According to research released by Roy Morgan in 2015, some 5.3 million people (or 27.1% of Aussies 14+) drank bottled water in any given seven days — an increase on 2014, when 4.9 million Australians drank it in the same period. The most popular brand by far is Mount Franklin, consumed by nearly 40% of all bottled-water drinkers in an average seven days. Coles Natural Spring Water is a very distant second (14.0%), just ahead of Pump Pure Water (12.8%). Andrew Price, General Manager – Consumer Products, Roy Morgan Research, said that despite its fame for being used by supermodels and Hollywood actresses to wash their hair, Evian is only the tenth-most popular bottled water in Australia, consumed by 1.6% of the population in an average seven days.
“A theme emerges pretty quickly when we look at Australia’s 10 most widely consumed bottled waters: brand names that evoke images of nature (Mount Franklin, Cool Ridge, Peats Ridge, Fiji Water) or purity (Aqua Pura, Coles Natural Spring Water). Selling something we can drink for free from the tap is a big ask, but by emphasising the natural and untouched quality of their water, these brands are implying (without stating outright) that they are better for the consumer than tap water.”

Mr. Price explained that a greater proportion of Australian women (29.7%) than men (24.5%) drink bottled water in an average seven days, and this pattern is evident across most of the top 10 brands. Cool Ridge and Fiji Water have the most pronounced gender skew towards women, while only Peats Ridge is consumed by slightly more men than women. Price went on to point out that Australians under 50 are markedly more likely than older Aussies to drink bottled water, with its popularity peaking among the 25-34 year-old bracket (a third of whom drink it in an average week). Around the country, bottled water consumption is most widespread in Western Australia, where 30.2% of residents drink it in an average seven days. NSW is close behind (29.0%), whereas Tasmanians are below average at 22.3%.
“This message appears to be resonating with more women than men: not only do they drink more of it, as explained above, but slightly more of them (2.2 million women vs 2 million men) agree that ‘bottled water is better to drink than tap water’. Mind you, Cool Ridge’s particular success with women (who comprise 64% of all Cool Ridge drinkers) may also have something to do with its ultra-cute advertising campaign featuring puppets of native fauna brainstorming ideas to market their brand!” Mr. Price commented.