Bottled water

                                                                                       Research By,

                                                                               M.MAHENDRA PRABHU

                                                                                     TRINITA MACHADO

Introduction:

 Water is the most important necessity of life. The drinking-water needs for individuals vary depending on the climate, physical activity and the body culture. But for average consumers it is estimated to be about two to four litres per day. The bottled water category is growing at a rapid pace. Bisleri is the market leader in mineral water in India with a 60% market share within organized mineral water category. Three key players mainly dominate the Indian Bottled Water Market includes Parle Bisleri, Coca Cola India Inc. Kinley and Pepsico. India Holdings Pvt. Limited. We have taken the most popular brands and the available brands in Coimbatore. The bottled water has been affected by competitors because most people prefer bottled water in transparent packs rather than drinking tap water which may be unhygeneic at times.

We have considered the following 5 bottled water brands:

1. Parle Bisleri

2. Pepsi Co. Aquafina

3. Coco Cola Kinley

4. Parle Agro Bailley

5. IRCTC Railneer

The basis of our study and rating is based on the following factors:

1.      CSR initiatives.

2.      Waste management.

3.      Packaging.

4.      Pricing.

5.      Product Reach

Brand/Company Profile:

Before we look into the comparison we will wish all of you to know about the interesting facts on all of the bottled water industry products. We can learn which is the parent company and what are the CSR initiatives they do which we will not aware of.

Parle Bisleri:-

Bisleri, a brand of bottled water in India, was originally an Italian Company created by Signor Felice Bisleri. It was introduced in Mumbai in 1965.Parle bought over Bisleri (India) Ltd. In 1969.Later Parle switched over to PVC non returnable bottles & finally advanced to PET containers. Currently Bisleri has 60% market share in packaged drinking water in India. Bisleri is basically of Italian origin. Bisleri was the first bottled industry to bring about the concept of selling bottled waters in India. 1^st introduced in Mumbai in glass bottles in two varieties - still and bubbly in1965.It has started plant in Mumbai in 1969. Since 1995 Mr. Ramesh J. Chauhan has started expanding Bisleri operations substantially. Bisleri has grown popular for the purest drinking water.

Pepsi Co. Aquafina:-

Pepsi first tried to attack this market with bottled and sparkling water but failed. In 1994, Pepsi had the idea of using its bottlers to filter local tap water and offering the resulting product under the name of Aquafina. They experimented with a reverse osmosis process pushing already filtered tap water at high pressure through fiber glass membranes to remove even the tiniest particles.This process created water with no taste or odor. In addition, because the process used tap water it was inexpensive and would compete well on price with the other spring waters in the market. Pepsi wanted to target everyone with the unisex, mainstream water at an everyday price. Enjoy the crisp, refreshing taste of Aquafina–100% pure, non-carbonated, purified

drinking water. The consistent purity and great taste of Aquafina are guaranteed by

means of a state-of-the-art purification process that includes reverse osmosis and carbon  filtration. Since its debut in 1995, Aquafina has won over consumers with its great taste and purity. Aquafina is currently America's #1 selling bottled water brand in measured retail channels.

Coco-Cola Kinley:-

Kinley is a brand of bottled water owned by The Coca-Cola Company.  The Coca-Cola system in India has improved its water use efficiency (water usage ratio) by over 25 percent since 2005.Kinley has grown nowadays in a very fast manner and has grown upto 40% market share .It has innovated its products at a fast pace and has strongly competed with Aquafina and Bisleri.

Parle Agro. Bailey:-

Bailey belongs to the Parle agro which is new emerging bottled water industry and has very poor packaging design and has just started to compete with the other bottled water.

IRCTC Railneer:-

Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd. (IRCTC), is providing clean, safe and hygienic water to railway passengers. IRCTC, a public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Railways, is manufacturing Rail Neer brand of Packaged Drinking Water at these locations i.e. Nangloi (Delhi), Danapur (Bihar) and Palur (near Chennai) with cumulative production capacity of 3.80 lakh bottles (1 litre capacity) per day. The aim of IRCTC is to supply safest drinking water at cheapest price with the usage of minimum resources so as to conserve environment. The one litre bottle of Rail Neer is sold at Rs. 12/- (per bottle of one litre) on all Railway stations and trains.. By selling Rail Neer brand, IRCTC has provided high quality pure drinking water at fair price to Railway passengers and public visiting the stations.

Product Comparison:

We have compared the locally available and bottled water in Coimbatore. We have rated the bottled water brands on the basis of our observation and information we obtained from the corresponding websites and secondary information sources. The basis of our study and rating is based on the following factors:

1.      CSR activities

2.      Waste management

3.      Packaging

4.      Pricing.

5.      Product Reach

CSR ACTIVITIES:

Among all of the five bottled water brands, Aquafina and Bisleri does lot of CSR activities than all the other three brands. Aquafina has the new campaign Positive Water Balance (PWB) which does replenishment of water, waste to wealth . PepsiCo India embarked on the HIV / AIDS journey in 2005, along with our Technical partner. Bisleri  is doing PET recycle and reuse management which provides profit to rag pickers who work from 5am-11am which gives them a good earning. Aquafina recycles 97 % of Household garbage and does 10% Recycled  PET(rPET).

Product	Rating out of 20
Aquafina	17
Bailley	8
Bisleri	16
Kinley	14
Railneer	0

When Compared to Bisleri and Aquafina, Kinley ranks the third position because it has started the endeavour to recycle all our solid wastes materials including PET articles.Rainwater harvesting (RWH) projects at 39 SOS locations. Bailey has motivated the importance of tree plantations for students. It supports six mentally retarded children. Railneer was just started by IRCTC as new bottling plant. No CSR activities done by Railneer.

2. WASTE MANAGEMENT:-

Bisleri has done the maximum utilization of PET wastes. The M.D and CEO of Bisleri Mr. Ramesh Chauhan has started this initiative of providing Entire PET recycling ecosystem which Mr Chauhan, roped in the Indian Education Society’s management and research centre’s student body called RHYTHM.It studied 56 rag pickers and 38 scrap dealers (bhangarwallas ) and found that the rag-picking community chose PVC waste over PET. The former was easier to recycle and re-mould. PET scrap, on the other hand, had no buyers. Mr. Chauhan decided to move in and create a market for PET waste. Rag Pickers work from 5-11 and earn good profit.PET waste can be recycled and reused as asphalt in strengthening roads and for carpets.Aquafina has started recycling 97% of household garbage and converting biodegradable waste into organic manure. Kinley has started the endeavour of recycling waste including waste materials. Bailley and Railneer does not do any waste management  measures.

Product	Rating out of 20
Aquafina	14
Bailey	0
Bisleri	16
Kinley	10
Railneer	0

2. PACKAGING:-

Bisleri was the first bottled water company to replace the regular seal with the “break-away seal” which people was unaware of and Bisleri had to face strong competition with Aquafina and Kinley. The blowing of bottles and the shape of Bisleri is not good as Aquafina and Kinley. Kinley  has been observed by many researchers as it is easily gripped in hand and good cover which covers the bottle. Aquafina is also packaged just as Kinley as easily grippable product. Railneer is always with slender packaging.Bilseri is ranked because the same as Aquafina though it has slender packaging. But because of ozonated water rinsed caps people prefer Bisleri.

Product	Rating out of 20
Aquafina	16
Bailey	12
Bisleri	16
Kinley	14
Railneer	10

4. PRICING:-

When taking into consideration of the pricing, the lower costs are given the first weightage because most people prefer standard and cheaper costs. Railneer for 1 litre of bottled water costs Rs.12/- and available in all railway stations. The next rank is for Bailley which also costs Rs.12/ because of its bad packaging and very little market. Bisleri costs Rs.15/- and in addition to the standard cost and brand name it is sold at a larger level. Kinley and Aquafina are sold at a higher cost of Rs.17/- But due to good and easily convenient product to carry and hold on is also sold at a higher level.

Product	Rating out of 20
Aquafina	12
Bailey	16
Bisleri	14
Kinley	12
Railneer	16

5. PRODUCT REACH:-

Bisleri bottled water is available all over India and in huge quantities sold at a very fast pace. Aquafina is also available and sold at the largest quantities and next follows is the Kinley bottled water. Bailey is very few as the product has reached people at fewer quantities. Railneer is also available but only in the railway stations.

Product	Rating out of 20
Aquafina	18
Bailey	8
Bisleri	14
Kinley	16
Railneer	5

CSR Initiatives of Bottled Water Brands:

CSR Initiatives of Bisleri:-

1. The Bisleri trust called the Jayanti Lal Chauhan Trust (JCERT) works extensively in areas of ground water augmentation and rain water harvesting.

2. JCERT has successfully completed 35 projects of check dam construction and has managed to conserve 10 thousand million litres of rain water. These check dams help in the storage of rain water post monsoons and consequently result in the rise of water levels in the village wells.

3. On the occasion of Children’s Day, Bisleri organized an art event for 30 underprivileged children as well as the children of its employees.

4. Bisleri harvests 10 billion litres of rain water every year.

5. Bisleri is leading the way in bringing about positive change in your daily lives. Some initiatives involve small communities, others that involve the entire population, but they're both part of a meaningful movement called the Aqua Green Revolution.

6. Bisleri is cognizant of the fact that recycling is one of the key components of the Aqua Green Revolution. The PET recycling industry is an idea that was seeded by Bisleri. Bottles crushed and re-processed are used as raw material in various industries, except the food industry, and has good economic value. Proof of the sustainability of this idea is the fact that Reliance is one the biggest buyers of recycled PET.

7. They provide profit to56 rag pickers and 22 scrap dealers from Dharavi. The rag pickers work from 5am-11am and they purchase 5000 kg of PET waste every month and rag pickers involved in Bisleri  have a venture with Reliance for providing wastes to various industries which can be used as asphalt in strengthening roads.

CSR Initiatives of Aquafina:-

1.Aqufina has Shown Positive water balance(PWB) which down the activities like replenishing water and waste to wealth programme which converts biodegradable waste into organic manure.

2.Aquafina has gone through awareness of HIV/AIDS programme.

3.It has the contract farming initiative of teaching farmers about the new technology and high quality, high yield, top quality potato seeds and  the Get Active Programme about the importance of balanced Nutrition which has reached 300000 children with the equation Calories In=Calories Out.

CSR Initiatives of Kinley:-

1. 113 drip irrigation projects

2. Endeavor to recycle all our solid wastes materials including PET articles.

3. Rainwater harvesting (RWH) projects at 39 SOS locations

4. At the end of 2010, our system in India had installed more than 400 rainwater harvesting structures spread across 22 states.

CSR Initiatives of Bailey:-

1. Installation of hand pumps and ceiling fans, action taken to prevent accidents and distribution of essential items to students.

2. Tree plantation drive for students.

3. Sponsor to six mentally retarded children.

CSR Initiatives of Railneer:-

No CSR

Conclusion:

Plastic bottles can percolate chemicals into the water if left in the sun, it creates various health problems when reused several times

More than 80 percent of recyclable plastic bottles end up in landfills each year.

Bottled water produces up to 1.5 million tons of plastic waste per year.

REFERENCES:

•         http://www.mouthshut.com/product-reviews/Bisleri-reviews-9250052

•         http://pepsicoindia.co.in/purpose/environmental-sustainability.html

•         http://www.csrworld.net/pepsico%E2%80%93corporate-social-responsibility.html

•         http://www.greenatworkmag.com/gwsubaccess/07julaug/csr_cokepepsi.html

•         http://bestbrandsofindia.blogspot.in/2011/12/bottled-water.html

·         http://www.managementparadise.com/forums/introduce-yourself/68360-assignment-bisleri.html