Consumer Survey Shows AQUA as Leading Choice for Environmentally-Friendly Bottled Water
Commitment to environmental protection is becoming an increasingly important factor for consumers when selecting bottled water products. The latest survey demonstrates that sustainability now plays a major role in shaping reputation and public trust in bottled water brands.
A World Visualized report titled “Indonesia’s Bottled Water Brands Face a Moment of Truth in 2025” notes that consumers view environmental responsibility as an important indicator of brand reputation. In the category of environmental commitment, AQUA recorded the highest score of 50.3 per cent, outperforming several other brands in the bottled water industry.
Several sustainability initiatives are considered factors that strengthen positive perceptions of AQUA. In addition to using reusable water gallons, the company is developing various packaging innovations that are more environmentally friendly, including bottles made from recycled plastic and packaging designs that use lighter plastic to reduce environmental impact.
The report notes that increased consumer awareness of environmental issues is also driving companies to strengthen sustainability practices. This ranges from water source management, production process efficiency, to reducing packaging impact on the environment.
Public awareness of plastic waste issues continues to increase as the volume of waste in various landfills grows. Data from the National Waste Management Information System (SIPSN) of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry recorded that national waste generation reached approximately 36 million tonnes in 2024 from 342 districts and cities, with 19.59 per cent of this being plastic waste.
Meanwhile in 2025, preliminary data from 249 districts and cities shows waste generation reaching approximately 25 million tonnes, with 20.45 per cent being plastic waste. This figure is estimated to increase as the counting process is still ongoing. This situation underscores the importance of using more sustainable packaging, including reusable gallons which are considered capable of reducing plastic waste generation.
Bisuk Abraham Sisungkunon, Head of the Sustainable Development Research Cluster at Daya Makara, University of Indonesia, stated that the use of reusable water gallons has significant ecological benefits compared to single-use packaging. “The use of reusable gallons is considered far more environmentally friendly than single-use gallons,” said Bisuk.
Research from the Institute for Economic and Social Research at the Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Indonesia (LPEM FEB UI), also shows that without reusable gallons, seven out of ten consumers could potentially switch to single-use packaging, which could increase plastic waste generation by up to 770,000 tonnes per year.
Reusable gallons are designed to be used multiple times so they can reduce plastic waste volume and carbon emissions significantly. In contrast, single-use gallons are immediately discarded after use and therefore have the potential to increase the burden of plastic waste in the environment.
In a scenario without reusable gallons, plastic waste emissions are even estimated to increase by up to 1.65 million tonnes per year, which could potentially hamper the government’s target to reduce plastic waste volume by 30 per cent in 2025.
“Using reusable gallons helps reduce plastic waste accumulation which currently remains largely unmanaged sustainably. Waste is often burned, buried, dumped in water or sea, or thrown directly onto land,” said Bisuk.
Overall, the survey results show that the reputation of bottled water brands is no longer determined solely by product quality, but also by the extent to which companies demonstrate genuine commitment to the environment and sustainability.
The survey involved 1,094 internet-using respondents aged above 18 years in Indonesia and was conducted during September to October 2025.