Y2K boosts sales of bottled water

By KARYN SCHERER

Bottled water sales are booming as cautious consumers stock up to avoid Y2K supply problems.

Supermarket operator Progressive Enterprises, which runs the Foodtown, Countdown and 3Guys chains, said bottled water sales were five times higher than normal for this time of year, which it put down to Y2K fears.

This month, the company has sold 4200 four-litre bottles of one brand, compared with 850 bottles at the same time last year.

Merchandise manager Mark Brosnan said customers seemed happy to fork out for the bottled product, although tap water was much cheaper.

Tap water costs about 1c a litre; a 750ml bottle costs about $2.

"The quality of water in the bottle is excellent," said Mr Brosnan.

"I think it's also convenience. Has everybody got a five-litre container at home? Probably not. And it's not an expensive purchase."

Mike Jemison, managing director at Coca-Cola Amatil NZ, said sales of Pump and Deep Spring water were up 158 per cent last month compared with November last year.

He also linked sales to the millennium changeover, and calculated that nationally an extra 1.5 million litres of bottled water - enough to fill an Olympic-sized pool - were sold last month.

The Y2K Readiness Commission wants households to have a New Year kit of canned food, water, medicines, torch and batteries, candles, radio, and toilet supplies. It also recommends having a barbecue ready, in case of power failure.