The madness of drinking bottled water shipped halfway round the world

Bottled water is the second most popular liquid refreshment after carbonated drinks, yet the prospect of global sales hitting 233bn litres this year is leading to sustainability and environmental fears.

Environmentalists don’t need to tell us that carting water from one country to another in plastic bottles makes zero sense. A UK business not selling UK water when we have an abundant source of mineral water incurs unnecessary food miles.

Logistical changes by some importers are reducing their carbon footprint to a small extent, but there is more that can be done.  Bottled water is about the bottle too, as a sizeable proportion of the industry’s supply-side impacts derive from packaging, however, the industry isn’t without packaging innovations.

A prime example comes from Belu, which last year launched a new glass bottle with the help of Rawlings. The bottle is 18% lighter and responsible for fewer emissions. Importantly this bottle has not been patented by Belu, encouraging more water mineral companies to use this lightweight alternative and further reduce their environmental impact.

For the full article in The Guardian, please click here.

If you are interested in purchasing this lightweight bottle from Rawlings please get in touch by clicking here.