Not only does it seem everyone is drinking sparkling water these days, but most share a strong opinion.
Of those participating in drink after drink of sparkling water, we decided to ask the question: What brand is winning the sparkling water wars? And, why?
Multiple factors go into what makes trending beverages — canned or bottled, single or bulk, flavored or not. 1,000 real shoppers answered definitive questions about their sparkling water preferences, and why they would be willing to switch brands.
*All survey respondents were U.S. adults at least 18 years of age and smartphone owners. The survey was executed through the Field Agent platform, July 12, 2024, with a random sample of shoppers. Demos: Gender - Female (76.2%), Male (22.6%), Prefer Not to Say (0.11%), Age - 18-29 (13.2%), 30-39 (36.4%), 40-49 (28%), 50+ (22.4%); Household Income - < $35K (9.3%), $35-49K (12.3%), $50-74K (14.5%), $75-99K (14.7%), $100-125K (9.9%), $125K+ (24.3%), Prefer Not to Say (10.1%); Race/Ethnicity - Caucasian/White (62.1%), Latino/Hispanic (8.7%), African American/Black (7.5%), Asian American (7.8%), Native American (1%), Other (3.3%)
A New Line Item on America's Grocery List
LaCroix has been in production since 1981, but it seems like a more recent phenomenon, doesn’t it? That’s because in 2015, the company launched a marketing campaign targeting health-conscious millennial consumers — boosting its yearly revenue from $65 million to $226 million in the same year.
According to Grand View Research, the sparkling water industry generated $29.71 billion in revenue in 2020 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 12.6% from 2021 to 2028.
Our survey respondents confirmed this: with half sharing that they purchase sparkling water at least once a week.
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When shoppers add seltzer to their shopping carts, 2 out of 3 say they gravitate towards the packaged — likely for the cost savings.
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And, out of the dozens of sparkling waters, LaCroix has been deemed the leading brand in popularity.
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Don't Judge a Seltzer by It's Cover
There are plenty of sayings to go around about how “it’s about what’s on the inside rather than what’s on the outside”. But in the case of sparkling waters, customers have strong preferences on packaging.
We asked survey respondents to look at the general packaging options and choose which was most appealing to them.
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Canned with flavor imagery came in first with over one-third of respondents saying this was their favorite — but surprisingly, canned with basic colors was at the bottom of the list. We included LaCroix and Bubly cans on the “basic colors” list, yet, they were ranked people’s overall favorites. How much more purchased would they be if they had different packaging options?
However, when it comes to the factors that are most important to choosing a sparkling water — taste comes first, even before cost. 71% of respondents said that taste is the most important determinant in choosing sparkling water.
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Taste and Flavor Take the Cake
The taste may be superior, but are there enough flavor options to keep a consumer loyal to one brand? We asked survey respondents to choose their top three sparkling water brands in terms of taste then flavor options to see if their loyalty stuck.
LaCroix, Bubly, and Sparkling Ice win in both categories, but that’s where the similarities stop.
While San Pelligrino, Perrier, and Topo Chico come in next in terms of taste, they drop significantly in flavor options. Taking their place is Waterloo, Polar Seltzer, and Spindrift.
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But what flavors are most popular?
The majority — two in three — of survey respondents said they preferred berry flavored seltzer.
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73% said they preferred their sparkling water with natural flavors, 25% said they had no preference, and the remaining 2% said they preferred artificial flavors.
4 in 5 say they usually drink sparkling water straight from the can or bottle. But when they don’t, it tends to be used as a mixer for other drinks. Over 60% of people say they will more than often use sparkling water as a mixer for other drinks.
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Sparkling Water Loyalties
With the bulk of Americans picking up their seltzer on their typical grocery runs — with the occasional online delivery or convenience store — presence on shelf is crucial.
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Not only that, but the primary means of discovering new sparkling water brands are from in-store displays.
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And the cherry on top of it all is that nearly 99% are likely to try a new sparkling water brand. The sparkling water consumer can be easily swayed with bright packaging, new flavor options, and not pay a large difference in price.
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Key Takeaways
The sparkling water market is booming, with significant consumer engagement and strong opinions about brands and preferences. In our analysis of the US market drinking sparkling water, here are our conclusions.
- Top Brands: LaCroix, Bubly, and Sparkling Ice lead in both taste and flavor variety, while San Pellegrino, Perrier, and Topo Chico rank high in taste but lower in flavor options.
- Packaging Preferences: Canned sparkling water with flavor imagery is preferred, but top brands like LaCroix and Bubly have potential to boost sales with more appealing packaging.
- Flavor Trends: Berry is the most popular flavor, and there is a strong preference for natural flavors.
- Retail Presence: In-store displays are crucial for brand discovery, with most purchases happening during regular grocery shopping.
- Willingness to Try New Brands: Nearly 99% of consumers are open to trying new sparkling water brands, influenced by packaging, flavor options, and price.
How Field Agent Can Help Sparkling Water Brands Succeed on Shelf
Through continuous store audits by real shoppers, Field Agent ensures your brand’s presence and visibility on shelves — verifying that your sparkling water products are stocked, displayed correctly, and available to consumers.
To stay competitive, Field Agent provides price check services, offering real-time data on how your products are priced compared to competitors, enabling informed pricing decisions.
Maintaining optimal shelf placement is crucial, and our planogram execution and compliance services help confirm that your products are placed according to the agreed-upon planograms, maximizing visibility and sales potential. Gather direct feedback from shoppers, conduct surveys to understand preferences, discover new trends, and adapt to consumer demands.
Sparkling water brands can enhance their shelf presence, optimize pricing, gather valuable consumer insights, and ultimately drive higher sales and customer loyalty with Field Agent insights.
