packaged in either plastic or glass bottles
after purification. The water is obtained
from various sources such as wells, springs,
artesian wells and the municipal water
supply. The two main forms of bottled water
are still and sparkling water, that is, non-
carbonatedor carbonated.
Still water is similar to normal tap water and
does not have any carbonation. Sparkling
water, also known as carbonated water, soda,
seltzer water and fizzy water, is water into
which carbon dioxide is mixed under
pressure, resulting in effervescence in the
water. Nowadays, bottled water is becoming
more andmore popular across the globe.
The majority of consumers prefer bottled
water as either their primary or only source of
water; this is due to the perception that
bottled water is safer than tap water.
Recently, companies have also started
branding bottled water to build an image for
their brand and consumers are looking for
brands that they consider more trustworthy
than other unbranded bottled water
products.
According to the report, the increase in the
population in developing countries such as
India and China and some countries in the
Middle East and the scarcity of drinking
water in these countries have increased the
demand for bottled water. Also, a growing
market challenge is the increase in the
number of private label brands. This creates
parity between branded water and private
labels, forcing branded bottled water
companies to reduce their product prices to
remain competitive.
10 | BusinessWorld |
June-July 2014
