Fastest growth of bottled water sales is in India

The fastest growth in the consumption of bottled water in the world has been recorded in India, according to a new study that questions the rising thirst for bottled water.

The study, conducted by the US-based Earth Policy Institute, says the global consumption of bottled water has grown by 57 per cent over the past five years, despite the fact that the product is often no healthier than tap water and costs up to 10,000 times more.

Emily Arnold, the author of the report, complains that the $100 billion spent each year on bottled water is nearly seven times the sum invested in providing safe drinking water in developing countries.

According to the study, the US is the world's largest consumer of bottled water and Italians drink the most per person.

But the fastest growth is coming in developing countries, with consumption tripling in India and more than doubling in China over the past five years, according to the report.

Arnold alleges that a Coca-Cola water bottling plant in India has caused water shortages in 50 surrounding villages. However, the company has said that an independent investigation found it was not to blame.

The report highlights increasing scrutiny of bottled water producers such as Nestle, Danone, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo by environmental and human rights activists, especially in places where water is scarce.

Arnold says in the report that 40 per cent of bottled water comes from a municipal source rather than a natural spring, including leading US brands such as Coke's Dasani and PepsiCo's Aquafina.

"Often the only difference (from tap water) is added minerals," says the report.

The report says in the US more than 1.5 million barrels of crude oil are used annually to make plastic bottles for water, enough to fuel 100,000 cars for a year. Nearly 90 per cent of bottles are disposed of after one use and take 1,000 years to biodegrade. Of those that are recycled, nearly 40 per cent are exported to China, adding to the drain on resources.

Fossil fuels are used to distribute the product, with nearly a quarter of bottled water crossing at least one national border to reach consumers, according to Arnold. That contrasts sharply, she argues, with the energy-efficient distribution of tap water.
However, reports say that Stephen Kay, a spokesman for the International Bottled Water Association, a trade group, dismisses the report as "narrowly subjective" and says producers are responding to consumer demand.

"Consumers are choosing water not in lieu of tap water but as an alternative to other beverages," he says. "We're an on-the-go society demanding convenient packaging and consistent quality and that's what bottled water provides."

Resources: The Times of India