968: Bottled Water | Skeptical Sunday

Marketing Scandals

The bottled water industry has had its share of marketing scandals. Andrew Gold recounts the infamous Dasani blunder in the UK, where Coca-Cola's attempt to sell filtered tap water backfired spectacularly. The marketing campaign mistakenly implied the water contained sperm, leading to public ridicule 1.

Not only was there a whole hoohah about Coca Cola bottling up tap water and selling it at a huge markup, but the marketing just made the brand into a joke, because everywhere you looked, you saw Dasani advertised as being full of spunk, bottled spunk, and you can't live without spunk.

--- Andrew Gold

Despite efforts to rebrand, the discovery of carcinogenic bromate in the water led to a massive recall and the end of Dasani in the UK and most of Europe 2.

   

Economic Factors

Economic factors play a significant role in the bottled water industry's profitability. During the pandemic, bottled water sales surged by 57%, driven by fears of tap water contamination and supply shortages 3. Andrew Gold highlights the absurdity of paying exorbitant prices for what is often just filtered tap water.

Companies like Coca Cola are simply bottling up the very same tap water you'd drink for their bottled water. Dasani. They do treat it, but it's so cost effective because the tap water is so cheap and they sell it at at least 130 times the price, sometimes much more.

--- Andrew Gold

Additionally, the expiration dates on bottled water are often a marketing tactic to encourage frequent repurchases, despite the water itself not going bad 4.

   

Health Perceptions

Public perceptions of bottled water often contrast with the actual health implications. Andrew Gold discusses how bad tap water quality can lead to higher consumption of sugary drinks, contributing to obesity and other health issues 5. He also addresses the controversial topic of fluoride in water, noting its benefits for dental health and the persistent conspiracy theories surrounding it.

In the early 20th century, scientists found that places with higher naturally occurring levels of fluoride in the tap water did indeed correlate with less tooth decay.

--- Andrew Gold

Despite extensive research debunking the link between fluoride and cancer, public distrust remains, influencing decisions like Portland's vote against water fluoridation 6.