The majority of bottled water drinkers prefer to use single serve containers instead of in glass containers due to the various advantages they offer. They are convenient and easy to carry as well as small and portable, making them easier to just in a bag when on the move. Most of the drinkers are the students, people who travel frequently, and athletes.

Apart from being small and portable, they are an answer to the consumers' health concerns and to people with an aversion toward chemically treated water. These factors are being used by the companies to market their bottled water as being safe and free of harmful chemicals, such as the ones that might be found in the tap water.

The market for bottled water coolers is gradually declining with more independent filtered cooler dealers, OCS operators, and vending companies selling filtered coolers as a primary or add-on product.

Bottled water industry currently provides the single serve PET bottles, as well as the home and office delivery bottles. They also have the enhanced water bottles, which include oxygen-enriched, vitamin-enriched, and flavored waters. This business is highly profitable, with the flavored water being the current favorite with the consumers. However, single serve bottles still contribute to the majority of the market rev

The major participants in the PET market are the Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Nestle. These companies are creating a strong market presence in retail stores, supermarkets, restaurants, delis, club stores, and movie theatres. However, research shows that the water being marketed by these companies is actually treated municipal water and not from any spring or well.

All the bottled water companies should adhere to the FDA's quality standards, standards of identity and good manufacturing practices. This ensures that the beverage companies must label their waters to define where the water actually came from and if it's been purified or carbonated. All bottled water, be it "purified,” "spring,” "sterile” or "artesian” must meet all of the same regulations.