Ahead of World Water Day on 22 March, Worldpanel by Numerator has shared insights on the water consumption habits of French households.
As the study found, while water occupies a central role in French consumption habits, environmental concerns are reshaping how consumers approach category purchases.
“Water is currently at the crossroads of two strong expectations: health and the environment,” commented Gaëlle le Floch, director of strategic communication, Worldpanel by Numerator. “Concerns related to pollution, waste, and microplastics are increasing consumer attention to packaging and ingredients.”
Since 2016, water consumption has shown a slight increase of 0.8 percentage points, Worldpanel by Numerator noted.
The market is largely dominated by natural waters, accounting for 6.5 billion units of the 6.7 billion total water purchases, with still water (5.4 billion units) far surpassing sparkling options (1.3 billion). Flavoured waters remain a minor segment, with only 205 million units sold. Leading brands include Cristaline (222 million purchases), followed by Coca-Cola (174 million) and Volvic (43 million).
Key concerns
Worldpanel by Numerator’s study found that 54% of French people are concerns about water pollution, 49% about water waste, and 43% about scarcity, while 71% consider packaging a key criterion for sustainable choices, though this represents a slight decline of 6 points compared to 2023.
Microplastics remain a particular source of anxiety, with 59% of consumers expressing growing concern over their potential health risks.
The beverage market in France is showing renewed momentum after years of slowdown, though in-store traffic remains modest.
Natural waters maintain their leading position in the French market due to their health and environmental appeal, while flavoured waters compete for a smaller share. Consumers are increasingly influenced by environmental and packaging considerations, signalling a shift toward more responsible purchasing behaviours.
Worldpanel by Numerator’s study is based on a panel of 20,000 households, covering all retail channels as of December 2025. Read more here.
