About the market…

Bottled water is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the soft drinks market and was the greatest contributor to growth in sales of soft drinks between 2001 and 2005. Market volume stood at 1,988 million litres in 2004. Both volume and value are expected to grow by more than 8% in 2005, driven by the pursuit among many UK consumers of a healthier lifestyle, combined with their love of convenience, their willingness to pay for it and the increasing demand among a growing minority for rehydration throughout the day

Health is a key driver behind the rising sales of bottled water. More and more consumers are increasing their daily intake of water either because they want to follow a healthier daily eating pattern or because they wish to maintain their fluid intake as part of a weight reducing regime. The greater awareness of the need for adequate re-hydration following exercise has contributed to the growth in demand for sportscap bottles and given rise to the development of the functional water segment.

About Mintel’s research…

Pooling together the most innovative consumer research and latest market analysis, Mintel's new report offers you all the insight and inspiration you need for designing clever, creative and profitable marketing strategies. Use Mintel's research to:

Develop the next big idea in the bottled water market

Discover what consumers think about bottled water, their purchasing habits and their drinking habits and tailor your offering accordingly

Pin point market potential before your competitors

Find out how to best reach key audiences with the most effective marketing communications

Measure market forecasts and build realistic business models.

Intriguing findings include…

The proportion of UK adults drinking bottled water has increased from just over a third in 2000 to more than half in 2004.

Flavoured water is purchased by just under a quarter of adults, but is far more popular among women (29%) than men (18%).

The proportion of 7-19-year-olds who drink soft drinks has decreased from 96% to 90%, while the prevalence of mineral water consumption has increased from 14% to 39%.