Market Trends of North America Bottled Water Industry
Increased Participation in the Sports Activities
The surge in the number of middle-aged and geriatric populations engaged in sports activities has further fueled the bottled water market growth. With the growing participation of athletes in health and fitness centers, there is more and more demand for sports nutrition products. Athletes seek to gain advantages such as strengthening of the immune system, muscle healing, and recovery, improved energy levels, decreased muscle tiredness and soreness, and injury prevention from sports nutrition products, boosting the growth of the functional water. According to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association, running was the most popular outdoor activity amongst people in the United States in 2021, accounting for over 64 million participants.
Furthermore, functional water is a healthy package for its consumers, as it provides extra health benefits and nutrients in a bottle of water for the value of the money. It acts as a good supplement to other artificial food drinks with lower nutritional value. In January 2021, Costco via Protein2o came up with protein-based water offering 70 calories, two grams of carbs, and one gram of sugar per serving. The product comes in a wide variety of naturally-infused fruity flavors such as Orange, Mango, Strawberry, and Watermelon. Thus, an increase in fitness enthusiasts, growing health and fitness centers, athletes seeking health benefits products, and the prevalence of lifestyle diseases are expected to boost the growth of the bottled water market.
United States Holds a Prominent Share in The Market
In the United States, the bottled water industry is highly influenced by consumer preference for pollution-free water with high health benefits. Changing lifestyles, health concerns, ease of handling, and portability of bottled water are driving the market. Moreover, consumers in the United States have started to develop an interest in beverages that deliver benefits above and beyond simple refreshments, which is also contributing to the expansion of the functional water market. Amid worries about obesity and other health concerns in the country, functional water's lack of calories and artificial ingredients attracts conscientious consumers.
According to the International Bottled Water Association, in 2021, per capita consumption of bottled water amounted to roughly 47 gallons in the United States. The rising disposable incomes and changing lifestyles of consumers have increased the trend of dining out. Such factors have fueled the expansion of food service establishments across the United States, due to which the sales of bottled water have seen a boost through this channel. Compared to other ready-to-drink beverages, bottled waters are comparatively inexpensive, and different packaging options, like containers and single-serve bottles, make it more popular among consumers, thereby driving the growth of the bottled water market.
