Aquafina is a brand of bottled water products produced by PepsiCo, Inc.

, consisting of
both unflavored and flavored water. The Aquafina brand name is also licensed for use on
multiple skin care products, including lip balm and wrinkle cream.[1] It was first
distributed in Wichita, Kansas in 1994, before becoming more widely sold across the
United States, Canada, Lebanon, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Pakistan, India and
Spain. As of 2009, Aquafina represented 13.4 percent of domestic bottled water sales in
the United States, making it the number 1 bottled water brand as measured by retail sales.
[2]
Its primary competition includes Dasani, Nestlé Pure Life, Poland Spring and private-
label water brands.

Product variants

Aquafina FlavorSplash in a grocery store display cooler

Aquafina “Pure Water”, the primary unflavored product produced under the Aquafina
brand, is derived from local municipal water sources and goes through a purification
process that incorporates reverse osmosis, ultraviolet and ozone sterilization.[3] Beginning
on July 27, 2007, a disclaimer was added to each bottle of Aquafina, stating the water
comes from a "public source".[4] Aquafina uses the term "Purified Drinking Water" in
reference to the product on its labeling in the United States.[5] In Canada, the current
1.5 litres (51 US fl oz) bottle of water displays "Demineralized Treated Water". In
response to concerns amongst environmental advocates who raised question over the
disclosure of water sources, a PepsiCo spokeswoman stated, "if this helps clarify the fact
that the water originates from public sources, then it's a reasonable thing to do."[4]

Flavored variations are also produced under the Aquafina brand name - all of which are
labeled as containing no calories and no carbohydrates.[6] Aquafina FlavorSplash, first
introduced in 2005,[7] is a flavored water product line which is non-carbonated and
artificially sweetened with Sucralose. As of 2011, it is produced in six flavors: Grape,
Strawberry Kiwi, Wild Berry, Raspberry, Lemon, and Peach Mango.[8]Aquafina
Sparkling is a carbonated line of flavored water; however its production was discontinued
in the U.S. in late 2010.[8] Other former products included Aquafina Alive (a low calorie,
vitamin-enhanced water beverage introduced in 2007 and discontinued in 2009)[9] and
Aquafina plus+ (a low calorie flavored water labeled as a vitamin supplement) - both of
which have been discontinued in the U.S.[10] As of 2011, the "Sparkling" and "plus+"
lines were still production in other markets such as Canada.[11]

[edit] Packaging

Original Aquafina bottle

Eco-Fina bottle, introduced in 2009

Aquafina is distributed in 12 US fluid ounces (0.35 l), 500 millilitres (17 US fl oz),
20 US fluid ounces (0.59 l), 24 US fluid ounces (0.71 l), 1 litre (34 US fl oz), 1.5 litres
(51 US fl oz) bottles. The bottled water industry has drawn criticism for the production
and distribution of plastic product packaging, which consumes additional petrochemicals.
[12]
At the same time, nutrition and health advocates have noted that the convenience,
portability and availability of bottled water has provided a net benefit to public health,
allowing consumers to elect water as a healthier choice over alternatives such as
carbonated soft drinks.[13][14]

The packaging has evolved from its original iteration for the purpose of partially
offsetting environmental impacts of production and shipment. This has primarily
involved packaging weight reduction. The weight of Aquafina bottles was reduced by
approximately 50 percent, to 10.9 grams (0.38 oz), with a packaging redesign in 2009
which, according to the company, resulted in the use of 75 million fewer pounds of
plastic during the production process.[2] One additional strategy employed in the
production of Aquafina was the elimination of the cardboard base from its 24-packs of
water, which occurred in 2010.[2]

Sponsorship
Since shortly after its inception, the promotion of Aquafina has involved sports
sponsorships. As of 2011, it is listed as being an official sponsor of Major League Soccer,
the Professional Golf Association, the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Carolina Panthers.
[15]
Its packaging also states that it is the "official water of Major League Baseball", which
has been the case since the beginning of the 2008 MLB season.[16]

Litigation
Charles Joyce and James Voigt won a $1.26 billion judgment against PepsiCo after
alleging that the company had stolen their idea for selling purified water to create
Aquafina.[17] This judgment was vacated on November 6, 2009, when it was discovered
that PepsiCo had failed to respond to the lawsuit due to a misplacement of the paperwork.
[18