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| Highland Spring now Britain's favourite bottled water | Highland Spring now Britain's favourite bottled water |
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| Highland Spring, whose water is drawn from the Ochil Hills (above), has overtaken Evian as the nation's most popular bottled water, making a British brand top-seller for the first time. It sold 200m litres last year, up 9% on 2011, and pushed Evian into second place, followed by Buxton and Volvic, market researchers Zenith said. | |
| A thirsty nation knocked back 2.14bn litres of bottled water in 2012, up 3.3%, with nearly nine out of 10 choosing still water and the rest sparkling. | A thirsty nation knocked back 2.14bn litres of bottled water in 2012, up 3.3%, with nearly nine out of 10 choosing still water and the rest sparkling. |
| It caps a remarkable rise for Highland Spring, based in Blackford, Perthshire, and owned by the Al-Tajir family, originally from Dubai. Maher Mahdi Al Tajir is now ranked as Scotland's richest man with an estimated £1.5bn. | It caps a remarkable rise for Highland Spring, based in Blackford, Perthshire, and owned by the Al-Tajir family, originally from Dubai. Maher Mahdi Al Tajir is now ranked as Scotland's richest man with an estimated £1.5bn. |
| Employing 400 workers at five bottling plants in Scotland and Wales, the company said revenues were £86.4m in 2012, up from £86.4m a year earlier. | Employing 400 workers at five bottling plants in Scotland and Wales, the company said revenues were £86.4m in 2012, up from £86.4m a year earlier. |
| Les Montgomery, chief executive of the company, said: "European brands have long dominated the UK bottled water category, having played a pivotal role in its development in the 1970s, but I believe we are seeing a sustained wave of support for British brands." | Les Montgomery, chief executive of the company, said: "European brands have long dominated the UK bottled water category, having played a pivotal role in its development in the 1970s, but I believe we are seeing a sustained wave of support for British brands." |
| Bottled water sales in the UK hit £1.5bn last year, with those aged 25 to 34 the biggest consumers. A recent report by Mintel said sales were likely to hit £2bn by 2016. | Bottled water sales in the UK hit £1.5bn last year, with those aged 25 to 34 the biggest consumers. A recent report by Mintel said sales were likely to hit £2bn by 2016. |