"PWS = Public Water Source - Pepsi's Aquafina Fesses Up" Posting by Staff link to story | permalink
July 27, 2007
The label on Aquafina water bottles will soon be changed to spell out that the drink comes from the same source as tap water, the brand's owner said Friday.
Aquafina is the single biggest bottled water brand, and its bottles are now labeled "P.W.S." The new labels will spell out "public water source."
"If this helps clarify the fact that the water originates from public sources, then it's a reasonable thing to do," PepsiCo spokeswoman Michelle Naughton said Friday.
The corporate accountability group is also pressing for similar concessions from The Coca-Cola Co., which owns the Dasani water brand.
Dasani's Web site says that Dasani comes from local water supplies and is then filtered.
Two of the leading bottled water companies - Dasani and Aquafina (made by Coke and Pepsi) are really nothing more than tap water sent through a couple of filtering processes.
"We don't believe that consumers are confused about the source of Dasani water," Coca-Cola spokeswoman Diana Garza Ciarlante said. "The label clearly states that it is purified water."
Sales of bottled water has been a growing source of revenue for companies such as PepsiCo Inc., based in Purchase, N.Y., and Atlanta-based Coca-Cola as they lessen their dependence on sales of traditional carbonated sodas, as consumer concern over health issues has weakened demand.
Pepsi's Aquafina and Coca-Cola Co.'s Dasani are both made from purified water sourced from public reservoirs, as opposed to Danone's Evian or Nestle's Poland Spring, shipped from locations the companies say have notably clean water.
U.S. consumers spent about $15-billion (U.S.) on bottled water in 2006. PEP (NYSE) fell $1.48 to $66.84.
July 27, 2007
