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Your value label supermarket water is straight out of the tap

ag010_02 Ever wondered why the ‘value brand’ bottled water in supermarkets is as cheap as it is? You know, around 20p for two litres? It couldn’t be because it’s just… tap water… could it?

In the case of Tesco's Everyday Value Still Water and Asda's Smartprice Still Water, yes, yes it is. Which is kind of fine, as we all know that UK mains water is safe to drink straight from the tap, but when it costs a third of a penny per litre out of the tap, there’s some sizeable profit-making going on.

The two supermarkets were called out on it by the Telegraph and a Tesco spokesperson told the paper: "Our Everyday Value Still Water goes through a complex filtration process to improve the taste and remove impurities. Tesco sells a wide range of waters to suit all tastes and budgets. All of our products are clearly labelled so customers know what they are buying.”

Meanwhile Asda said: “Our Smart Price water is treated to remove chlorine, further filtered, then bottled. If sparkling, carbon dioxide is added for a bit of fizz. The label on the bottle tells our customers just that.

“Our two litre bottle is 17p. For comparison – if a customer bought a Brita water filter jug at £16 and used it for the recommended 40 gallons, it would cost 21p to produce two litres of filtered water. We’re saving our customers time and money – as well as providing a container.”

What do you lot reckon – is it a bit of a scandal that supermarkets are flogging tap water to their customers or can we expect nothing else for less than 20p for two litres of H2O?

21 comments

  • Cheesey
    "but when it costs a third of a penny per litre out of the tap, there’s some sizeable profit-making going on" Pure arse journalism. There's also the cost of bottling, electricity, rates, staff, NI etc etc to pay.
    Reply ·
  • qwertyuiop
    If it says on the label that it's tap water as Tescos are claiming, then it's up to the customer to read the label and then subsequently in their hands again as to whether or not they choose to buy it. Of course, if Tescos are lying and it's not mentioned on the label that it's tap water, then a fresh corner of Hell is reserved for their Chief Exec.
    Reply ·
  • BS
    Sometimes people buy bottled water because they don't have mains water which is what my family did for a while, and this water is clean.
    Reply ·
  • Wavydavy
    One of the most profitable schemes ever devised to deprive the gullible of their money must be the sale of bottled water
    Reply ·
  • Roge
    Seriously all the things that are a rip off in this world and they pick on a 17p bottle of water. What a waste of space . How about some proper journalism and go after train companies, ticket resellers, mobile phone contracts, gym memberships, bank charges, drinks at concerts/sports etc
    Reply ·
  • Lemmywinks
    Bottled water is for fucktards.
    Reply ·
  • Alexis
    Very useful when you're down south and don't want to drink the saltwater gunge that comes out of everybody's taps down there.
    Reply ·
  • Me
    Sainsburys also do a basics water and I prefer it to all other bottled water. I had already assumed it was tap water at 17p and frankly couldn't care less - I can't carry the plumbed in tap around with me on a hot day.
    Reply ·
  • Iain
    As Alexis said, when you live down south the water is awful. Not drank water straight from the tap in years. We buy value bottled water for making tea and coffee and the water is so scale hard here it's unreal. Plus where I am is close to a water treatment plant and often tap water will have a chlorine smell and taste which then both smell and taste get transferred to the tea and coffee we drink. So 17p is worth the 2 ltrs in my opinion. Plus we use to use Brita filters but within a week the cartridge would too be tainted with the chlorine taste so wasting much more money.
    Reply ·
  • Stu_
    I'm with Alexis and Iain. And I'm from the South! I'm just about used to Bedfordshire water, but when we go down to the South Coast we always buy bottled water for tea otherwise it tastes revolting.
    Reply ·
  • Lemmywinks
    I rest my case.
    Reply ·
  • Andy D.
    There must be a market for it else they wouldn't go to the trouble. If you don't want it, don't buy it. Simple. Where do you think Coca Cola get their water to make soft drinks? From a leaf lined river in the middle of the countryside? Do they heck! What about water used for making bread? Is that organically sourced eco-friendly green water filtered for thousands of years through dead shellfish? No! I think people would be more annoyed if tesco were drilling wells all over the country and lowering the water table. But they're not. They are paying for it too. So good luck to them. Supply and demand!
    Reply ·
  • captain c.
    Peckham Spring Water anyone??
    Reply ·
  • Avon B.
    Anyone remember Dasani? Big Coca-Cola Corp FAIL.
    Reply ·
  • Nikey H.
    Yeah, all those Nigerian scum down my road will be buying boatloads of these
    Reply ·
  • Burt r.
    can you wash a vets anus with it though?, that is the unanswered question!
    Reply ·
  • Danny
    I'd like to know what people thought they were buying @17p/bottle? If it was spring/mineral water it would clearly say so!
    Reply ·
  • Ian
    I buy the sparkling water, i expect the carbon dioxide is taken from the air.
    Reply ·
  • Dick
    I bought loads of these to fill my bath. That was one uncomfortable fucking bath and I didn't even get clean. Next time I will open them.
    Reply ·
  • Spencer
    Is this honestly news? Did anyone not know? Here's a tip... ANY spring water will detail it's source. If it doesn't say so... then it's safe to assume it's out of a tap...
    Reply ·
  • Spencer
    Oh and here's a tip... sodastream syrups.... buy the red bull one. It's £3. It makes the equivalent of about 50 cans of red bull. Mix it up with sparkling water from tesco.
    Reply ·

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