As environmental campaigners lament the huge number of plastic water bottles dumped every day in the UK, the beverage industry is gearing up to sell more bottled water to children.
Every cloud has a silver lining, to marketers at least. Childhood obesity -- and the planned tax on sugary drinks, intended to combat it -- present the beverage industry with a chance to sell children more bottled water.
That, at any rate, is the interpretation presented by food and drink consultancy Zenith, at its Global Bottled Water Congress. Beveragedaily reports here that there are already a number of children's water brands on the market, and they sell for 20-50% more than regular bottled water. Zenith predicts the market could start to grow by 7% a year.
Meanwhile, recent research reported in The Guardian here showed that British households are failing to recycle an astonishing 16 million plastic bottles every day, many of which are water bottles. Almost half of all plastic bottles used in the home end up in landfill -- or on verges, beaches and ultimately the sea, where they pose a hazard to wildlife.
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Published Friday 21 October 2016
Sustain: Sustain The alliance for better food and farming advocates food and agriculture policies and practices that enhance the health and welfare of people and animals, improve the working and living environment, enrich society and culture and promote equity.
