© Zenith International West Europe Top 50 cooler countries, 1000 units at 2015 December
According to a new report from Zenith International, 64,000 extra water coolers were installed across West Europe in 2015, marking a 2.3% increase and taking the total to 2.9 million.
The number of bottled water coolers edged up by 0.1%, their first growth since 2006. The figure for point of use mains water coolers units rose by a further 5.1%, continuing their advance towards gaining a majority share. They now account for 44.9% of the market, compared with 43.8% in 2014.
The United Kingdom retains the lead for water cooler installations at 22.4% of the total. Italy and France also saw modest gains, at 17.5% and 16.0% shares respectively. The growth in bottled water coolers was driven mainly by Italy (+3.8%) and Spain (+3.3%). Mains water coolers achieved double digit growth in Austria, Portugal, Switzerland and France, closely followed by Germany and Spain with growth of over 9%.
“The water cooler industries in many of the bigger European markets have returned to a stable growth path, fuelled by a positive economic climate, greater business confidence and stronger perceptions of water as a healthy means of hydration,” commented Zenith International market analyst Iuliana Boda.
In a third consecutive year of growth, the volume of water sold through bottled water coolers in West Europe rose by 1.6% in 2015 to 1,247 million litres, with significant gains in the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy and Portugal. A hot summer had a major influence on this.
Zenith forecasts that, by 2020 the total West European market will advance a further 11% to 3.2 million units, with mains water coolers accounting for 49% of the total.
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2024