Americans Prefer Bottled Water To Carbonated Soda

(RTTNews) - Americans now drink more bottled water than carbonated soft-drinks, amid concerns for health effects of sugary drinks, according to Industry tracker Beverage Marketing Corp.

In a latest report, bottled water became the largest beverage category by volume in 2016 in the U.S., surpassing sodas.

In the country, total bottled water volume grew to 12.8 billion gallons last year from 11.8 billion gallons in 2015. Bottled-water consumption reached 39.3 gallons per capita, while carbonated soft drinks were at 38.5 gallons. However, soda still generated more revenue of $39.5 billion in retail sales last year, compared to $21.3 billion for water.

In the water revenue, 26% went to soda giants Coca-Cola Co. and PepsiCo Inc., which sell Dasani and Aquafina brands, respectively.

Beverage Marketing projected that bottled water would hit the 50-gallon per-capita consumption mark by the middle of next decade, while carbonated soft-drink per-capita consumption had exceeded 50 gallons in 2006.

Michael Bellas, chairman-CEO of Beverage Marketing Corp., said in a statement, "Bottled water effectively reshaped the beverage marketplace. When Perrier first entered the country in the 1970s, few would have predicted the heights to which bottled water would eventually climb. Where once it would have been unimaginable to see Americans walking down the street carrying plastic bottles of water, or driving around with them in their cars' cup holders, now that's the norm."

In February, another industry tracker Beverage Digest reportedly projected that bottled water volume consumption would surpass carbonated soft drinks in 2017.