US EPA

7495027 

Journal Article 

The bottled water industry: Monopoly and competitiveness 

Valentino, MC 

2017 

18 

159 

93-96 

English 

In this century the water problem is worrying and alarming worldwide, and this is caused by over-exploitation of man that uses more than 50% for domestic use. Exacerbating the situation is the pollution caused by the companies, climate change and the excessive use in agriculture for irrigation. In this scenario take advantage big companies that are buying groundwater basins and aquifers to acquire a monopoly and to sell at high prices according to market rules. These giants, along with the financial institutions and states, hope for a water privatization because it could guarantee the modernization of a high-gain sector. The inclusion of big companies is leading to a water dictatorship and to attribute it the definition of Blue Gold. Various bodies have engaged in trying viable solutions and to make concrete actions, and they are also joined by some companies interested in preserving the indispensable resource. The case shows how, in addition to being the dominant company in the world for the production of packaged water, it is very attentive to the water issue and it is actively involved in raising awareness and to disseminate the concept of sustainable use of the same. © 2017, SRAC - Societatea Romana Pentru Asigurarea Calitatii. All rights reserved. 

Big companies; Blue gold; Exploitation; Internationalization; Management; Privatization