Water might be a lackluster hydration option, but it's inarguably a healthy one. Americans are finally clueing in, too, new research has found. For the first time in decades, people in the U.S. drank more bottled water last year than they did soda, The Wall Street Journal reports, with the gains coming "amid concerns about the health effects of sugary drinks and the safety of public-water supplies."
The exact numbers, according to Beverage Marketing Corp., found that U.S. consumption of bottled water was at 39.3 gallons per capita in 2016, while soft drinks drained to 38.5 gallons. Soda companies were still making 26 percent of that water bottle revenue, though, since Coca-Cola Co. and PepsiCo Inc. own major bottle companies like Dasani and Aquafina.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
'The Hum': the real-life noise behind The ListenersIn The Spotlight Can some of us also hear the disturbing sound that plagues characters in the hit TV show – and where is it coming from?
-
The Week Unwrapped: Are we any closer to identifying UFOs?Podcast Plus, will deals with Tunisia and Kurdistan help Labour? And what next for the Wagner Group?
-
Quiz of The Week: 16 - 22 NovemberHave you been paying attention to The Week's news?
-
US charges Indian tycoon with bribery, fraudSpeed Read Indian billionaire Gautam Adani has been indicted by US prosecutors for his role in a $265 million scheme to secure solar energy deals
-
Boeing machinists approve contract, end strikeSpeed Read The company's largest union approved the new contract offer, ending a seven-week strike
-
US economy still strong in final preelection reportSpeed Read It grew at a solid 2.8% annual rate from July through September
-
Boeing machinists reject deal, continue strikeSpeed Read The rejection came the same day Boeing reported a $6.2 billion quarterly loss
-
Ports reopen after dockworkers halt strikeSpeed Read The 36 ports that closed this week, from Maine to Texas, will start reopening today
-
Empty-nest boomers aren't selling their big homesSpeed Read Most Americans 60 and older do not intend to move, according to a recent survey
-
Brazil accuses Musk of 'disinformation campaign'Speed Read A Brazilian Supreme Court judge has opened an inquiry into Elon Musk and X
-
Disney board fends off Peltz infiltration bidSpeed Read Disney CEO Bob Iger has defeated activist investor Nelson Peltz in a contentious proxy battle
