Americans consumed more bottled water in 2016 than carbonated soft drinks for the first time ever, according to statistics gathered by the New York firm Beverage Marketing Corporation.
The figures show a slow decline in America's consumption in soft drinks, and an uptick in the amount of bottle water the US consumes.
In 2016, Americans consumed an average of 39.3 gallons of bottled water, compared to 38.5 gallons of carbonated soft drinks. Just a decade earlier, the average American consumed 50.4 gallons of carbonated soft drinks in a year, compared to just 27.6 gallons of bottled water.
"Bottled water effectively reshaped the beverage marketplace," said Michael C. Bellas, chairman and CEO, Beverage Marketing Corporation. "When Perrier first entered the country in the 1970s, few would have predicted the heights to which bottled water would eventually climb. Where once it would have been unimaginable to see Americans walking down the street carrying plastic bottles of water, or driving around with them in their cars' cup holders, now that's the norm," he added.
According to Beverage Marketing Corporation, consumers are not just wanting to eliminate calories or artificial sweeteners, but looking for refreshment at any time of day and location.
