In the U.S., bottled water consumption has grown by 44% over the last decade, as more people opt for bottled water over less-healthy packaged beverages. Bottled water is not the world’s most popular beverage!

If you’ve ever wondered just how bottled water gained its popularity across the globe, then you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll explore the rise of bottled water and why consumption continues to increase.

The Birth of Bottled Water

Bottled water first became available for sale in the U.K. back in 1622 at the Holy Well bottling plant. Natural springs were thought to have healing and therapeutic properties.

Bottling water grew increasingly popular in the U.S. and across Europe throughout the 1700s. Up until the 1900s, bottled water was sold in pharmacies as a medicinal remedy.

Add a Little Fizz

Mineral water is slightly fizzy, and in 1783 Johann Jacob Schweppe founded Schweppes. Schweppes is, to this day, a household name synonymous with sparkling water.

Carbonated water took off in the U.S in 1809 when Joseph Hawkins received a patent for the production of “imitation mineral water.” At this point in history, Typhoid and Cholera were of huge concern to the general public. This, coupled with reduced production costs, saw a huge boom in bottled water sales throughout the 1800s.

The First Plastic Bottles

Things went quiet in the early 1900s when the waterborne typhoid epidemic came to an end. Then, in 1973, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles were patented. This offered a much cheaper alternative to bottled water than glass.

A Commercial Success

In 1977, Perrier kickstarted the commercial dominance of bottled water. There were a series of television and print advertisements that ran until 1981. Up until this point, most bottled water for sale was carbonated water, not flat water.

Over the next few decades, carbonated water became increasingly popular. Flat water, while available, never really took off as most people would just drink from the tap.

That was up until 1994, when Coca-Cola (Dasani) introduced purified water. This was essentially bottled municipal tap water that had been filtered through reverse osmosis systems. PepsiCo (Aquafina) followed suit in 1999.

The early 2000s

The early 2000s were the turning point for bottled flat water. A war emerged between bottled water and tap water. Bottled water companies played on the fears of consumers regarding contamination and potential illness from drinking tap water.

This was the moment bottled flat water exploded into a commercial success. Brita Filters were a key player in this when they ran an advertisement that said “Tap and toilet water come from the same source. Don’t you deserve better?”

Now, bottled water can be found in almost every fridge and gym bag. Even celebrities are endorsing bottling water, with Superman’s Henry Carvill partnering up with the producers of No.1 Rosemary water to promote the brand.

Custom Bottled Water

As the rise of bottled water continues, more and more companies are taking advantage of customized water bottles to promote their brand. Custom bottled water spans more industries than you might imagine. At Alexa Springs, we serve gyms, hospitals, hotels, universities, car dealerships, and the list goes on.

If you’re interested in wholesale custom water bottles to help promote your brand, then be sure to contact us today for a quote.