Not surprisingly, sales of bottled water have been soaring here.
Between 2012 and 2017, Rs9,010 crore worth of bottled water was sold in the country, growing at 184%, according to data from research firm Euromonitor.
Meanwhile, volume growth stood at over 150% from 5.3 billion litres in 2012 to 13.3 billion litres in 2017, Euromonitor estimates.
Bottled water sales in India have been on the rise ’12’13’14’15’16’1702,3754,7507,125Rs9,500 crore02,3754,7507,125 Data: Euromonitor So, who’s buying all this bottled water?
It was mostly urban Indian consumers with higher disposable income but facing an acute shortage of potable water, according to Mintel’s research.
For years, consumers in hot and humid India drank copious amounts of colas and home-made beverages.
However, recent trends have shown a marked shift.
The government, too, chipped in recently by imposing higher taxes on sugary drinks, citing health concerns.
Meanwhile, a recent study published by the State University of New York found particles of plastic present in bottled water brands the world over, including those sold in India.
The category is projected to grow at over 20% for the next five years, according to Euromonitor.