottled water, by rolling 52 weeks 2013 and 2014
- The consumer
- Consumers most apt to buy unflavored still bottled and jug/bulk water
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- Figure 4: Bottled water purchases – Any purchase, December 2014
- Most drink bottled water for hydration, health, taste; 28% drink as an alternative to less healthful beverages
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- Figure 5: Reasons for drinking bottled water, December 2014
- Environmental, health concerns important to many users
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- Figure 6: Attitudes and behaviors toward bottled water, December 2014
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- Should the convenience/PET category focus on enhanced water to grow?
- Issues
- Insight: Provide a wider range of benefits, combined with flavor
- Can sparkling water be more than just an alternative to sugary drinks?
- Issues
- Insight: Functional benefits can draw users seeking added features
- How can brands maintain the attention of Millennials?
- Issues
- Insight: Transparent claims, wide distribution, environmental responsibility
Market Size and Forecast
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- Key points
- Sales and forecast of bottled water
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- Figure 7: Total US retail sales and forecast of bottled water, at current prices, 2009-19
- Figure 8: Total US retail sales and forecast of bottled water, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2009-19
- Fan chart forecast
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- Figure 9: Total US retail sales and forecast of bottled water, at current prices, 2009-19
- Fan chart methodology
Market Drivers
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- Key points
- Bottled water sales benefit from sugary drink avoidance
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- Figure 10: Beverage tracker, June-December 2014
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- Figure 11: Beverage tracker, June-December 2014 (continued)
- Figure 12: Beverage tracker (percentage point change), June-December 2014
- Hydration/health is a key driver
- Demographics play a significant role in purchases
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- Figure 13: Population, by generation, 2010-20
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- Figure 14: Population by race and Hispanic origin, 2010-20
- Figure 15: Median household income, in inflation-adjusted dollars, 2003-13
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- Figure 16: Households, by presence of own children, 2003-13
Segment Performance
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- Key points
- Convenience/PET holds majority share, but sparkling grows fastest
- Sales of bottled water, by segment
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- Figure 17: Total US retail sales of bottled water, by segment, at current prices, 2012 and 2014
- Sales and forecast of convenience/PET still water
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- Figure 18: Total US retail sales and forecast of convenience/PET still water, at current prices, 2009-19
- Flavored still bottled water declines significantly
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- Figure 19: Total US retail sales of still bottled water, by segment, at current prices, 2009-14
- Sales and forecast of sparkling/mineral water
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- Figure 20: Total US retail sales and forecast of sparkling/mineral water, at current prices, 2009-19
- Flavored sparkling bottled water sales increase rapidly
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- Figure 21: Total US retail sales of sparkling bottled water, by segment, at current prices, 2009-14
- Sales and forecast of jug/bulk still water
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- Figure 22: Total US retail sales and forecast of jug/bulk still water, at current prices, 2009-19
Retail Channels
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- Key points
- Supermarkets increase sales, but other channels comprise most share
- Sales of bottled water, by channel
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- Figure 23: Total US retail sales of bottled water, by channel, 2012 and 2014
- Supermarkets grow 2012-14, face increasing competition from other channels
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- Figure 24: US supermarket sales of bottled water, 2009-14
- Drug stores show solid growth but share remains small
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- Figure 25: US drug store sales of bottled water, 2009-14
- Other channel sales underscore the wide range of bottled water retailers
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- Figure 26: US other channel sales of bottled water, 2009-14
- Millennials most likely to report buying at a wide range of channels
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- Figure 27: Where bottled water is bought, by generations, December 2014
- Enhanced and flavored sparkling shows strong growth through natural channel
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- Figure 28: Natural supermarket sales of bottled water, by segment, at current prices, rolling 52 weeks 2012 and 2014
Leading Companies
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- Key points
- Nestlé leads MULO sales; private label follows closely, gains most
- MULO sales of bottled water
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- Figure 29: MULO sales of bottled water, by rolling 52 weeks 2013 and 2014
- MULO sales of convenience/PET still water
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- Figure 30: Pure Life television ad, 2014
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- Figure 31: Dasani PlantLife television ad, 2015
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- Figure 32: MULO sales of convenience/PET still water, 2013 and 2014
- MULO sales of sparkling/mineral water
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- Figure 33: Sparkling ICE television ad, 2014
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- Figure 34: Perrier television ad, 2015
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- Figure 35: MULO sales of sparkling water, 2013 and 2014
- MULO sales of jug/bulk bottled water
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- Figure 36: Crystal Geyser television ad, 2015
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- Figure 37: MULO sales of jug/bulk bottled water, 2013 and 2014
Innovations and Innovators
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- Environmentally friendly remains top claim; low/no/reduced calorie claims increase
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- Figure 38: Top 10 bottled water product claims, by percentage of total claims, 2010-14
- Brands look for ways to reduce their carbon footprint
- The rise of enhanced water increases fortification claims
- Flavors get more exotic
The Consumer – Reasons for Drinking Bottled Water
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- Key points
- Most use for hydration, overall health, especially Boomers
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- Figure 39: Reasons for drinking bottled water, by generations, December 2014
The Consumer – Jug/Bulk and Unflavored Still Bottled Water
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- Key points
- Highest household penetration for unflavored still and jug/bulk waters
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- Figure 40: Bottled water purchases (jug/bulk and unflavored still), December 2014
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- Figure 41: Bottled water purchases (jug/bulk and unflavored still) – Any purchase, by generations, December 2014
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- Figure 42: Bottled water purchases (jug/bulk and unflavored still) – Any purchase, by household income, December 2014
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- Figure 43: Bottled water purchases (jug/bulk and unflavored still) – Any purchase, by presence of children in household, December 2014
- Bottled water versatility encourages unflavored still and jug/bulk purchases
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- Figure 44: Bottled water purchases (jug/bulk and unflavored still) – Any purchase, by reasons for drinking bottled water, December 2014
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- Figure 45: Bottled water purchases (jug/bulk and unflavored still) – Any purchase, by reasons for drinking bottled water, December 2014 (continued)
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- Figure 46: Bottled water purchases (jug/bulk and unflavored still) – Any purchase, by where bottled water is bought, December 2014
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- Figure 47: Bottled water purchases (jug/bulk and unflavored still) – Any purchase, by where bottled water is bought, December 2014 (continued)
- Many buy despite environmental, health objections
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- Figure 48: Bottled water purchases (jug/bulk and unflavored still) – Any purchase, by attitudes and behaviors toward bottled water, December 2014
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- Figure 49: Bottled water purchases (jug/bulk and unflavored still) – Any purchase, by attitudes and behaviors toward bottled water, December 2014(continued)
- Incentivizing purchases through added product features
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- Figure 50: Bottled water purchases (jug/bulk and unflavored still) – Any purchase, by what persuades users to buy bottled water, December 2014
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- Figure 51: Bottled water purchases (jug/bulk and unflavored still) – Any purchase, by what persuades users to buy bottled water, December 2014 (continued)
The Consumer – Flavored Still Bottled Water
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- Key points
- A third buy flavored still bottled water
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- Figure 52: Bottled water purchases (flavored still), December 2014
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- Figure 53: Bottled water purchases (flavored still) – Any purchase, by gender, December 2014
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- Figure 54: Bottled water purchases (flavored still) – Any purchase, by generations, December 2014
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- Figure 55: Bottled water purchases (flavored still) – Any purchase, by household income, December 2014
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- Figure 56: Bottled water purchases (flavored still) – Any purchase, by presence of children in household, December 2014
- Those who drink water for extra nutrition very likely to buy flavored water
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- Figure 57: Bottled water purchases (flavored still) – Any purchase, by reasons for drinking bottled water, December 2014
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- Figure 58: Bottled water purchases (flavored still) – Any purchase, by reasons for drinking bottled water, December 2014 (continued)
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- Figure 59: Bottled water purchases (flavored still) – Any purchase, by where bottled water is bought, December 2014
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- Figure 60: Bottled water purchases (flavored still) – Any purchase, by where bottled water is bought, December 2014 (continued)
- Flavored water brands may appeal to those looking for functional water, but enhanced, flavored brands will likely appeal more
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- Figure 61: Bottled water purchases (flavored still) – Any purchase, by attitudes and behaviors toward bottled water, December 2014
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- Figure 62: Bottled water purchases (flavored still) – Any purchase, by attitudes and behaviors toward bottled water, December 2014 (continued)
- Added features likely to encourage flavored water sales
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- Figure 63: Bottled water purchases (flavored still) – Any purchase, by what persuades users to buy bottled water, December 2014
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- Figure 64: Bottled water purchases (flavored still) – Any purchase, by what persuades users to buy bottled water, December 2014 (continued)
The Consumer – Enhanced Water
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- Key points
- A third or more third buy enhanced water
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- Figure 65: Bottled water purchases (enhanced), December 2014
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- Figure 66: Bottled water purchases (enhanced) – Any purchase, by gender, December 2014
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- Figure 67: Bottled water purchases (enhanced) – Any purchase, by generations, December 2014
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- Figure 68: Bottled water purchases (enhanced) – Any purchase, by household income, December 2014
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- Figure 69: Bottled water purchases (enhanced) – Any purchase, by presence of children in household, December 2014
- Enhanced water can be marketed for a wider range of purposes than other types
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- Figure 70: Bottled water purchases (enhanced) – Any purchase, by reasons for drinking bottled water, December 2014
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- Figure 71: Bottled water purchases (enhanced) – Any purchase, by reasons for drinking bottled water, December 2014 (continued)
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- Figure 72: Bottled water purchases (enhanced) – Any purchase, by where bottled water is bought, December 2014
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- Figure 73: Bottled water purchases (enhanced) – Any purchase, by where bottled water is bought, December 2014 (continued)
- High likelihood to buy enhanced water despite objections to plastic bottles
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- Figure 74: Bottled water purchases (enhanced) – Any purchase, by attitudes and behaviors toward bottled water, December 2014
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- Figure 75: Bottled water purchases (enhanced) – Any purchase, by attitudes and behaviors toward bottled water, December 2014 (continued)
- Added features may encourage enhanced water purchases
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- Figure 76: Bottled water purchases (enhanced) – Any purchase, by what persuades users to buy bottled water, December 2014
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- Figure 77: Bottled water purchases (enhanced) – Any purchase, by what persuades users to buy bottled water, December 2014 (continued)
The Consumer – Sparkling Water
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- Key points
- Roughly a third buy sparkling water
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- Figure 78: Bottled water purchases (sparkling), December 2014
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- Figure 79: Bottled water purchases (sparkling water) – Any purchase, by gender, December 2014
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- Figure 80: Bottled water purchases (sparkling) – Any purchase, by generations, December 2014
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- Figure 81: Bottled water purchases (sparkling) – Any purchase, by race/Hispanic origin, December 2014
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- Figure 82: Bottled water purchases (sparkling) – Any purchase, by household income, December 2014
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- Figure 83: Bottled water purchases (sparkling) – Any purchase, by presence of children in household, December 2014
- Sparkling brands have an opportunity to offer product enhancements
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- Figure 84: Bottled water purchases (sparkling) – Any purchase, by reasons for drinking bottled water, December 2014
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- Figure 85: Bottled water purchases (sparkling) – Any purchase, by reasons for drinking bottled water, December 2014 (continued)
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- Figure 86: Bottled water purchases (sparkling) – Any purchase, by where bottled water is bought, December 2014
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- Figure 87: Bottled water purchases (sparkling) – Any purchase, by where bottled water is bought, December 2014 (continued)
- Home sparkling water appliance owners very likely to buy sparkling water
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- Figure 88: Bottled water purchases (sparkling) – Any purchase, by attitudes and behaviors toward bottled water, December 2014
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- Figure 89: Bottled water purchases (sparkling) – Any purchase, by attitudes and behaviors toward bottled water, December 2014 (continued)
- Added features/packaging/labeling, new flavors may attract more buyers
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- Figure 90: Bottled water purchases (sparkling) – Any purchase, by what persuades users to buy bottled water, December 2014
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- Figure 91: Bottled water purchases (sparkling) – Any purchase, by what persuades users to buy bottled water, December 2014 (continued)
The Consumer – Important Bottled Sparkling Water Attributes
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- Key points
- Little difference in attribute importance between regular and unflavored
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- Figure 92: Important bottled sparkling water attributes, December 2014
The Consumer – Where Bottled Water Is Bought
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- Key points
- Most buy at supermarkets; households with kids use wide range of stores
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- Figure 93: Where bottled water is bought, by age, December 2014
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- Figure 94: Where bottled water is bought, by presence of children in household, December 2014
The Consumer – Attitudes and Behaviors toward Bottled Water
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- Key points
- Environmental, health issues important to many users
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- Figure 95: Attitudes and behaviors toward bottled water, by generations, December 2014
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- Figure 96: Attitudes and behaviors toward bottled water, by presence of children in household, December 2014
The Consumer – What Persuades Users to Buy
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- Key points
- Labeling, packaging, and flavor features could persuade some users to buy
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- Figure 97: What persuades users to buy bottled water, by generations, December 2014
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- Figure 98: What persuades users to buy bottled water, by presence of children in household, December 2014
The Consumer – Race and Hispanic Origin
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- Key points
- Hispanics, Blacks, Asians more likely than Whites to buy select products
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- Figure 99: Bottled water purchases (jug/bulk and unflavored still) – Any purchase, by race/Hispanic origin, December 2014
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- Figure 100: Bottled water purchases (flavored still) – Any purchase, by race/Hispanic origin, December 2014
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- Figure 101: Bottled water purchases (enhanced) – Any purchase, by race/Hispanic origin, December 2014
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- Figure 102: Bottled water purchases (sparkling) – Any purchase, by race/Hispanic origin, December 2014
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- Figure 103: Reasons for drinking bottled water, by race/Hispanic origin, December 2014
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- Figure 104: Where bottled water is bought, by race/Hispanic origin, December 2014
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- Figure 105: Attitudes and behaviors toward bottled water, by race/Hispanic origin, December 2014
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- Figure 106: What persuades users to buy bottled water, by race/Hispanic origin, December 2014
Appendix – Other Useful Consumer Tables
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- The consumer – Reasons for drinking bottled water
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- Figure 107: Reasons for drinking bottled water, by gender, December 2014
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- Figure 108: Reasons for drinking bottled water, by age, December 2014
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- Figure 109: Reasons for drinking bottled water, by household income, December 2014
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- Figure 110: Reasons for drinking bottled water, by presence of children in household, December 2014
- The cnsumer – Jug/bulk and unflavored still bottled water
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- Figure 111: Bottled water purchases (jug/bulk and unflavored still) – Any purchase, by gender, December 2014
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- Figure 112: Bottled water purchases (jug/bulk and unflavored still) – Any purchase, by age, December 2014
- The consumer – Flavored still bottled water
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- Figure 113: Bottled water purchases (flavored still) – Any purchase, by age, December 2014
- The consumer – Enhanced water
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- Figure 114: Bottled water purchases (enhanced) – Any purchase, by age, December 2014
- The consumer – Sparkling water
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- Figure 115: Bottled water purchases (sparkling) – Any purchase, by age, December 2014
- The consumer – Important bottled sparkling water attributes
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- Figure 116: Important bottled sparkling water attributes – Sparkling water, by age, December 2014
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- Figure 117: Important bottled sparkling water attributes – Sparkling water, by presence of children in household, December 2014
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- Figure 118: Important bottled sparkling water attributes – Unflavored sparkling water, by gender, December 2014
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- Figure 119: Important bottled sparkling water attributes – Unflavored sparkling water, by age, December 2014
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- Figure 120: Important bottled sparkling water attributes – Unflavored sparkling water, by presence of children in household, December 2014
- The consumer – Where bottled water is bought
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- Figure 121: Where bottled water is bought, by gender, December 2014
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- Figure 122: Where bottled water is bought, by household income, December 2014
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- Figure 123: Attitudes and behaviors toward bottled water, by age, December 2014
- The consumer – Attitudes and behaviors toward bottled water
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- Figure 124: Attitudes and behaviors toward bottled water, by gender, December 2014
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- Figure 125: Attitudes and behaviors toward bottled water, by age, December 2014
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- Figure 126: Attitudes and behaviors toward bottled water, by household income, December 2014
- The consumer – What persuades users to buy
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- Figure 127: What persuades users to buy bottled water, by age, December 2014
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- Figure 128: What persuades users to buy bottled water, by household income, December 2014
Appendix – Trade Associations
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- American Beverage Association
- International Bottled Water Association (IBWA)
- International Society of Beverage Technologists
- National Association for PET Container Resources
- Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC)
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