Rising temperatures across Türkiye are impacting water consumption, with a noticeable increase in bottled water usage. According to reports, sales of bottled water, including both large jugs and plastic bottles, have risen by more than 35% during the summer months.
Yaşabey Kalebaşı, chair of the Bottled Water Producers Association (SUDER), told Anadolu Agency (AA) on Thursday that the hot weather has led to a surge in bottled water consumption. Kalebaşı stated: "As temperatures rise, bottled water consumption increases. Especially in the summer, sales of bottled water in both large jugs and plastic bottles have seen an overall increase of more than 35%."
Kalebaşı expects the bottled water market volume in Türkiye to reach approximately 11.1 billion liters in 2024, with 5.4 billion liters coming from jug sales and 5.7 billion liters from plastic bottle sales.
He noted that in the previous year, Türkiye’s bottled water market volume grew by 1.6% to reach 10.8 billion liters. Of this volume, 5.3 billion liters were from jug sales, which saw a 4.5% decrease, while 5.5 billion liters came from plastic bottle sales, marking an 8.1% increase. Jugs made up 49% of the total, with other bottled waters accounting for 51%. The sector's total revenue in 2023 reached approximately TL 31.1 billion ($940 million).
Kalebaşı also highlighted that the sector provides employment for over 94,000 people, including more than 14,000 directly.
In 2023, the average per capita consumption of bottled water was 127 liters, and this figure is expected to rise to 130 liters in 2024.
According to data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat), the sector exported a total of 391,876 tons of bottled water in 2023, contributing $74.4 million to the national economy. The sector exports to various countries, including Germany, the U.K., the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Iraq, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Switzerland, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Malta, Azerbaijan, France, Austria, the U.S., Japan and Libya.
Kalebaşı emphasized that Türkiye faces challenges related to climate change and desertification, making the management of underground water resources crucial.
He stated: "To minimize the impact of drought, it is essential to carefully and consciously manage, protect and transfer our underground water resources to future generations. Bottled water producers in Türkiye are aware of the importance of preserving the quantity and quality of water both globally and nationally and strive to use the most efficient methods to ensure the sustainability of our water resources for future generations."
