Water, water everywhere…
Bottled water sales have always fared well here in Ireland with the bottled water category settling firmly in as an integral part of the Irish on- and off-trade market since the idea of bottled water was first mooted and marketed way back in the 80s.
The majority of players in this category here tend to be international players too, with notable exceptions being Tipperary Natural Mineral Water Company, which ranks fourth with a 5% value share and Celtic Pure according to market analysts Euromonitor in a category briefing last February on the publication of its report Bottled Water in Ireland.
Although per capita intake of Carbonated Soft Drinks as a whole is lower in Ireland than in the UK, it remains the number one soft drinks segment in the country and with limited growth across the soft drinks range as a whole expected, bottled water is likely to be one of the star performers.
Sales of bottled water continued to grow last year in both volume and value according to Euromonitor in February’s category briefing which pointed out that increased numbers of consumers were being drawn from other soft drinks categories.
The country’s resurgent economy was partly responsible for bottled water’s value growth of 2% in both the on-and off-trades.
In the off-trade this meant sales of €178 million (with volume growth up 3%) while in the on-trade the 2% rise led to total sales of €43 million, reports Euromonitor which stated, “The leading three manufacturers in the category in Ireland – Danone Waters (UK & Ireland), Britvic Ireland and Coca-Cola HBC Ireland – are all international players and in 2016 accounted for a combined 42% share of bottled water value sales.
“The majority of players in the category are international, with notable exceptions being Tipperary Natural Mineral Water Co which ranked fourth with a 5% value share and Celtic Pure whose 1% value share looks set to grow following recent strategic investment.”
Ireland’s economy remains positioned on an upward trajectory in spite of recent challenges, states Euromonitor and consequently disposable incomes should continue to rise, it believes.
“This should further facilitate volume demand for bottled water, especially when considering health and wellness trends which should be no less influential. Sugar concerns are likely to drive more consumers seeking hydration to choose bottled water over other soft drinks,” it concludes.
Mineral water – best performer
The packaged water category grew by over 8% in 2016 to 227.7 milllion litres volume, with both still and carbonated sub-segments posting growth, according to data extracted from GlobalData’s ‘Wisdom Cube’.
The still sub-segment continues to form the largest part of the category at close to 90% of all volume while around two thirds of packaged water volumes are in the form of Spring Water, it reports.
Earlier, in its Soft Drinks Market Insights 2015 Canadean (now GlobalData) also reported that, “For a second consecutive year, packaged water had the best performance in the Irish soft drinks market. In 2014 volumes were 151m liters marking a 13% increase overall.
“With a per capita consumption figure of 31.7 litres, increasingly more consumers have opted for packaged water as a means to hydrate themselves without having to worry about consuming excess sugars,” stated Canadean adding that it expected this trend will continue.
“It’s expected the ongoing debate around the levels of sugars in soft drinks will only help the category” it agreed, “with many consumers opting for packaged water and migrating from other categories.”
If we get a good Summer and if, as the pundits predict, negative press surrounding sugary Carbonated Soft Drinks leads to a boost in demand for bottled water, how heavily will you push your mineral water range and what have the suppliers got in store this Summer?
Tipperary Water quenches more thirsts with larger-sized bottle
Strap: New size, new look, more value; 2017’s thirst-quencher
Tipperary Pure Irish Water has increased the size of its 250ml glass bottle to 330ml – at no extra cost to the customer – so consumers are getting a larger serve and more value with every serve.
The new-look Tipperary features a stylish, transparent wrap-around label and sleek new bottle shape. The modern design complements its striking on-shelf presence, making it a refreshing and natural choice. The new-look label enhances the heritage of the brand, using its logo consistently throughout the brand portfolio.
“It’s important to be able to give back to our customers and we’re pleased to now be in a position to offer added value by providing customers with 330ml rather than 250ml,” said Brand Manager, Justine Byrne, “It’s vital for us to provide to them a quality product with more value. With Summer around the corner the new sleek design will be the go-to bottled water of choice.”
The sleek new glass bottle is available to the on-trade across hotels, restaurants and bars in both still and sparkling.
To learn more about the Tipperary water range visit http://tipperarywater.ie/
Ballygowan – Ireland’s clear favourite
Ballygowan, Ireland’s No 1 water brand, is driving strong growth in the bottled water sector. Bottled water is one of the fastest-growing within the soft drinks sector in the Licensed market (up 4.2% MAT according to the Nielsen Scantrack MAT Feb 2017). Ballygowan holds a 62.8% share of the market and is driving category growth at 4.5% MAT, states the company.
The key to the success for Ireland’s original and most popular water brand is a commitment to product quality, a strong consumer engagement plan and product innovation.
All Ballygowan is bottled in a dedicated bottling facility in Newcastlewest, drawing on an exclusive source. The St David’s Well source sits in the grounds of the Ballygowan bottling plant. A proud Irish brand, Ballygowan is a founding member of the Love Irish Food campaign which champions locally-sourced goods, supporting Irish jobs. Ballygowan is also a proud supporter of Irish sport and is official water to the Irish Open and All Ireland Champions Dublin GAA.
Ballygowan also leads the market with the broadest pack offering in the water sector. The most recent addition to the range is Ballygowan Sparklingly Fruity – a refreshingly different range of low calorie, low sugar Ballygowan water drinks in a stylish can.
For more information on Euromonitor’s Bottled Water in Ireland report from February 2017, goto http://www.euromonitor.com/bottled-water-in-ireland/report
