Bottled Water in Chile

PROSPECTS

The transitory impact of the labelling law

When the labelling law was approved, many carbonated drinks did not adapt at first and the products thus carried health warning labels. This led to a trend towards drinking water rather than unhealthy carbonated drinks.

Water contamination and consumer awareness

Sales of bottled water have been particularly strong in Antofagasta and Calama regions, because of fear of contamination of tap water with arsenic, and the poor taste of the tap water in these areas. The arsenic fear is due to an incident that occurred prior to 1970, when arsenic was found as a component in tap water, while the poor taste is because 80% of the tap water in Antofagasta comes from desalinised sea water.

Recycling is a growing concern in Chile

Vital, a Coca-Cola bottled water brand, has launched its Ecoflex package, which uses 27% less plastic in its 600ml version and 14% in the 1,600ml size, offering a healthy and sustainable alternative for consumers. This change will translate into 250 tonnes less plastic being used annually in Chile.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Companies targeting children through innovative products

Several players have launched flavoured bottled water targeted at children. In 2016, Empresas Carozzi introduced Vivo Agua, a new bottled water product specifically targeted at children.

Competition will intensify in bulk bottled water

In Chile, bulk sales of bottled water are interconnected with institutional bottled water sales. It is expected that sales volume will continue to see strong growth, as players will keep lowering prices and, by doing so, will capture a wider consumer base.

Embotelladoras Chilenas Unidas SA leads bulk water sales

In 2018, Embotelladoras Chilenas Unidas SA led bulk sales, with its long-standing and well-established Mananthial brand. Other key players in the category include Aguas Río Cristal, Agua Premium and Agua San Cristobal.

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