In the next 20 years the bottled market could grow to five times its level at the end of the 1990s, up from 1,000 to a massive 5,000 million litres according to Kevin Bolt, sales and marketing director of Well Well Well, the UK's largest water bottler. The reports notes that almost all the growth is coming from still water in both volume and value ­ with sparkling water paradoxically flat. Zenith International figures show that in 2000 import volumes rose again but lost share marginally to 25% due to supermarket own labels, which are almost entirely produced in the UK, rising to 28% of total volume. In terms of packaging formats, the importance of the convenience market was felt with half litre PET bottles increasing to a 15% volume share boosted by sports caps, while glass bottle volumes have seen a gradual market share decline. While supermarkets still hold half of the UK bottled water market, the report says: "Supermarkets face a range of pressures that will make it difficult to maintain their position. "If sales are to double again in the next few years, more shelf space will be essential unless car park collection, home delivery and e-commerce are deployed on a wider scale." Another significant factor is the arrival of home coolers for bulk size polycarbonate bottles, previously the domain of offices. Well Well Well reports that pricing is under pressure. Retail prices for bottled water averaged out at 38p per litres in the last year, 2% down on 1999, with all of the price reductions coming from the supermarkets. {{FOCUS SPECIALS }}