US Still and Sparkling Waters Market Report 2026
"From purity to possibility, the packaged water category thrives when it delivers clarity, confidence, and a little room to explore."
Julia Mills, Food & Drink Analyst
US Bottled Water Industry – Trends and Insights
- The still and sparkling water category remains stable, as consumers view hydration as essential to their wellbeing, with 85% saying it’s an accessible way to support their health, and growing safety concerns drive many toward packaged options for purity and trust.
- Growth is strongest at the value and premium ends of the market, while mid-tier brands struggle to differentiate as private label expands and premium players win on experience, transparency, and elevated positioning.
- At the same time, rising climate pressures, aging populations, Boomers’ growing hydration needs, and Millennials’ appetite for flavor and functional exploration create significant opportunities for brands to innovate simply – emphasizing clarity, safety, light-touch functionality, and culturally resonant flavors – while avoiding complexity that feels unnecessary or overpriced.
This Report Looks at the Following Areas:
- Types of water consumers drink
- Shifts in water-drinking habits and consumption patterns
- Key factors influencing packaged water purchases
- Consumer interest in functional bottled water benefits and claims
- Consumer interest in flavored bottled water options
- Perceived attributes of various beverage types
- Consumer attitudes and behaviors toward bottled water
Report Scope
For this Report water is segmented as follows:
- Nonflavored convenience still water: may be plain or enhanced with vitamins, minerals or other supplements (eg Essentia, Dasani, Pure Life)
- Flavored convenience still water: may be plain or enhanced with vitamins, minerals or other supplements (eg Hint, Propel, Vitaminwater)
- Nonflavored seltzer/sparkling/mineral water: may be plain or enhanced (eg Perrier, Topo Chico, unflavored Polar Seltzer)
- Flavored seltzer/sparkling/mineral water: may be plain or enhanced (eg LaCroix, Bubly, AHA)
- Jug/bulk still bottled water: plain water sold in multiserve containers; excludes jug/bulk containers that are filled by the consumer.
This Report excludes the following:
- Water sold from bulk dispensers or coolers. This includes sales through vending machines, foodservice, and delivery services.
- Coconut water and other plant-based waters.
- Water filtration products.
This Report includes consumer data but not sales data on powdered/liquid water enhancement products (eg Mio, Liquid I.V., Crystal Light).
Collapse All
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- What you need to know
- Outlook for still and sparkling waters
- Opportunities
- The category’s strength is its simplicity: innovations must build around it, not over it
- Build the connections between sustainability, consumer safety, and product integrity
- Graph 1: attributes consumers look for when shopping for packaged water, 2026
- Challenge when, where, and with whom flavored, functional, and sparkling waters belong
- Discover the top five trend territories for success in US non-alcoholic beverages using Black Swan’s social prediction technology
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THE MARKET
- Snapshot – market size and forecast of still and sparking waters
- Consumers and the economic outlook
- Market factors
- Hydration emerges as a key pillar of wellbeing in a hotter world
- An aging America will need better hydration solutions, as older adults become vulnerable to under-hydration
- Subdued thirst cues and fluid loss make consistent hydration even more critical for GLP-1 users
- Graph 2: experience or interest in weight management methods, 2025
- Lower-income consumers scale back on bottled and canned beverages
- Graph 3: change in financial situation over the past 12 months, 2025
- Environmental concerns put water on the political agenda
- Market size and forecast
- Slow and steady growth across the water category
- Retail sales and forecast of still and sparkling waters
- Graph 4: total retail sales and forecast of still and sparkling waters, at current prices, 2019-30
- Retail sales and forecast of still and sparkling waters
- Market segmentation
- Flavored and nonflavored sparkling water grow share
- Graph 5: segment dollar share of still and sparkling water sales, 2025
- Graph 6: segment % share of still and sparkling water sales, 2023-25
- Retail sales and forecast of still and sparkling waters, by segment
- Market share/brand share
- Breakout flavored still water brands balance enjoyment with functional benefits
- Sales of flavored convenience/bottled still water, by company
- New leaders emerge as legacy brands decline in sparkling water
- Sales of flavored seltzer/sparkling/mineral water, by company
- The middle of the market struggles to stand out in plain bottled water
- Sales of non-flavored convenience/bottled still water, by company
- Water safety and availability concerns renew interest in large-format options
- Sales of non-flavored jug/bulk still water, by company
- Non-flavored sparkling water expands at the high end, energized by lifestyle-led marketing
- Sales of non-flavored seltzer/sparkling/mineral, by company
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THE CONSUMER
- Consumer’s perception of water by type
- Consumers mainly see beverages through a health versus indulgence lens
- Perceptions reveal a sharp divide between everyday hydration and occasional treats
- What does this mean for the water category…
- Millennials fuel exploration and innovation across the packaged water market
- The 2010s sparkling water wave captured Millennial loyalty
- La Croix made sparkling water “cool” for Millennials and pushed the category into a new direction
- Millennials set the pace for innovation and exploration in packaged water…
- Graph 7: repertoire of types of water consumed, by generation, 2026
- Graph 8: types of water consumed, by generation, 2026
- …and place more importance on factors like packaging, nutrition, and flavor.
- Graph 9: attributes consumers prioritize when buying packaged water, by generation, 2026
- Innovation wins when it stays true to water’s health halo
- Graph 10: interest in flavored bottled water concepts, by generation, 2026
- Wellness-aligned benefits deliver on the core priorities of different consumer groups
- Reach peaks with fundamental hydration benefits, not trend-led features
- Men lean toward function-focused water choices, while women prefer simplicity
- Graph 11: interest in functional bottled water concepts/claims, by gender, 2026
- Baby Boomers represent an overlooked opportunity for functional waters
- Graph 12: “hydration is an accessible way to take care of myself,” by generation, 2026
- Functional water innovation can – and should – extend beyond younger consumers
- Graph 13: interest in functional bottled water concepts/claims, by generation, 2026
- Safety and transparency gives packaged water an edge with younger and diverse audiences
- Digital access heightens consumer awareness of water health and safety
- Graph 14: attributes consumers prioritize when buying packaged water, by generation, 2026
- Graph 15: “drinking less tap water” compared to a year ago, by generation, 2026
- Younger consumers act on safety concerns, turning to packaged water for assurance
- Graph 16: attitudes toward bottled water, by generation, 2026
- Systemic water issues drive greater reliance on packaged water among Black consumers over safety concerns
- Black consumers seek both credibility and creativity in packaged water
- Graph 17: attitudes about bottled water, by race/ethnicity, 2026
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PRODUCT, INNOVATION AND MARKETING
- Alcohol-inspired waters hit the sweet spot for the sober curious
- Familiar fruit flavors take the edge off the heat
- Hydration and low sugar anchor success; extra nutrients elevate standout appeal
- “Cool” designs don’t always cut it, as value and utility drive purchase
- bubly shows how sparkling water can be fun beyond the can
- A rising sparkling water star: Bawi reignites Gen Z’s interest through culture and community
- Sanzo blends cultural authenticity with accessible communication
- Bold partnerships keep Liquid Death culturally relevant and impossible to ignore
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APPENDIX
- Market definition
- The market
- Forecast methodology
- Forecast methodology – fan chart
- US: total retail sales and forecast of still and sparkling waters, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2019-30
- US: total retail sales and forecast of nonflavored convenience/bottled still water, at current prices, 2019-30
- US: total retail sales and forecast of nonflavored convenience/bottled still water, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2019-30
- US: total retail sales and forecast of flavored convenience/bottled still water, at current prices, 2019-30
- US: total retail sales and forecast of flavored convenience/bottled still water, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2019-30
- US: total retail sales and forecast of nonflavored jug/bulk still water, at current prices, 2019-30
- US: total retail sales and forecast of nonflavored jug/bulk still water, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2019-30
- US: total retail sales and forecast of nonflavored seltzer/sparkling/mineral water, at current prices, 2019-30
- US: total retail sales and forecast of nonflavored seltzer/sparkling/mineral water, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2019-30
- US: total retail sales and forecast of flavored seltzer/sparkling/mineral water, at current prices, 2019-30
- US: total retail sales and forecast of flavored seltzer/sparkling/mineral water, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2019-30
- The consumer
- Consumer research questions
- Consumer research methodology
- Correspondence analysis methodology
- Associations with different types of beverages
- Repertoire analysis methodology
- TURF methodology
- How to read: TURF analysis
- Generation groups
- Abbreviations and terms
- Data
- MULO sales of still and sparkling water
- Average annual household spending on still and sparkling water
- Total retail sales of still and sparkling water, by segment
- Value, average price and volume of MULO non-flavored convenience/bottled still water sales
- Value, average price and volume of MULO flavored convenience/bottled still water sales
- Value, average price and volume of MULO non-flavored jug/bulk still water sales
- Value, average price and volume of MULO non-flavored seltzer/sparkling/mineral water sales
- Value, average price and volume of MULO flavored seltzer/sparkling/mineral water sales
- Total retail sales of still and sparkling water, by channel, at current prices
- Total retail sales of still and sparkling water, by channel, at current prices, 2023 and 2025
- Supermarket sales of still and sparkling water, at current prices
- Convenience store sales of still and sparkling water, at current prices
- Sales of still and sparkling water through other retail channels, at current prices
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