In 2018 bottled water maintained its spot as the number one beverage product in the US for the third year in a row, according to the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) and the Beverage Marketing Corporation (BMC).
In fact, bottled water volume grew from 13.2 billion gallons to 13.8 billion gallons from 2017 to 2018 – a 4.9% increase.
Over the last few years, bottled water had been increasing its lead over the former number one category: carbonated soft drinks. Consumption of bottled water per capita exceeded 42 gallons in 2018, while carbonated soft drinks sat at about 37 gallons per capita.
Single-serving sized bottles represent the most popular bottled water option, driving the majority of the category’s growth. However, other segments, including larger, multi-serving bottles, home and office delivery (HOD), and sparkling water experienced growth in 2018 as well.
Bottled water consumption has been increasing each year since 2010. And beverage marketing experts predict per capita consumption of bottled water could rise to over 50 gallons in just a few years.