Bottled drinking water costlier now

Along with the increasing prices of almost all daily essentials, the price of drinking water has suddenly increased in the local market.

Small and large bottled water prices have gone up by Tk 5 per bottle, which has left many consumers frustrated.

Most of the country’s top consumer goods manufacturers are now in the water business as well. Company officials said they have hiked the prices due to increased production costs caused by rising prices of raw materials and electricity.

There are more than 30 brands of bottled water that are currently being sold across the country, including Coca-Cola Company’s Kinley, Meghna Group’s Fresh, Partex’s Mum, City Group’s Jeevan, PepsiCo’s Aquafina, Pran-RFL’s Pran, and Acme Group’s Acme Premium Drinking Water.

During visits to various markets including Rampura and Segunbagicha in Dhaka recently, it was found that 500ml bottles of water of Kinley and Aquafina were being sold at Tk 20, which was Tk 15 earlier.

Other brands’ small water bottles with increased prices are yet to hit the market but retailers said suppliers have already hinted at the price hikes.

Although the price of the half-litre water bottle of all brands has not yet increased in the market, the prices of the other types of water bottles, including one and two-litre ones, have increased by Tk 5 each.

The two-litre water bottles of most brands, including Fresh and Mum, were being sold at an increased price of Tk 5 in the markets, even if the product was marketed before the price hike.

The price of a two-litre water bottle of Kinley is now Tk 40, up from Tk 35, while two-litre bottles of Fresh, Mum and other brands are being sold at Tk 35, up from Tk 30. Besides, the price of a 1.5-litre water bottle of these brands has also increased to Tk 30 from Tk 25, while the price of five-litre water jars has gone up to Tk 80 from Tk 75.

At the same time, the price of a one-litre water bottle is now Tk 25, which was Tk 20 a few weeks ago.

Retail traders said as the price of bottled water increases, common people are increasingly opting for buying jars of filtered water instead of bottled water.

With prices rising, customers at teashops or confectionery stores are now choosing to drink a glass of water from the large jars of filtered water instead of buying a water bottle after having breakfast or snacks to save money, traders said.

Md Sharif, who owns a tea stall at Rampura Bazar, said, “Although we don’t have any problem selling at increased prices, it’s troublesome for general consumers.

“Most of my customers now drink water from the filtered water jars because they don’t want to spend extra money when we all are already under pressure because of the rising prices of all daily essentials.”