Current Business Situation of the Bottled Water Industry

When the news was announced that plastic bottles contained a chemical that could cause horrid health related conditions in the most naïve population sector, the young and old, the world instantly turned their backs on the plastic bottle. The current business situation of the bottled water industry was instantly placed under a microscope and that water industry was soon the talk of every debate in the health care world.

The BPA Issue
The beginning debates all centered on BPA. BPA is a chemical used in the production of plastic water bottles that was found to leach in to the water and cause health problems in humans. The health problems ranged from mild to severe and the world who once thought their bottled water was safe and healthy, was faced with the reality that they were drinking chemicals with every sip of water.
When the investigation expanding to other plastic liquid containers aimed at the youngest of the population, the current business situation of the bottled water industry took a second hit. Now people were not buying water and they were not buying other plastic items that could possibly harm their children.

The After Effects
While many manufacturers stopped using the BPA ingredient in their plastic bottle manufacturing process, the trouble with the current business situation of the bottled water industry did not stop there. Investigators took the debate further and started looking into the water sources used to fill these water bottles. Consumers thought the water they were drinking was healthier and from natural sources, but they soon were informed that the water was simple tap water with added minerals to make the water taste better.
Yet another angle on the story is the after effects of the plastic when the bottles are placed into landfills. The BPA can leach into the soil and with more than 1.5 million tons of plastic produced each year for the water bottle industry alone, the effects of the BPA are astronomical. Over the last 10 years, 15 million tons of contaminated plastic water bottles have been disposed of and the current business situation of the bottled water industry rests on the effect of those tainted bottles.

Now, with BPA and tap water knocking on their doors, the bottled water industry is facing some tough times convincing consumers to drink bottled water again. The bottled water industry was once the fasted growing sector of the market in the world. With sales of more than $22 billion every year, these manufacturers stake their business on the rising water bottle sales.

When consumers heard of the BPA toxicity, tainted waters and possible long term effects on the environment, the sales did not budge all that much. In 2007, the United States alone accounted for more than $8 billion in bottled water sales and bottled water continues to sell off shelves by the case. Consumers do not seem to be worried about the current business situation of the bottled water industry and neither are the manufacturers.
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