by Freedonia Focus Reports Team
April 18, 2024
Some studies showing same safety as tap water, plastic particles in bottled water could weigh on demand
Cleveland OH, April 18, 2024 — Demand for bottled water in the US is forecast to increase 2.3% per year in volume terms through 2028, according to Bottled Water: United States, a report recently released by Freedonia Focus Reports. Gains will be driven by the healthy profile of bottled water compared to carbonated soft drinks (CSDs) and other beverages that contain sugar and artificial ingredients. Widespread availability of bottled water in vending machines will continue to promote on-the-go consumption, particularly as a substitute for vending mainstay, CSDs.
Demand will see 2.3% gains in 2024, as the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) single-serve segment sees strong gains, supported by growing disposable personal income and a settling of prices for bottled water. However, faster advances will be restrained by competition from beverages such as ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee and tea, as well as the use of tap water filtration devices. Filtration devices and reuseable water bottles have gained increased attention in response to consumer concerns over the environmental impact of plastic bottle waste. Filtration systems also allow some who would otherwise avoid tap water to drink it.
Many consumers will continue to perceive bottled water as a purer and better-tasting alternative to tap water. Bottled water producers will continue to foster this perception with brand names, packaging, and advertisements that evoke untouched natural resources such as springs, glaciers, and mountains. However, critics of the industry point out that many of the leading brands obtain water from community sources, and that bottled and municipal water are comparable in terms of safety. In addition, studies identifying micro- and nanoplastics in bottled water, such as a study released by Columbia University and Rutgers University in January 2024 identifying 240,000 plastic fragments in a typical liter of bottled water. Such findings may turn consumers away from bottled water, toward tap or other options.
These and other key insights are featured in Bottled Water: United States. This report forecasts annually to 2028 US bottled water demand in gallons. Total demand is segmented by type in terms of:
To illustrate historical trends, total demand and the various segments are reported in annual series from 2013 to 2023.
Bottled water encompasses water packaged in bottles, cans, or jars in single-serve or bulk sizes. Carbonated soft drinks, club soda, seltzer, and tonic water are excluded from the scope of this report.
This report includes the results of a proprietary national online consumer survey of US adults (age 18+). This Freedonia Focus Reports National Online Consumer Survey has a sample size of approximately 1,500, screened for response quality, and representative of the US population on the demographic measures of age, gender, geographic region, race/ethnicity, household income, and the presence/absence of children in the household.
More information about the report is available at:
https://www.freedoniagroup.com/freedonia-focus/bottled-water-united-states-ff10011.htm
About Freedonia Focus Reports
Each month, The Freedonia Group – a division of MarketResearch.com – publishes over 20 new or updated Freedonia Focus Reports, providing fresh, unbiased analysis on a wide variety of markets and industries. Published in 20-30 pages, Focus Report coverage ranges from raw materials to finished manufactured goods and related services such as freight and construction. Additional Food & Beverage reports can be purchased at Freedonia Focus Reports or MarketResearch.com.
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