Bottled Water in India

PROSPECTS

Strong demand underpinned by lack of access to safe water

According to The Water Gap - WaterAid’s State of the World’s Water 2018, a report from the charity WaterAid, India has the world’s largest population without access to safe water close to home (163 million people). As a result, there is a considerable potential consumer base for bottled water.

Hectic lifestyles support demand for on-the-go bottled water

Consumers’ busy lifestyles and health-consciousness are combining to raise awareness of the need to keep hydrated while on-the-go, boosting demand for bottled water in portable, small packaging. Furthermore, rising levels of disposable income are enabling consumers to afford purchasing bottled water on a regular basis, even in smaller packaging formats that command higher unit prices.

Rapid expansion of the product offer

From 2016 onwards, the Indian market has seen a raft of new brands launched in bottled water in India. Several major companies, including PepsiCo, Narang, Tata Global Beverages, Coca-Cola, Jeevika, Beltek Canadian, Volvic and Danone, have introduced new brands into the category.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

A fragmented category

The competitive landscape in bottled water remains fragmented, with several regional, as well as national, brands having a presence. Indeed, there are more than 5,700 licensed brands registered with the Bureau of Indian Standards, as well as uncountable unlicensed unbranded bottlers.

Coca-Cola adopting “hyperlocal” strategy in bottled water

Coca-Cola is planning to adopt a “hyperlocal” strategy involving the launch of bottled water specific to regional markets in India. This move is in line with the increasing focus on the development of local products being employed by the company across soft drinks categories.

Bisleri working to counter impact of lookalike rivals

Branded bottled water players face significant competition from unlicensed and counterfeit products, which imitate the packaging design of major brands. Parle Bisleri’s Bisleri brand, the second largest brand in bottled water after Coca-Cola’s Kinley, for example, has a number of products attempting to ride on its success, with names such as Birseli, Beesleri, Bisleeri and Bislleri.

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