Swallowing nonsense

Study sinks claims of bottled water companies

CONSUMERS are being hung out to dry by trendy bottled water companies making murky claims about the healthiness of their products.

Some water bottlers insist their products contain higher levels of mineral salts than tap water to justify the expensive prices, while others say boosted levels of oxygen help mental and physical endurance.

An investigation by consumer advocacy group Choice has put a dampener on these claims, finding that bottled water is no safer or healthier to drink than water from the tap.

Gold Coast City Council charges just $3.90 for 1000 litres of filtered water – a bargain compared with about $3.50 for just 600ml of bottled water.

“Although industry research shows Australians believe bottled water is safer and tastier than tap water, beverage companies are only required to test their products once a year but tap water is tested regularly,” Choice spokeswoman Kate Browne said.

Australian Artesian Water claims its water is filled with healthy mineral salts that are rapidly absorbed into the body and assist with cleansing.

But Choice tested the fancy water and found that tap water contained more minerals.

Zouki Breathe water says it is infused with oxygen which provides health benefits like mental focus, endurance and recovery. But Choice found it contained the same amount of oxygen as tap water.

“These claims are as thin as the air that comes out of the water once it’s extracted from the ground,” Ms Browne said.

“Consumers are better off topping up bottles from the tap or from a jug in the fridge.”

Australians spend $767.6 million a year on bottled water, IBISWorld market research found, with sales tipped to grow by 2.5 per cent a year to 2023.

Senior analyst Samuel Johnson said Gold Coasters bought bottled water for convenience.

“Demand for convenience is anticipated to outweigh consumer concern surrounding the significant price premium,” he said.