London, ON, Aug. 11 - Nestlé Waters Canada, Canada's marketshare-leading manufacturer and distributor of healthy beverage choices, today announced its opposition to a proposal by the City of London to ban the sale of bottled water in its facilities, but unveiled a series of measures that would effectively reduce litter in public spaces and enhance public awareness about the benefits of recycling to the environment and increased water consumption to personal health.
"We do not support the City of London's proposed ban on bottled water because we do not believe it will effectively encourage increased consumption of tap water or decrease plastic beverage container litter on City-owned property," said Gail Cosman, President, Nestlé Waters Canada. "Simply taking bottled water out of a vending machine and installing a water fountain beside it in four City of London facilities will not change human behaviour.
"Sixty percent of Canadians drink bottled water every day -- and 75 percent of them consume it because it is a portable, accessible and healthy choice," explained Ms. Cosman. "In an independent survey conducted in May 2008 by Probe Research Inc., Canadians said they are not choosing bottled water over municipal tap water. They are choosing bottled water over other bottled beverages with higher calories. What should be of particular concern to the City of London is that the Probe study also indicated that about 60 percent of bottled water drinkers said they will revert to less healthy alternatives found in plastic beverage containers if bottled water isn't available.
"Let's focus on actions that will increase both recycling behaviours and healthy water consumption, rather than eliminate the healthiest bottled beverage option available to consumers," she added. "Why not encourage residents of London to consume more water, whether bottled or tap, rather than take away one of their ways of consuming this healthy beverage?"
Working with its industry partners, Nestlé Waters Canada is proposing to pilot a public spaces recycling program in London that would collect plastic beverage containers and other recyclable materials in parks, recreational facilities, restaurants, gas stations and city streets. If successful, the program would be launched in a number of municipalities across the province of Ontario.
The Company and its partners recently entered into a $7.2 million, three-year agreement with the Government of Quebec and municipalities across that province to collect and recycle plastic beverage containers and other recyclable materials in public spaces. The pilot program that triggered the agreement resulted in, on average, an 85 percent participation rate amongst consumers and businesses.
Nestlé Waters Canada has also proposed two public awareness advertising and promotional campaigns - one encouraging London residents to recycle at home and in public spaces and the other recommending that they drink more water each day, whether it comes from the bottle or tap.
About Nestlé Waters Canada
Established in 2000, Nestlé Waters Canada is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nestlé Waters North America of Greenwich, Connecticut. With headquarters in the Township of Puslinch, bottling facilities in Hope, British Columbia, and Puslinch and distribution facilities in Chilliwack, British Columbia; Puslinch and Laval, Quebec, approximately 500 employees support a network of more than 145 retailers across Canada.