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  • Essay / How Bottled Water Companies Are Deceiving Consumers

    Stricter regulation should be used for bottled water companies. A shocking fact that many consumers probably don't know is that twenty-five percent of all bottled water comes directly from municipal water sources in cities around the world. It is difficult for consumers to notice the difference in taste between spring water and refined tap water because companies repurify and/or add minerals to the water. (McGrath). Consumers are convinced by claims that water is natural, pure and healthy, but do not always receive these benefits. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get an original essaySamples of bottled water from major companies such as Aquafina and Dasani were used in a large study, among one hundred and three other bottled water brands Conducted by Natural Resources Canada, this study has only revealed even more disturbing and shocking facts about the bottled water industry. The study concluded that "approximately one-third of the waters tested contained levels of contamination including synthetic organic chemicals, bacteria and arsenic." sold to consumers as "pure, natural, purified and filtered" while there is a good chance that this statement is not entirely true, companies will continue their dirty practices so that bottled water companies can compete with the " taste” of tap water. , additional ingredients are added to bottled water. These additional ingredients that companies add may include: calcium, magnesium, and possibly salt, in minimal amounts (Stanek). Deception about the composition of a product is another sales tactic used by companies. Take the example of bottled water giant Poland Spring. It's safe to assume that the majority of Americans have seen what the label of a bottle of Poland Spring water looks like, with the words "Maine Natural Spring Water Since 1845" written across a banner. in front of a stream flowing between a group of trees. What is misleading is the label itself. When a consumer sees the visual of a lush stream within a group of trees, and beneath the image is a banner with "Maine Natural Spring Water Since 1845", there is a good chance that the company just won another sale. Yes, there is a spring in Maine called Poland Spring, but it hasn't been the source of Poland Springs bottled water since 1996. It's been over ten years and most people still believe that They buy water from a “Polish Spring” in the state of Maine. Poland Spring is still allowed to say its water comes from Maine, but there are several springs (about three different springs) located up to thirty miles from the main spring. (McGrath) The Food and Drug Administration follows the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to regulate bottled water. However, due to the Food and Drug Administration's status as a federal government agency, only thirty to forty percent of bottled water sold across state lines can be monitored. In conclusion, sixty to seventy percent of bottled water sold in a single state is not included in the previously mentioned regulations that are enforced under the State Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Food and Drug Administration. For water that falls into the group selected for regulation under the Food Act, themedicines and cosmetics, the requirement to test the water used for bottling is very minimal. Once a year, bottled water, except bottled sparkling water, is checked for chemical, physical and radiological contaminants. In addition to already minimal safety checks on the integrity of "safe water," the Food and Drug Administration has only one, yes, one full-time worker employed to oversee water testing in bottle. These two factors, checking at a minimum the integrity of the water used in bottled water, which only happens once a year, and the absolute minimum number of full-time workers, who knows what could slip through the cracks. Hopefully nothing too serious before it's irreversible. (The Progressive) Although the majority of bottled water operations are reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, officials who work within the bottled water industry itself Bottled water does not say or promise that bottled water is a safer alternative to tap water, also known as municipal tap water. In fact, International Bottled Water Association President Joe Doss adds: “We believe that drinking water, whether bottled or from the tap, is a good thing. I won't say that bottled water is healthier. » Doss also points out that: “It just comes down to what consumers prefer. » (Springen) If the president of what is the largest international bottled water representation publicly acknowledges this and practically confirms that bottled water is no cleaner than tap water, why are so many companies still trying to influence and persuade consumers to buy their product by making them believe that they are going to drink something of better quality? The question of whether bottled water is truly healthy and "pure, natural, purified, filtered" does not only apply to the water itself. Let's say there are two different brands of bottled water, side by side, both from the same source. Brands A and B collect water from a common source and bottle it, selling it as "pure, natural, purified, filtered..." but when an independent research group decides they would like to verify and test the truth behind these claims. , they discover that brand A contains more contaminated water than the water sold by brand B. Why might this be the case? The water bottle itself! Companies should not be allowed to bottle water, regardless of its purity, because ultimately the "purity" of bottled water could be compromised by the chemicals and materials that go into it. leach into water over time or pressure. of the bottle itself. With an average of twenty-six billion water bottles consumed by Americans in a year, and only about fourteen percent of those bottles are recycled... Think about all the chemicals in plastic that could endanger the health of American consumers who purchase. bottled water regularly and consume it, as well as its negative impact on the environment once melted for recycling. Food and Drug Administration requirements state that companies must test at least four empty plastic water bottles every three months. This test is necessary due to the possibility of bacterial contamination. A rather disturbing piece of information to add to all of this is that the Food and Drug Administration currently does not have a specific requirement for bottled water companies to provide test results...