Coca-Cola brings premium bottled water to UK market
Coca-Cola is set to release its premium bottled water, Smartwater, in the UK, ten years after its Dasani brand water debacle, which saw the drinks giant sell purified tap water at the then-premium price of 95p.
Smartwater will be launched under Coca-Cola’s Glaceau brand and manufactured using British spring water, which the brand says is “vapour distilled” before electrolytes are added.
Coca-Cola is hoping the UK release of the brand, which first launched in the US in 1996, will match the success seen in America where it is now “the leading premium water brand”.
Jon Woods, general manager, Coca Cola GB & Ireland, commented: ‘Glacéau Smartwater presents a great opportunity for us to grow our presence in the water category. We have seen the success that the brand has delivered in the US market – and look forward to offering consumers a premium brand without the premium price.
“We now have 22 brands in the UK including many low or no calorie options and provide people with a wide range of drinks to suit their lifestyle.”
The launch of Glacéau Smartwater, which will retail at 57p for 600ml and 89p for 850ml, will be supported by a marketing campaign across TV, digital, outdoor and print.
Coca-Cola Great Britain has an existing water brand, Schweppes Abbey Well, which was the official water brand for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The £1.38bn UK bottled water category, has grown 6 per cent year on year, according to researchers Canadean, and is forecast by Zenith to increase by a further 8 per cent over the next three years.