Seeking the taste of nature

In part two of our World of Water series, we look at why consumers are increasingly turning to more premium and responsibly-sourced water drinks

In part one of our new World of Water series, we began our deep dive into the enduring and evolving appeal of branded water drinks. So just how many water products are we drinking today? And what exactly are consumers looking for when they scan the shelves?    

According to figures from Euromonitor, the global bottled water market was valued at $131 billion in 2018, with a volume of 275 billion litres.

Alongside the growing value and consumption of water products is the increasing demand for more premium packaged water. According to food and drink consultancy Zenith Global, global sales of premium packaged water hit $16.5 billion in 2017, up a massive 48% from five years earlier – turning a once niche product into a mainstream commodity.

A meeting of trends  

When it comes to why we’re drinking more packaged water, several factors are at play. In some markets, poor quality of tap water, the risk of waterborne illnesses, and greater availability of packaged water have fuelled demand. But in most markets, it’s the result of increasing health awareness, rising disposable incomes and more on-the-go lifestyles.

Around the world, it’s clear that modern consumers are much more aware and concerned about the health impact of high-sugar sodas and beverages with certain artificial sweeteners. And a major consequence of this is that people in large numbers are moving towards healthy beverages containing natural minerals and vitamins.

To stand out in this growing market, many brands have turned to premium water – focusing on the provenance, source or purity of the water together with more premium packaging solutions. Another key differentiator is also the product’s impact on the environment with consumers increasingly choosing responsible and ethical water products that are not only good for them but good for the planet.

The responsible choice

With research showing 61% of millennials are likely to pay more for eco-friendly or sustainable products, start-up brand DRINKS³ (Drinks Cubed) set out to respond to the growing demand for natural and ethically-produced products. To achieve this, the company turned to SIG to package its pure and premium mineral water product, sourced from the valleys of Lower Saxony in Germany.

The product WATER³ is packaged in our unique combidome carton bottle, featuring 100% responsibly-sourced materials with more than 90% made of plant-based materials. Ultimately, it means consumers can enjoy a natural and ethically-produced product while DRINKS³ can work towards its goal of becoming the UK’s lowest carbon footprint drinks brand by 2022.  

Next in the series

Want to know more about the potential of near-water, water-plus and functional water drinks? Don’t miss part three of our World of Water series. You can get the rest of the series sent straight to your inbox by subscribing to the SIGnals Update, our exclusive bi-weekly newsletter.