Do you remember what you were doing in the summer of 1999? John F. Kennedy Jr. was killed in a plane crash; Lance Armstrong won his first Tour de France; and you, like many Americans, may have been stocking up on canned soup in fear of the coming Y2K Bug.
Many thought catastrophe would strike when the calendars switched to Jan. 1, 2000. While computer programmers were aware of the issue and businesses began correcting software in the early 1990s to avoid a potential apocalypse, media continued to feed off the fear that evolved from this threat. Nearly eight years removed from this media frenzy, the hype that once existed now seems outlandish. Jan. 1, 2000, came and went without incident, and the Y2K fear subsided.
The bottled water industry has been in the media recently, experiencing its own Y2K scare. Activists and critics of the industry have been attacking the environmental impacts of bottled water, noting the increased need for petroleum to make the plastic containers and fuel required for shipping. In the wake of this information, the bottle vs. tap war has begun…but why? Consumers are not replacing tap water with bottled water. And if bottled water is a food product, wouldn’t other food products be the competition? Despite the bad publicity and recent bottled water bans in cities such as San Francisco and Los Angeles, the bottled water market continues to grow. Americans spend nearly $1,400 per year on bottled water, according to a recent New York Times analysis. The market grew by 2.8% in 2006, according to the Beverage Marketing Corp., and is now the second-largest beverage category by volume.
While media outlets and activist groups continue to demonize the bottled water industry, it is important to be aware of what is fact and what is misrepresented information. Stay alert to critics and be responsive to those in your area, or the effect on sales and the market in general could be irreparable.
In a continued effort to deliver valuable information to you—bottled water industry professionals—Water Quality Products is pleased to offer the third edition of Bottled Water Market. Within the pages of this supplement are articles featuring treatment technologies and key issues surrounding the industry. This comprehensive guide will provide you with information needed to build your business and ensure success in today’s market.
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