By
Associated Press
.
Published: Tue, June 17, 2008 - 3:31 pm
Last Updated: Tue, June 17, 2008 - 3:39 pm
Bottled water has long been seen as chic, but ina tight economy some consumers are starting to see it as a wasteful
"rip-off."
Marketing and beverage analysts note that people are no longer
so happy to spend a dollar or more for a 20-ounce bottle of water,
when tap water is free, or nearly free.
Trade figures show U.S. consumers spent 16.8 billion dollars on
bottled water last year. That's an increase in growth, but it's
reported as the slowest growth rate since the early 1990s.
The economic factor may be doing what environmentalists have
been trying to do for years: wean people off the bottles of water
touted as stylish and healthier than tap water.
Many cities have enacted pro-tap campaigns. Chicago has started
a 5-cent tax on plastic water bottles.
While it's tough to track rates of tap-water use, sales of
faucet accessories -- such as those that purify water -- are
apparently booming.
Relief At The Pump
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I am a bottled water drinker, but recently I got one of those water purifiers attatched to my faucet which is nice. And, ya know… the other night I was at Hollywood movie theatres and spend FOUR FREAKING DOLLARS for a bottle of dasani water, and it tasted like mud mixed with vomit and a little touch of water.