Bottled water will be a key driver of soft drinks growth this year as it is well placed for consumers' healthy lifestyles. Many consumers regard bottled water (especially plain, still and flavoured) as a good choice of beverage. This means, particularly in impulse outlets, bottled water is a direct competitor with other soft drinks - yet often this choice is not reflected in space at fixture. With a 60% share in this channel, Evian and Volvic are must-stock lines.

Bottled water will continue to be an essential purchase for consumers to use at home. Overall, the UK market still has huge opportunity for growth as per capita consumption is a long way behind every other European market. Addressing some basic drivers will help to exploit this opportunity. Specifically, availability and space allocation issues will need to be addressed, especially during the summer when bottled water is the most responsive soft drinks category. Retailers will need to deliver NPD that offers consumers more choice in water-based beverages.