T
he UK is said to have one of the best drinking water supplies in the world, but despite that we throw away
7.7 billion plastic water bottles a year. Why? Well, although the quality is good, there are regional differences which impact the taste, and health-conscious Brits want to know exactly what is in the water they are drinking, which is not possible with tap water. As a result, the market for water filtration products is growing and this in turn presents opportunities for retailers.
Environmental impact
The United Kingdom has some of the best drinking water in the world. It is regulated by the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI), which sets strict standards for water quality. The DWI tests water from all public water supplies in England and Wales and the overwhelming majority meet or exceed the required standards, which means that most people in the UK can drink water from their tap with complete confidence. So why don’t they?
Bottled water is big business in the UK and despite our relatively small size, we are one of the world’s largest consumers of bottled waters, with 70% of UK adults having purchased bottled water in the last three months. This reliance on bottled water comes with a significant environmental impact, with one of the most pressing being the use of single use plastic bottles made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is a type of plastic that is derived from oil. The production of PET requires a significant amount of energy and water, and it releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Personal taste
So why do we continue to buy bottled water? Well, taste is personal, and it is not simply about having confirmation that water is safe to drink. Water can vary from one area to another because it travels through different pipes and underground aquifers, and it can be affected by local factors such as geology and climate.
Second, the quality of water can change over time. This can be due to several factors, such as droughts, floods, or even local agricultural practices. Hard water areas often report a ‘chalky’ taste to water, whilst experts often say softened water is better in tea or coffee, possibly because it contains fewer minerals which could react with the tea or coffee to affect the flavour. So, what is the solution? Whilst the popularity of bottled water is not going to disappear overnight, the combination of the cost-of- living crisis and the accelerated awareness of the environmental impact of single use plastics is likely to test sales of bottled water over the coming years.
Water filtration Water filters can be used to improve the quality of drinking water. They can remove a variety of contaminants, including chlorine, limescale and heavy metals and reassure users that what they are drinking is free of anything which could negatively impact the taste. And of course, use of a water filter has a dramatic impact on the use of plastic bottles. Historically, water filters jugs and appliances have been considered prohibitively expensive, but this is no longer the case. More than a third (35%) of UK households now have a water filtration product in
IT’S A QUESTION OF TASTE
Harry Kyriacou Chief Commercial Officer & Managing Director Consumer Goods from Strix Group examines the role of water filtration products in managing the UK’s plastic waste crisis and looks at the profit opportunities for retailers.
their home and this is growing, which offers revenue opportunities for retailers. The environmental and economic impact on both the planet and the individual is now a driving force for UK consumers, becoming key considerations before
they
make a purchase. Increasingly, manufacturers are stepping up to reflect those interests with their product offerings and research and development. And it’s clear the demand is there.
As a business we have experienced this growth in demand ourselves and this is reflected in overall growth predictions for the water filter market with one water treatment company recently predicting compound annual growth of 6.8% through to 2028.
Retailer appeal
www.diyweek.net
What should be appealing to retailers is the sheer breadth of products now available in filtration at a broad spectrum of price points. Consumers can choose from everything from fridges with built
in water dispensers through to table top appliances that deliver hot and cold filtered water, filter jugs and, of course, there is the repeat business of the filter replacements. To capitalise on this opportunity,
the retailers need to establish what the customers’ requirements are – is it about health, convenience, saving the planet – or all three? Do they need a high-quality water filter jug that all the family can use or are they looking for something more sophisticated that can replace the kettle and the water jug in the fridge. Crucially, knowing what the individual filters in all these products can deliver is important. For example, our patented Evolve+ water filter filters out contaminants such as limescale, microplastics, chlorine, heavy metals, herbicides and pesticides and also reduces chlorine and limescale by up to 80%.
MAY 2023 DIY WEEK 23
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40
