Finance
Danone Bets on Bottled-Water as Health Trends Reshape Drink Choices
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on April 2, 2026
2 min readLast updated: April 2, 2026
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Danone is capitalizing on rising health awareness and the GLP‑1-driven trend away from sugary beverages toward bottled water, boosting Evian and other water brand sales across Europe, particularly in Britain and France.
Danone Sees Bottled Water Surge as Health-Conscious Consumers Shift Away from Sugary Drinks
Health Trends Drive Growth in Bottled Water Market
By Dominique Patton
EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France, April 2 (Reuters) - Danone said on Thursday rising health awareness among consumers in Britain and France is driving a shift from sugary drinks to bottled water, boosting sales of the French consumer goods giant's brands like Evian.
Food companies from Nestle to Unilever have spent the past decade grappling with a shift by health-conscious consumers towards fresher, less sweet products.
Impact of Health Awareness and Weight Loss Drugs
This trend has been amplified by the rise of GLP-1 weight loss drugs in Europe and the United States.
Bottled Water Market Growth Statistics
Europe's 18 billion euro ($21 billion) bottled-water market grew 5% in value and 3% in volume last year, its fastest pace in recent years, said Antoine Portmann, managing director of Danone Waters Europe. That was led by 7% growth in value in France and 9% in Britain.
"What is driving this, I think, is more and more consciousness from consumers about the importance of healthy hydration," he told Reuters in an interview in Evian-Les-Bains at the foot of the French Alps.
"So I think that's why, structurally, we believe that this growth will continue."
Regional Differences in Beverage Preferences
Portmann acknowledged that in some markets, sugary drinks still dominated. Water sales of some 4.85 billion euros last year - under a fifth of Danone's total - were up 1.9% globally, and 3.3% in Europe.
Busy Lifestyles and On-the-Go Consumption
Changing Consumer Habits
BUSY CONSUMERS HELP ON-THE-GO WATER SALES
Portmann said busy consumers with little time for sit-down meals were helping sales, too.
"They go for options that they can eat on-the-go, and each time they will need to carry some water with them," he said.
Danone’s Investment and Competitive Landscape
Danone is stepping up investment in its water brands, committing 20 million euros to upgrade its Evian bottling facility, and 8 million euros to preserve its Evian, Volvic, Badoit and La Salvetat sites.
The push comes as rival Nestle seeks to sell a 50% stake in its water unit, which includes Perrier and San Pellegrino.
($1 = 0.8678 euros)
(Reporting by Dominique PattonEditing by Bernadette Baum)
Key Takeaways
- •Europe’s bottled‑water market grew ~5% in value and ~3% in volume in 2025, with 7% value growth in France and 9% in Britain, the fastest in years – Danone’s Waters division is benefitting from structural demand shifts. (briefingwire.com)
- •The surge is partly fueled by wider adoption of GLP‑1 weight‑loss medications, which cause dehydration and prompt increased water and hydration beverage consumption. (beveragedaily.com)
- •Danone is investing €28 million to upgrade Evian‑area bottling sites amid this momentum, while rival Nestlé is moving to deconsolidate its water unit by 2027. (lemonde.fr)
References
Frequently Asked Questions about Danone bets on bottled-water as health trends reshape drink choices
1What is driving Danone's bottled water sales growth?
Rising health awareness among consumers in Britain and France is shifting preferences from sugary drinks to bottled water, boosting Danone's sales.
2How much did Europe's bottled-water market grow last year?
Europe's bottled-water market grew by 5% in value and 3% in volume last year, with faster growth in France and Britain.
3What investments is Danone making in its water brands?
Danone is investing 20 million euros to upgrade its Evian bottling facility and 8 million euros to preserve its water brand sites.
4Which factors are contributing to increased on-the-go bottled water sales?
Busy consumers with little time for sit-down meals are choosing easily portable bottled water for hydration on the go.
