16/06/2008

Consumers Urged To 'Bin The (Water) Bottle'

A national campaign is being launched to encourage the public to stop buying bottled water.

According to environmental group Tap, British consumers spend more than £1.5 billion on bottled water each year and more than three billion bottles are discarded.

The DIY Bottled Water Campaign, launched by Tap is calling on those who can't distinguish between bottled and tap water to refill their plastic containers and stick on a 'Tap' adhesive label.

Joshua Blackburn, founder of Tap says that "the bottled water industry is a triupmph of marketing over common sense," and it has become a "symbol of our disposable culture at its dumbest".

Tap maintain that Britain's water is "high quality" and that it is time to "bin the bottle".

The group also asks consumers to ask for tap water in restaurants.

London Mayor Boris Johnson is supporting the campaign and says that by choosing tap water over "expensive bottled water", consumers can "save money, reduce unsightly litter and prevent unnecessary waste".

Manchester Blackley MP Graham Stringer has led a campaign to cut the 250,000 bottles a year bought by the Commons.

Environment Minister and Oldham MP Phil Woolas also backs the Tap into Water campaign and has attacked the bottled water trend as "morally indefensible".

The UK market for mineral and spring water continues to expand and is now according to the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) estimated to be worth £1.7 billion annually, accounting for 15% of soft drinks sales iin the UK.

The figure is predicted to rsie to 21% in 2008.

(DS)


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