Marketing of packaged water: Customer perspective

“Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink” from the Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner is perhaps a fitting description of the attitude of many consumers living in urban areas today, who are increasingly looking toward bottled water as a means of meeting some or all of their daily requirements. As fresh water supplies are further stretched to meet the demands of industry, agriculture and an ever-expanding urban population, the shortage of safe and accessible drinking water will become a major challenge in many parts of the world. In the wake of several major outbreaks involving food and water, there is always a growing concern for the safety and quality of drinking water. While bottled water is widely available in both industrialized and developing countries, it may represent a significant cost to the consumer. Consumers may have various reasons for purchasing bottled drinking water such as taste, convenience or fashion but for many consumers, safety and potential health benefits are important considerations. The study highlights the attitude of customers towards bottled drinking water, their preference and satisfaction level towards the choice of drinking water. Statistical tools like, Percentage analysis, Chi-square analysis, Weighted average score analysis were applied and findings were used to frame suggestions.