The business model for selling bottled water has traditionally rested on the idea that the more bottles of water you sell, the better the business will be.
One firm is placing sustainability and ecological sense above sheer sales volumes, however, with Re:Water’s aluminium bottles designed not only to be recycled, but also to be refilled and reused by consumers.
Previously only available in 500ml aluminium bottles with an RRP of between £2.49 and £3.49, the UK firm is now extending its range with the launch of a 330ml bottle with a £1.79 price point; both are offered in still or sparkling formats, with a 750ml bottle to follow later in the year.
With water drawn from its Herefordshire spring before being bottled at source in the Wye Valley, Re:Water is introducing the smaller form factor partly in response to requests from the hotel sector for a product that will fit in minibar fridges, though the restaurant and catering sector are also said to be keen to be able to offer smaller serving sizes.
Re:Water launched in 2021 and has since sold over 10m bottles in the UK, with stockists including Moto, Co-op, Blakemore, Pret and Caffé Nero. One of the firm’s co-founders, Matt Crocker, says “the sustainable bottled water market continues to grow rapidly”, partly due to rising glass costs linked to the extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme, which puts the onus on firms to ensure packaging they supply is recovered and recycled.
Ben Richardson, Re:Water’s other co-founder, says the new 330ml bottle is “ideal for brands and operators looking to remove plastic while offering a premium sustainable solution at a lower-entry point”.
