Consumers are switching to water as they avoid sugary beverages • Hacker News Board

Re: Consumers are switching to water as they avoid sugary beverages

#21

Post by Sir_Cmpwn » Wed, Sep 07, 2016, 4:40 PM UTC

Practicality wrote: post #13

hannob wrote: post #9

Good news. Now they should switch to tap water and it'll also be a win for the environment. (To anticipate answers: Yes, I know, in the US water often contains large amounts of chlorine and doesn't taste that good. And in poorer countries tap water is often undrinkable. But there's no good reason to buy bottled water if your water supply is reasonable, which is true for large parts of europe at least.)

"there's no good reason to buy bottled water if your water supply is reasonable" You pretty much explained why many of us drink bottled water, since our supply is not reasonable. :)

Could always filter it yourself.

Re: Consumers are switching to water as they avoid sugary beverages

#22

Post by k-mcgrady » Wed, Sep 07, 2016, 4:41 PM UTC

arzt wrote: post #19

How is water lower margin than a sugar drink that has ingredients and is partly water? At my corner bodega they charge $2 for a 20oz Dasani (which is the same price as a comparably sized gatorade).

People aren't willing to pay as much for it? In my experience bottled water is about 40-50% cheaper to buy (small bottles). When it comes to large bottles (2lt) it can be up to 90% cheaper.

I can buy 6x2lt bottles of water for £2 in the UK (probably less if I shopped around).

Re: Consumers are switching to water as they avoid sugary beverages

#23

Post by joezydeco » Wed, Sep 07, 2016, 4:41 PM UTC

koenigdavidmj wrote: post #17

joezydeco wrote: post #2

Low margin? My wife switched to La Croix which seems to be the new popular water drink around here. It's easily 3x the price of Coke.

Consider getting a carbonator (such as the Sodastream) and whatever she wants for her own flavoring. The occasional CO_2 cartridge and squeezing out a slice of lime is likely cheaper.

My point was merely to highlight the fact that the newer sparkling water drinks were priced equal to or higher than the HFCS-based sodas. And the sparkling water drinks have even less ingredients than the HFCS ones.

My intent was not to spark a class war over water quality, Nalgene bottles, and SodaStreams. I'm fully aware of the cost differentials and am not complaining.

Re: Consumers are switching to water as they avoid sugary beverages

#24

Post by k__ » Wed, Sep 07, 2016, 4:42 PM UTC

Practicality wrote: post #13

hannob wrote: post #9

Good news. Now they should switch to tap water and it'll also be a win for the environment. (To anticipate answers: Yes, I know, in the US water often contains large amounts of chlorine and doesn't taste that good. And in poorer countries tap water is often undrinkable. But there's no good reason to buy bottled water if your water supply is reasonable, which is true for large parts of europe at least.)

"there's no good reason to buy bottled water if your water supply is reasonable" You pretty much explained why many of us drink bottled water, since our supply is not reasonable. :)

it's even bought WITH reasonable supply... humans are strange

Re: Consumers are switching to water as they avoid sugary beverages

#25

Post by phil21 » Wed, Sep 07, 2016, 4:42 PM UTC

AlexandrB wrote: post #12

TylerE wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, in many places, it's pretty bad.

I love that the American solution is not to try to bring the municipal water up to standard but to spend 10x-100x on bottled water.

It's already up to standard, people are largely just not rational.

My home city ranks near the top of any "best tasting drinking water" poll I've seen, and people still complain and buy bottled water. It's ridiculous.

The vast majority of citizens in the US are served by perfectly serviceable potable water they just turn their noses up at it.

Re: Consumers are switching to water as they avoid sugary beverages

#26

Post by AlexandrB » Wed, Sep 07, 2016, 4:43 PM UTC

Practicality wrote: post #13

hannob wrote: post #9

Good news. Now they should switch to tap water and it'll also be a win for the environment. (To anticipate answers: Yes, I know, in the US water often contains large amounts of chlorine and doesn't taste that good. And in poorer countries tap water is often undrinkable. But there's no good reason to buy bottled water if your water supply is reasonable, which is true for large parts of europe at least.)

"there's no good reason to buy bottled water if your water supply is reasonable" You pretty much explained why many of us drink bottled water, since our supply is not reasonable. :)

> You pretty much explained why many of us drink bottled water, since our supply is not reasonable. :)

Citation needed. Some choice quotes from Wikipedia[1]:

'The Environmental Protection Agency regulations for tap water are "actually stricter than the Food and Drug Administration regulations for bottled water."'

'A study of drinking water in Cincinnati, Ohio, discovered that bacterial counts in bottled water were often higher than those in tap water and fluoride concentration was inconsistent.'

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bottled_water#Perceptions_abou...

Re: Consumers are switching to water as they avoid sugary beverages

#27

Post by usaphp » Wed, Sep 07, 2016, 4:43 PM UTC

hannob wrote: post #9

Good news. Now they should switch to tap water and it'll also be a win for the environment. (To anticipate answers: Yes, I know, in the US water often contains large amounts of chlorine and doesn't taste that good. And in poorer countries tap water is often undrinkable. But there's no good reason to buy bottled water if your water supply is reasonable, which is true for large parts of europe at least.)

I recently moved to San Diego from New York, the tap water here is unbearable to drink, it tasted horrible, like you are drinking mold, filters don't help that much, still tastes horrible. I won't drink that, never mind giving it to my kids

Re: Consumers are switching to water as they avoid sugary beverages

#28

Post by maxerickson » Wed, Sep 07, 2016, 4:44 PM UTC

AlexandrB wrote: post #16

TylerE wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, in many places, it's pretty bad.

> Yeah, in many places, it's pretty bad. Can you please quantify that, because I'm still convinced it's mostly marketing [1]. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drinking_water_quality_in_the_...

It's quite safe to drink, there's just not really any standard for flavor.

So if a town gets water from a well, they may not be doing a lot to remove an off mineral flavor or whatever.

Re: Consumers are switching to water as they avoid sugary beverages

#29

Post by makecheck » Wed, Sep 07, 2016, 4:44 PM UTC

Water itself is a good trend. The bottle, not so much.

For me anyway, if I drink from the bottle then I feel odd afterwards — as if I got a dose of something I shouldn’t have. Fortunately, pouring the water into a glass solves the problem.

I try to avoid bottled water anyway. Part of it is the principle of the thing: I used to get water for free when I was 12 and these days it averages $3 or $4? To hell with those companies, they know it’s a ridiculous scam and people just pay it.

I would say most of the time I drink filtered water from my fridge, occasionally from the tap and rarely from water bottles. If I do have bottled water, it is only after searching in vain for a simple drinking fountain.

Re: Consumers are switching to water as they avoid sugary beverages

#30

Post by hannob » Wed, Sep 07, 2016, 4:44 PM UTC

Practicality wrote: post #13

hannob wrote: post #9

Good news. Now they should switch to tap water and it'll also be a win for the environment. (To anticipate answers: Yes, I know, in the US water often contains large amounts of chlorine and doesn't taste that good. And in poorer countries tap water is often undrinkable. But there's no good reason to buy bottled water if your water supply is reasonable, which is true for large parts of europe at least.)

"there's no good reason to buy bottled water if your water supply is reasonable" You pretty much explained why many of us drink bottled water, since our supply is not reasonable. :)

Maybe true. May also be a nocebo issue. Heard many people claiming that "tap water in XY is terrible" while every study shows that it's not true. Often tap water quality is better than bottled water.