Today at lunch in the UBC SUB my friend bought bottled water with lunch. When we finished lunch and were leaving, she poured the remaining water into her own personal water bottle. Keeping in mind that there was a free filtered water station just a few steps away, I wondered why she bought the bottled water. In fact, why are bottled water industries still making money in Vancouver? In Vancouver we claim to have the purest tap water in the world and is also available most anywhere. The need for clean water is gone, the convenience of bottled water is debatably more convenient then walking to a tap, it’s “more expensive per volume than gasoline” and plastic bottles aren’t environmentally friendly. According to BC Living the success of bottled water derives from the five marketing myths bottled water companies use.

With that being said the purchase of a plastic bottle for the bottle itself is logical, and bottled water has its benefits convenience wise in situations such as large events, where access to free water is more difficult. However I still believe that the success of bottled water in Vancouver is a phenomenon.