TRENDS
The government has seen the importance of regulating sales of bottled water in the country as volume and value sales of it increased as a result of consumers and households perceiving that it is of superior quality to that of tap water. In 2012, the Safe Bottled Water Act of 2012 was approved on final reading in the House of Representatives. The Act seeks to mandate that the Department of Health establish clear labelling requirements for bottled water including source and type of water, type of treatment, date of bottling, etc as a means to regulate the quality and authenticity of the bottled water sold on the market.
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
Coca-Cola Export took the top spot in 2012 with a 6% share of off-trade value. The company maintained its leadership in 2012 due to the strong distribution of its bottled water brands Wilkins and Viva!. Both brands have strong brand equity in the market and are known and trusted by consumers for their quality. Although at a higher price point, Wilkins continues to be a trusted brand name amongst families and is especially popular for families with young children.
PROSPECTS
Constant retail value sales of bottled water are expected to increase at a CAGR of 2% over the forecast period. Better economic growth and more active lifestyles will help the category register healthy value growth between 2012 and 2017 as more consumers will continue to seek cleaner drinking water. Bottled water is expected to have lower forecasted growth than that seen over the review period due to the increasing maturity of the