Consumers Enjoy Thriving Water Retail Marketplace
The environmental problems caused by single-use plastic water bottles continue to make headlines, but that hasn’t slowed down water-related business ventures.
Reusable water bottles are surging in popularity and manufacturers are going to great lengths to reach the growing number of people who take hydration seriously. You’d have to be serious about H2O to buy one of these toys, some of which top $40.
The EQUA smart water bottle, for example, signals users it’s time to drink by glowing. The bottle comes with an app that tracks hydration and retails for $68 on Amazon. For about $35, those interested in listening to music while quenching their thirst can purchase an Asobu insulated stainless steel water bottle with a lid that doubles as a Bluetooth-enabled speaker.
An increasing number of tech companies are offering apps that track personal hydration. These apps allow users to create a custom water plan, get reminders throughout the day, and record usage. Some apps even calculate the water percentage for other beverages — such as juice, coffee, and beer — and others incorporate a game element to boost user engagement.
Some of the apps cost a few dollars to download but many are free.
And for those who don’t trust their home tap water — even when tests show it’s safe — there’s a new subscription-based service that uses reverse osmosis in its filtering system. Also known as RO, the technology had previously been too costly for residential applications. The key here is the app, which tells users when to replace the filter and allows them to place the order with the touch of a button. The upside is that maintenance and spare parts are included in the deal. The downside is that after a $49 installation fee, the service adds $29 per month to your total home water costs.
