Where the Gains Are
C-store sales, 52 weeks ending Dec. 29, 2013
According to figures from Nielsen, convenience store bottled-water sales rose around 4% in 2013 by both dollars and units, with gallons up 3.1%. The segments leading the pack: single-serve PET, take-home multipacks and sparkling, which is benefiting from consumers seeking a healthful alternative to carbonated soft drinks. On the downturn: bulk and sweetened/enhanced water. IRI figures for bottled water, which include sweetened/enhanced varieties, show dollars up slightly and unit sales off 1.4%.
| Water type | C-store sales ($ millions) | PCYA | Unit Sales (millions) | PCYA |
| Convenience/PET | $2,818.4 | -0.8% | 1,833.9 | -2.5% |
| Jug/bulk | $198.4 | -0.2% | 106.3 | -2.1% |
| Sparkling/mineral | $96.1 | 42.4% | 64.8 | 47.9% |
| Total category | $3,113.0 | 0.2% | 2,005.0 | -1.4% |
Source: IRI
Plain vs. Sweetened/Enhanced Water
C-store sales, 52 weeks ending Dec. 28, 2013
| Water type | C-store sales ($ millions) | PCYA | Unit Sales (millions) | PCYA |
| Plain Water | ||||
| Single-serve | $1,914.1 | 4.9% | 1,387.6 | 4.3% |
| Take-home multipack | $236.4 | 3.7% | 53.8 | 2.0% |
| Convenience-serve/ PET (less than 53 ounces) | $2,150.5 | 4.8% | 1,441.4 | 4.3% |
| Multiserve/bulk | $188.9 | -0.8% | 98.1 | -3.0% |
| Sparkling | $54.5 | -2.5% | 33.7 | 10.8% |
| Total category | $2,393.9 | 4.1% | 1,573.2 | 3.9% |
| Sweetened/Enhanced Water | $506.0 | -9.8% | 311.6 | -9.0% |
Sources: The Nielsen Co., Nestlé Waters
Cross-Category Opportunity
Bottled water was the No. 1 item bought with a lunch sandwich, according to an analysis of POS data by Management Science Associates. The firm, which analyzed data from three c-store chains and a university’s foodservice program, found that bottled water was also a popular purchase with pizza (No. 7 out of top 10 categories), breakfast sandwiches (No. 10) and soups and salads (No. 2).
Bottled-Water Gallon Growth
C-store sales, 52 weeks ending Dec. 28, 2013
After a 2009 spent largely in the red, c-store gallon sales of bottled water have grown from quarter to quarter. In 2013, gallons rose 3.1%, according to Nielsen.
Plain-Water UPCs by Units, Dollars and Gallons
C-store sales, 52 weeks ending Dec. 28, 2013
By units, the 20-ounce Aquafina was the top-selling single-serve bottled-water UPC in c-stores in 2013, according to Nielsen. By dollars, the 33.8-ounce Glacéau smartwater led; by gallons, the 33.8-ounce Aquafina topped the ranking.
| Units | ||
| UPC | Unit sales (millions) | PCYA |
| Aquafina (20-oz.) | 99.2 | -6.8% |
| Dasani (20-oz.) | 96.8 | 4.8% |
| Glacéau smartwater (23.8-oz.) | 79.9 | 22.2% |
| Aquafina (33.8-oz.) | 78.1 | -8.3% |
| Glacéau smartwater (33.8-oz.) | 71.7 | 13.7% |
| Dollars | ||
| UPC | C-store sales ($ millions) | PCYA |
| Glacéau smartwater (33.8-oz.) | $149.7 | 16.2% |
| Glacéau smartwater (23.8-oz.) | $140.4 | 24.3% |
| Aquafina (33.8-oz.) | $124.3 | -9.8% |
| Aquafina (20-oz.) | $121.1 | -8.2% |
| Dasani (20-oz.) | $115.3 | 6.0% |
| Gallons | ||
| UPC | Gallon Sales (millions) | PCYA |
| Aquafina (33.8-oz.) | 20.6 | -8.3% |
| Glacéau smartwater (33.8-oz.) | 18.9 | 13.7% |
| 17.7 | 1.0% | |
| Aquafina (20-oz.) | 15.5 | -6.8% |
| Dasani (20-oz.) | 15.1 | 4.8% |
Sources: The Nielsen Co., Nestlé Waters
Latest Quarter: Bottled-Water UPCs (Plain and Enhanced)
C-store sales, 13 weeks ending Dec. 29, 2013
In the last quarter of 2013, bottled-water sales—including both plain and enhanced varieties—rose 4.8%, according to IRI. The top-selling UPC was Coca-Cola’s 33.8-ounce Glacéau smartwater.
| UPC | C-store sales ($ millions) | PCYA | Unit sales (millions) | PCYA |
| Glacéau smartwater(33.8-oz.) | $31.9 | 0.8% | 14.8 | -1.7% |
| Dasani (20-oz.) | $31.4 | -7.4% | 27.5 | -9.4% |
| Glacéau smartwater (23.7-oz.) | $30.3 | 31.4% | 17.5 | 30.8% |
| Aquafina (33.8-oz.) | $30.3 | 2.8% | 19.4 | 6.4% |
| Aquafina (20-oz.) | $30.0 | -0.7% | 25.4 | 1.1% |
| Dasani (33.8-oz.) | $25.5 | 4.4% | 16.4 | 1.9% |
| Fiji (33.8-oz.) | $14.4 | 20.8% | 5.7 | 19.2% |
Glacéau vitaminwater XXX (acai blueberry pomegranate, 20-oz.) | $11.9 | -11.6% | 7.2 | -11.0% |
| Deer Park (33.8-oz.) | $11.3 | -0.9% | 7.2 | -2.8% |
| Poland Spring (33.8-oz.) | $10.9 | 129.9% | 6.5 | 141.2% |
| Total (including UPCs not shown) | $636.2 | 4.8% | 410.9 | 4.1% |
Source: IRI
Multipack and Bulk
C-store sales, 52 weeks ending Dec. 28, 2013
C-store unit sales of jug and bulk water fell 3% in 2013, with private-label brands owning the greatest share, according to IRI. In multipacks, the 20-pack of 16.9-ounce Nestlé Pure Life was the top-selling UPC, according to Nielsen.
| Jug/Bulk Water Brands by Dollars | ||||
| Brand | C-store sales ($ millions) | PCYA | Unit sales (millions) | PCYA |
| Private label | $46.8 | 4.7% | 25.8 | 2.5% |
| Arrowhead | $24.3 | -11.1% | 11.8 | -13.0% |
| Poland Spring | $20.8 | -3.6% | 9.7 | -6.3% |
| Nestlé Pure Life | $17.6 | 45.7% | 9.0 | 35.1% |
| Ozarka | $14.5 | -2.6% | 7.2 | -3.3% |
| Total (including brands not shown) | $188.9 | -0.8% | 98.1 | -3.0 |
| Multipack UPCs by Units | ||||
| UPC | Unit sales (millions) | PCYA | C-store sales ($ millions) | PCYA |
| Nestlé Pure Life (20-pack, 16.9-oz.) | 14.2 | 0.0% | $60.0 | 1.1% |
| Aquafina (24-pack, 16.9-oz.) | 3.4 | -3.0% | $17.6 | -3.1% |
| Private label (24-pack, 16.9-oz.) | 3.3 | -16.7% | $12.1 | -15.1% |
| Private label (24-pack, 16.9-oz.) | 3.1 | 35.7% | $11.6 | 34.4% |
| Dasani (24-pack, 16.9-oz.) | 2.7 | 31.7% | $15.1 | 32.2% |
| Total (including UPCs not shown) | 98.1 | -3.0% | $188.9 | -0.8% |
Sources: The Nielsen Co., Nestlé Waters
Customer in Focus
According to research by The Nielsen Co. for Nestle Waters that maps out the decision tree for plain still bottled water, the first determining factor is whether a brand is premium or mainstream. Of the 94% of consumers who shop only the mainstream category, brand is the most important factor. A GfK Attitudinal & Usage Study shows that 48% of c-store shoppers planning a single-serve bottled-water purchase preplan the brand and then follow through with that purchase in the store.
Plain-Water Manufacturer Share by Gallons and Dollars
C-store sales, 52 weeks ending Dec. 28, 2013
According to Nielsen, Nestlé Waters and Coca-Cola picked up share of c-store plain bottled-water volume and dollar sales in 2013.
| Volume Sales | ||
| Manufacturer | Volume share | Point change |
| Nestlé Waters | 45.5% | 0.1 |
| Private label | 18.9% | -0.3 |
| Coca-Cola | 15.0% | 1.0 |
| PepsiCo | 9.7% | -0.8 |
| All other | 0.1% | 0.0 |
| Dollar Sales | ||
| Nestlé Waters | 40.9% | 0.2 |
| Coca-Cola | 23.4% | 1.8 |
| Private label | 11.8% | -0.6 |
| PepsiCo | 11.8% | -1.6 |
| All other | 0.1% | 0.0 |
Sources: The Nielsen Co., Nestlé Waters
Single-Serve Plain-Water Share by Package
C-store sales, 52 weeks ending Dec. 28, 2013
The 31- to 35.9-ounce single-serve package size of plain bottled water grew its share of c-store gallons and dollars in 2013, according to Nielsen.
| Gallon Share | ||
| Package size | Gallon share | Point change |
| 31-35.9-oz. | 49.5% | 1.2 |
| 19-20.9-oz. | 21.4% | -0.8 |
| 21-30.9-oz. | 13.6% | 0.5 |
| 16-18.9-oz. | 9.8% | -0.5 |
| 36-52.9-oz. | 5.6% | -0.3 |
| Dollar Share | ||
| Dollar share | Point change | |
| 31-35.9-oz. | 45.5% | 1.3 |
| 19-20.9-oz. | 22.5% | -1.4 |
| 21-30.9-oz. | 16.1% | 0.7 |
| 16-18.9-oz. | 11.4% | -0.5 |
| 36-52.9-oz. | 4.4% | -0.2 |
Sources: The Nielsen Co., Nestlé Waters
Sparkling and Mineral Waters by Brand and UPC
IRI figures show Perrier with more than 41% of c-store sparkling/mineral water sales, while Glacéau fruitwater jumped onto the ranking of top five brands. Nielsen places the 16.9-ounce Perrier as the top-selling c-store sparkling/mineral water UPC in 2013.
C-store sales, 52 weeks ending Dec. 29, 2013
| Brand | C-store sales ($ millions) | PCYA | Unit sales (millions) | PCYA |
| Perrier | $39.7 | 7.8% | 25.6 | 64.8 |
| Glacéau fruitwater | $14.0 | NA | 8.9 | NA |
| Sparkling Ice | $12.9 | 233.3% | 9.1 | 239.8% |
| Topo Chico | $9.4 | 9.4% | 6.4 | 6.3% |
| Poland Spring | $4.5 | -15.4% | 2.8 | 78.9% |
| Total (including brands not shown) | $96.1 | 42.4% | 64.8 | 47.9% |
Source: IRI
| UPC | Unit sales (millions) | PCYA | C-store sales ($ millions) | PCYA |
| Perrier (16.9-oz.) | 11.7 | -5.3% | $17.6 | -4.2% |
| Perrier (citron, 16.9-oz.) | 4.8 | 20.5% | $7.1 | 22.8% |
| Topo Chico (20-oz.) | 3.8 | 1.0% | $5.2 | 2.3% |
| Topo Chico (11.5-oz.) | 1.6 | 9.6% | $2.0 | 13.1% |
| Perrier (pink grapefruit, 16.9-oz.) | 1.5 | -10.6% | $2.3 | -9.9% |
| Total (including UPCs not shown) | 33.7 | 10.8% | $54.5 | -2.5% |
Sources: The Nielsen Co., Nestlé Waters
Sweetened/Enhanced Waters by UPC
C-store sales, 52 weeks ending Dec. 28, 2013
The sweetened/enhanced segment struggled in 2013, with units off 9% and dollars down nearly 10%, according to Nielsen figures.
| UPC | Unit sales (millions) | PCYA | C-store sales ($ millions) | PCYA |
| Glacéau vitaminwater XXX (acai blueberry pomegranate, 20-oz.) | 31.8 | -16.0% | $53.5 | -14.7% |
| Glacéau vitaminwater Power-C (dragonfruit, 20-oz.) | 27.2 | -10.1% | $45.4 | -8.9% |
| Glacéau vitaminwater Energy (tropical citrus, 20-oz.) | 23.9 | -5.8% | $40.0 | -4.4% |
| Glacéau vitaminwater Revive (fruit punch, 20-oz.) | 19.3 | -18.7% | $32.1 | -17.6% |
| Glacéau vitaminwater Essential (orange-orange, 20-oz.) | 12.4 | -13.5% | $20.6 | -13.3% |
| Glacéau vitaminwater XXX (acai blueberry pomegranate, 32-oz.) | 12.2 | -12.4% | $27.1 | -15.2% |
| Glacéau vitaminwater Power-C (dragonfruit, 32-oz.) | 9.7 | -6.4% | $21.6 | -9.6% |
| Glacéau vitaminwater XX zero (acai blueberry pomegranate, 20-oz.) | 9.6 | -19.8% | $16.1 | -18.6% |
| Glacéau vitaminwater zero (lemonade, 20-oz.) | 9.4 | -16.1% | $15.4 | -15.7% |
| Total (including UPCs not shown) | 311.6 | -9.0% | $506.0 | -9.8% |
Sources: The Nielsen Co., Nestlé Waters
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