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Bottled water market grows fast

SOHEl PARVE
Sales of bottled water in thi country is rising by up to 2i percent a year mainly due ti consumers' lack of confidenc in public water service facili ties.
An increased mobility o people across the country ha also contributed hugely in thi ever-growing popularity o such products in the local mar ket, producers said.
“Mass awareness agains water-born diseases, couple< with lack of confidence in thi government provided wate supply facilities, are the mail reasons behind such a rise it the demand. Product availabil ity has also encouraged rise it consumption," according t< Md Saiful Islam I ielaly, genera manager, Marketing, o Meghna Group of Industries,; leader in manufacturing bot tied water under the brant Fresh.
Industry people said thi demand for pure drinkini water has been enjoying at annual growth of 10-20 percen over the last couple of year with many new players enterei the market to garb a slice of thi Tk70-100 crore market.
According to producers Super Fresh and Mum contro over 60 percent of the marke followed by Jibon, Acme, Prai and Spa.
"Many office goers thesi days prefer bottled water wit!
their lunch," said Mt Aktaruzzaman, marketin; manager of Partex Beverage the second biggest player ii the market under the popu I ar brand Mum.
Increased mobility o people has helped the mar ket grow with consumer taking bottled water durini their travel, he said.
However, intense compe tition coupled wit] increased production cost have squeezed many player already.
"Profit margins in thi segment are thin. A majo part of our profit is going ti the pockets of retailers. Th whole industry is now hos tagc to the hands of retail ers,” Hclaly of Meghn Group said while talking t The Daily Star.
A 500-600 ml (milliliter bottle that sells at Tk 10 ii retail, costs between Tk 6.2 andTk 7.90 in wholesale.
Badhsha Faisal, owner of food court at Karwan Baza: who usually carries Mun
branded bottled water o Partex, said a single pet of 50i ml MUM costs himTk 6.75.
"It's (water) a slow iten and therefore the profit mar gin must be higher thar other products," said Faisal.
But Nasir, owner of a gro eery store in Lalbag of th< capital, prefers to carry Fresl instead.
"I usually carry Fresl more because it offers m< increased margin," hi added.
sohel@thedailystar.net