Straight from the Tap?

Abstract

The bottled water industry has experienced explosive growth during the past decade, largely due to a widely held consumer perception that bottled water is purer and healthier than tap water. Recent research raises questions about whether bottled water is actually better than tap water. Amid the controversy, there is a need to help clarify current consumer perceptions concerning water quality and purity and to examine associated new product development implications. A product concept test among 386 bottled water consumers is used here to provide an evaluation of a proposed bottled water brand that would be produced by a local water company. Overall, the findings indicate that the product concept is promising, but needs some refinement. The managerial implications, particularly concerning additional purification of tap water and critical success factors, apply not only to the proposed product but also to many other entrants into the bottled water market.