Tap water in the UK is classed as one of the safest and purest water supplies in the world, with benchmark safety standards followed on not just testing and treatment processes, but its accessibility too. Yet despite rigorous and regular testing, an illuminating study from hydration innovators air up now unveils the nation’s distaste for tap water: a staggering 11 million people, 22% of the population, now ONLY drink bottled or filtered water, meaning 23% of Brits now throw away between 5-10 plastic bottles a week. Yet the stats are interesting given Britain’s tap water ranks among the highest quality in the world; so why are Brits still reaching new heights in their pursuit of purified H20?

According to a new study by hydration innovators air up, taste remains the single biggest barrier for Brits not drinking directly from the tap. In fact, 28% of Brits don’t enjoy the taste of their tap water and as such, due to taste alone, 45% of Brits drink only one glass of water a day. Water is absolutely essential for us to not only survive, but thrive, supporting every facet of our bodies. So, while some might label tap water in particular as ‘tasteless’, it entitles us all to have access to plentiful, safe and affordable water to remain hydrated at all times.

Reflecting how Brits are consuming water, air up’s research, conducted over 2080 respondents, highlights where the nation is getting their drinking water from, and why 11 million are now only drinking bottled or filtered water.

Key Stats:
– 22% of Brits (11,044,000) only drink water that is filtered or shop-bought
– 23% (11,871,000) of Brits throw away between 5-10 plastic bottles a week
– 38% of Brits (19,404,000) would drink 50% more water a day if tap water was tastier
– 28% of Brits (14,175,000) don’t like the taste of tap water, otherwise they would drink a lot more
– 45% of Brits admit to only drinking one glass of water per day

air up is putting revolutionary technology behind an innovative way to add flavour to our tap water without the chemical nasties that offset our goals to stay hydrated and live healthier lifestyles. To try and provide an innovative, healthy, and tasty way to drink tap water, improving our relationships with hydration, air up is advocating for the use of retronasal technology.

With 80% of flavour coming from our sense of smell, instead of taste, air up harnesses this clever bit of science, infusing every sip of water from your bottle with flavoured air, offering Brits a healthy alternative to flavoured drinks while still drinking 100% pure water. Each pod contains natural flavourings and scents that infuse with ambient air to be added to the pure water, these flavours range from Lime and Orange-Passionfruit to Cola and Iced Coffee with ten others in between, offsetting British aversions to water and improving our sense of health and wellness in the process, truly disrupting the soft drinks sector and our consumption habits.