Bottled water sees global growth

According to the Italian mineral water producers’ association Mineracqua, the Italian mineral water market has seen almost continuous growth since 1980 apart from a sharp decline in 2009-2010 and a smaller slowdown in 2013.

Annual per capita consumption rose from 47 litres in 1980 to 224 litres in 2017, when the market generated revenues of €3 billion (+7.1%).

The major retail chains make up the largest distribution channel with 70% of sales, followed by Horeca, Catering and Vending (21%), while traditional retail and door-to-door sales account for just 9%.

Italy is also performing well in terms of exports with a 10% share (1.35 billion litres out of a total production of 14.8 billion litres), making it the second-ranked exporter country after France.

The international bottled water market is likewise expanding rapidly, with India and China seeing the fastest growth and the USA boasting the world’s highest per capita consumption.

According to estimates made by market intelligence company Transparency Market Research, by the end of 2024 the global demand for bottled water is expected to reach 528.2 billion litres, corresponding to a value of $307.2 billion. This compares with the $198.5 billion generated by the global bottled water market in 2017.

Still natural water, which accounted for revenues of $156 billion in 2017, will continue to be the main driver of the sector until 2024.