Heat in bottled water markets worldwide totals roughly €252,100 million annually, a figure that nearly doubles the cost of providing drinking water to those without reliable access. A United Nations report warns that this industry often consumes underground resources where many people live, particularly in the Global South.
The study, conducted by the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health using data from 109 countries, projects bottled water sales, including mineral, spring and purified varieties, to climb to about $500,000 million between 2025 and 2030. In other words, the market is expected to double over a few years.
In Nordic regions, bottled water is treated more as a luxury than a necessity, as high-quality public water supplies are generally available. In southern areas, growth is driven mainly by the absence or unreliability of public provision.
Destroying the myth: bottled water is no safer
Despite industry campaigns promoting purity, the report notes multiple cases of inorganic, organic and microbiological contamination across hundreds of brands in countries across all regions.
This review challenges the perception that bottled water is an unquestionably safe option and that water sources or manufacturing processes cannot affect health. It highlights episodes that undermine confidence in claims of superior safety.
While acknowledging that some public water supplies suffer quality issues, the authors indicate that bottled water is not consistently safer.
Critics argue that bottled water producers have often avoided the scrutiny that applies to public water services. Strengthening regulation, especially around water quality standards, is seen as essential.
Groundwater in danger of extinction
The same source warns that industrial extraction can deplete groundwater resources, especially in developing regions where access to drinking water remains sporadic. The prospect of lucrative growth can pressure local resources and may not contribute to long-term drinking water security.
The report notes that weak or absent water regulation in many Global South countries can allow market expansion to outpace sustainable management of local resources, potentially hampering durable access to drinking water.
In this view, the expansion of bottled water activities may slow progress toward sustainable development goals related to universal access to safe drinking water, by diverting attention and resources from public water systems.
According to the report, such market growth could limit investments and the role of the state in developing and sustaining public water infrastructure over the long term.
When the SDGs were set in 2015, experts estimated the annual investment needed for universal drinking water access at roughly $114 billion. The analysis suggests a one-year investment of less than half of the current expenditure on bottled water could fund clean drinking water for the nearly two billion people without it.
The study concludes that a global social imbalance is evident: billions lack reliable water services, while others enjoy a luxury good.
OTHER SHAPES:
– Five major companies, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Nestlé, Danone and Primo Corporation, accounted for a substantial share of sales, totaling around $65,000 million, more than a quarter of the global total.
– Over one million bottles of water are sold every minute worldwide, with roughly 350,000 million liters consumed annually.
– The average price of bottled water in North America and Europe is about $2.50 per bottle, more than double the price in parts of Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. Australia reports the highest average price, around $3.57 per bottle.
– A liter of bottled water can cost 150 to 1000 times more than municipal tap water.
– Purified bottled water, often sourced from public supplies or surface waters and treated by disinfection, is the largest market segment, accounting for about 47% of sales.
– Citizens in the Asia-Pacific region are among the largest consumers of bottled water, followed by consumers in North America and Europe.
– About 60% of global sales occur in the Global South (Asia-Pacific, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean).
– The United States leads the market with sales around $64,000 million, followed by China and Indonesia, together forming a significant portion of world sales.
– Egypt shows rapid growth in purified bottled water, with several other Global South nations among the fastest-growing markets: among them Algeria, Brazil, Indonesia, United Arab Emirates, India, Morocco and Saudi Arabia.
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The environment department notes that water regulation and governance remain essential for ensuring sustainable access to clean drinking water for all.