Bottled Water in Bosnia and Herzegovina

PROSPECTS

Weather affects demand for bottled water

One of the most important factors affecting soft drinks in Bosnia-Herzegovina is the weather. Whilst the 2017 summer was extremely hot and long, with this particularly affecting the supply of tap water in major urban areas, effectively boosting sales of bottled water, the summer weather in 2018 was rainy and cool, thus adversely impacting demand.

Is bottled water a big scam?

There has been a plethora of articles in the country about bottled water being one of the biggest scams of the century as tap water is perfectly fine for consumption. In some cases, tap water from public sources may be safer as it is usually tested more frequently, whilst bottled water is more likely to be contaminated with microplastic particles.

Low base and successful marketing drive strong growth of functional bottled water

Functional bottled water was the fastest-growing category in bottled water in Bosnia-Herzegovina in 2019 partly to its low base, but primarily due very successful marketing. Unlike other bottled water types and most soft drinks in general, functional bottled water consumption is not driven by thirst or hot weather.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Fortenova Grupa leads with its variety of brands

In GBO terms, Fortenova Grupa was the clear leader in bottled water in 2019 thanks its offer of various brands, namely Sarajevski Kiseljak, Sensation, Jana and Jamnica. With a wide product range and strong brand names, the company benefits from commanding the most shelf space allocated to bottled water in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Vitinka ranks second with new pack size and production facility in 2019

Vitinka ranks second due to its wide range of quality brands with a modern design and creative communication. In April 2019, the company launched a new 1-litre pack of its Vivia bottled water brand, which was accompanied by a marketing campaign with the slogan “Drink More”.

Negligible presence of international brands as consumers prefer domestic/regional products

Bottled water in Bosnia-Herzegovina continued to be dominated by domestic and regional brands in 2019. Some international manufacturers do have a presence in the category but account for only a negligible share of sales.

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