Reserves : A major stake for the years to come is to meet mankind drinking water needs. Already today 1 out of 5 men cannot access it. According to UN out of the 33 megapoles holding more than 8 millions people existing in 15 years time, 27 will be located in the least developed countries which are at the same time least able to cope with the needs. Moreover, even if some slight decreases of water consumption have been taking place in the US and Europe the forecast is alarming with a 40% increase of the communal nd domestic consumption within the next 20 years. 

Consumption per person: in France the amounts of bottled water bought by person have reached an average of 108 litres per person per year in the Nord-Picardie area and 66 litres per person in Provence-Languedoc.

Pollution: To date the situation is dramatic. .Whole areas have been devastated and numerous rivers, lakes and ground waters are polluted all around the world, pollution which nature finds difficult to bring down. 

Risk for the industrialist: Pollution (nitrates, hydrocarbons or other) might force him to a dramatic and costly call back of its production. 


 

One of the reasons for the French craze for bottled water demand is a safety quest, a certain mistrust of tap water, without mentioning pollution problems in some areas. There bottled water is more necessary than ever. Water is the food product which offers the greatest number of opportunities to be consumed in a day : at table, in the office, in the street, at bars...It is one of the least elaborate (most natural) food market where the messages to the consumer are clear and positive : ie, sports, health, youth.

 According to SOFRES/CI water polls, the proportion of regular water drinkers is 63%, down 3 points since 1999. 28% of the French say they never drink tap water. 64% say they drink bottled water at least once a week and 44% many times a day. 50% of the consumers say they drink both. These ‘mixed” drinkers say they drink 55% of tap water and 45% of bottled water.

The still mineral waters market in France is dominated by big groups : Danone (Evian, Volvic), Nestlé through Perrier/Vittel (Vittel, Contrex, Hépar), Neptune/Castel (Thonon, Courmayeur), St Amand (St Amand, St Antonin). Neptune via Cristalline  specialises in the lowest price spring waters. St Amand mainly sells its spring waters under supermarkets labels.

(AC NIELSEN)

The mineral water market has for years regularly increased. It benefits from the deterioration of the taste, and even the quality, of tap water. It also benefits from the guarantee  to be a product of constant and impeccable quality which may be consumed anywhere and easily transported. 

Chancel ® mineral water, thanks to its special properties, is suitable for everybody, which is not the case of the more mineralised waters. It may be drunk without restrictions.

(AC NIELSEN)

(AC NIELSEN)

Despite the important market breakthrough of spring water, mineral water is still leading sales both for volume and value. A regional mineral water will never be confused with a low price water. The sale price of the leading national mineral waters is linked to the marketing budgets of their brands.

History

In 2000, 80 billion litres of water of all types have been sold worldwide, out of which 7.9 billion in France to a market value of 14.5 billion francs (2.2 billion € or £ 1.5 billion ). Valued at more than 33.5 billion € or £ £27 billion, the volume of the world market for bottled water increases by 8 to 10% per year. 

In France the still water market is 5.7 billion litres with a turnover of 1.34 billion €.

In 2000, 96.5% of homes have bought bottled water which amounts to 230.5 litres per home per year. It is estimated that, on average, each Frenchman drinks 110 litres of bottled water per year.

Today the French have become the second biggest consumers of bottled water in Europe, after the Italians. Within the last ten years the sales have doubled, and their progression should remain exponential. The French are suspicious of tap water and prefer still to sparkling water.

(AC NIELSEN)

(AC NIELSEN)

(DRIRE Auvergne) 

(DRIRE Auvergne) 

The central location of the Chancel source, at the crossing of the main North-South and East-West French motorways, and thus at the centre of Europe, minimises the cost of transport for a national and international distribution.

The Chancel source will be able to offer a high quality mineral water  at a lower price than the big national trademarks (Evian, Vittel, Volvic...) but higher than low price spring water (Cristalline), and also above the mountain waters (Mont Dore, Roche des Ecrins). 

Our contacts with supermarkets have proved that contracts may be signed with them at a price which will allow them to sell Chancel mineral water without advertising. Another more classical approach could be to spend some money on regional advertising,become known regionally and later expand our merchandising towards the bigger cities.

One must not forget that the majority of consumers consider mineral water to be  a better quality product than  spring water. The mineral content of the water of the Chancel source, its bacteriological purity, its legally protected unpolluted environment and its 20cubic metres per hour authorised outflow, which amounts to 175 millions litres per year, make it a rare water.

One can reasonably expect that the Chancel source, thanks to its quality and the businesslike approach, will be shortly able to produce and sell 40 to 50,000,000 bottles per year.