Bottled water’s most ethical brand choices
Which bottled water brands are the most ethical and sustainable? For the answer, see our Ethical Bottled Water Ratings Table to compare brands’ scores.
What are the ethical issues for bottled water brands in the UK?
Bottled water is a controversial topic in the sustainability space, particularly due to the mass production of single-use plastics and environmental waste. However, bottled water is an essential where local water is dangerous to drink, or when you’re on the go. Whilst we recommend avoiding bottled water where possible, we understand that sometimes it is unavoidable. Fortunately, there are many ethical bottled water brands in the UK listed in our Bottled Water Ratings Table that you can choose from to avoid the ethical issues within this sector.
How to buy eco-friendly bottled water
When purchasing from bottled water brands in the UK, there are many things to consider. Firstly, does the brand source its water locally?
Bottled water from abroad comes with a huge environmental cost, due to the large amounts of carbon emissions used in the transportation process. As there are many bottled water brands in the UK offering water from local sources, it is unnecessary to buy from brands that source their water from further afield.
Also consider how UK bottled water brands package their products. Have they created a solution to the issue of single-use plastics? There are a range of sustainable packaging options for you to choose from, including recyclable or recycled plastic, recyclable aluminium, and recyclable glass.
Our research: Criticisms against some of the biggest UK bottled water brands
Unfortunately, our latest research has discovered a series of ongoing ethical and environmental issues created by some of the biggest UK bottled water brands. Choose from brands in the green section of our Bottled Water Rating Table, as they are not involved in these controversial practices.
Critically, some of the bottled water brands assessed in our research have been involved in conflicts with environmental groups and local communities for exploiting water resources. Nestlé has received a series of criticisms for these practices over the years, which is why we recommend avoiding their brands Buxton, Perrier, San Pellegrino, Vittel, and Nestlé Pure Life.
Corporate Accountability has launched a campaign to challenge Nestlé on its water monopoly in North America, criticising its destruction of natural water resources and the impact this has had on local communities. The company caused public uproar in 2019 when it attempted to take 1.1 million gallons a day from the Suwannee River in the U.S., which had already been declared as ‘in recovery’ from drought.
Additionally, we found that many UK bottled water brands are still shipping their products from thousands of miles away, contributing to global warming through unnecessary carbon emissions.
One of the worst cases is Fiji Water, which transports its water directly from Fiji, almost 10,000 miles from the UK! Though Fiji water might look pretty, we have plenty of natural sources much closer to home.
Our solutions: Ethical UK bottled water brands
Our Bottled Water Ratings Table gives you the options for ethical bottled water brands in the UK. This includes several companies that have been awarded Ethical Accreditation for their positive policies and practices towards the Environment, Animals, and People.
Highland Spring, Brecon Carreg, and One Water are examples of bottled water brands in the UK that sell locally sourced water in sustainable packaging. For instance, Highland Spring sources its water from Scotland, whilst Brecon Carreg sources from Wales. One Water offers a range of sustainable packaging options, including aluminium cans, FSC certified paper cartons, and recycled plastic bottles.
The benefits of buying a fizzy water maker
But what about fizzy water? We are aware that many people who purchase bottled water do so because they enjoy drinking fizzy water, which you cannot simply pour from a tap. If you want to avoid bottled water altogether, your best option is to buy a fizzy water maker.
Using a fizzy water maker prevents hundreds of single-use bottles from going to waste. Instead of buying bottles, a fizzy water maker can turn water from your tap into your favourite sparkling drink without the need for packaging. Plus, buying a fizzy water maker will save you a lot of money in the long run!
See our Ethical Bottled Water Ratings Table to compare brands
Want more information on individual bottled water brands and their ethics and sustainability policies? Click on a brand name to read The Good Shopping Guide’s extensive and exclusive research.
Highland Spring, One Water, Clearer Water, Brecon Carreg, Actiph, Aquapax, Ballygowan, CanO Water, Deeside Mineral Water, Hildon, Life Water, Strathmore, VOSS, Aqua Carpatica, Aqua Pura, Evian, Fiji Water, Harrogate Spring Water, Thirsty Planet, Volvic, Glaceau Smartwater, Buxton, Nestlé Pure Life, Perrier Cristaline, Radnor Hills and San Pellegrino.
What are the main ethical issues associated with bottled water production and consumption?
Bottled water raises environmental and social concerns because it often involves single‑use plastics that contribute to waste and pollution. Transporting bottled water long distances increases carbon emissions, and extracting water from natural sources can harm local ecosystems or communities if done unsustainably. These problems mean ordinary drinking water choices can have surprisingly large environmental footprints.
Why does sourcing bottled water locally matter for sustainability?
Choosing bottled water sourced close to where it’s sold reduces the carbon emissions involved in long‑distance shipping. Water shipped from far‑away countries travels thousands of miles by truck, train, or ship, burning fossil fuels and increasing its climate impact — even though clean tap water is often available nearby.
How do packaging materials affect the ethics of bottled water?
The type of packaging has a big effect on bottled water’s sustainability. Traditional single‑use plastic bottles are a major source of landfill and ocean pollution. More ethical options include recyclable materials like aluminium, glass, or cartons, which are easier to recycle and can help cut down on plastic waste if properly handled.
Are there alternatives to buying bottled water that can be more environmentally friendly?
Yes, one popular alternative is using a fizzy‑water maker or home carbonation system. This lets you turn tap water into sparkling water without packaging, drastically reducing reliance on bottles and saving money over time. It also avoids the environmental impact of transporting and disposing of single‑use containers.
Can the ethics of bottled water brands vary, and if so, how?
Yes, some bottled water brands focus on ethical practices like responsibly sourcing water, using sustainable packaging, reducing carbon emissions, and supporting community projects. Others may face criticism for heavy packaging waste, long‑distance shipping, or links to environmental conflicts in water extraction regions. As a result, ethical standards and environmental impacts can differ widely between brands.
Is Clearer Water an Ethical Bottled Water Brand?
Clearer Water sits above the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Ethical Bottled Water Ratings Table, with strong performance across environmental reporting, GMO policies, fossil fuels, animal welfare, political donations and public record criteria. It also holds recognised ethical accreditation, reflecting its strong social and environmental commitments and setting a high bar for ethical practice in bottled water.
Is Highland Spring an Ethical Bottled Water Brand?
Highland Spring sits above the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Ethical Bottled Water Ratings Table, with top performance across environmental reporting, GMO policy, fossil fuels, animal welfare, armaments, political donations and its public record. It’s also recognised as an Ethical Innovator for its organic‑sourced water and holds Ethical Accreditation, underscoring strong ethical and sustainability credentials.
Is Brecon Carreg an Ethical Bottled Water Brand?
Brecon Carreg sits above the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Ethical Bottled Water Ratings Table, performing strongly across environmental reporting, genetic modification policy, fossil fuels, animal welfare, armaments and political donations, with a clean public record and formal ethical credentials. Its commitment to locally sourced water and sustainable practices highlights its high ethical and sustainability standards. It holds Ethical Accreditation, underscoring strong ethical and sustainability credentials.
Is Aquapax an Ethical Bottled Water Brand?
Aquapax sits above the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Ethical Bottled Water Ratings Table, performing strongly across environmental reporting, genetic modification policy, fossil fuels, animal welfare, armaments, political donations and public record criteria. However, it does not currently hold Ethical Accreditation with the Guide. Its positive ethical indicators and innovative sustainable packaging nonetheless highlight a strong commitment to responsible practice.
Is CanO Water an Ethical Bottled Water Brand?
CanO Water sits above the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Ethical Bottled Water Ratings Table, scoring well across environmental reporting, genetic modification stance, fossil fuels, animal welfare, armaments and political donations with a clean public record. It’s also recognised as an Ethical Innovator for its sustainable aluminium‑can approach to reducing plastic waste, underlining its strong ethical and sustainability commitment.
Is Life Water an Ethical Bottled Water Brand?
Life Water sits above the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Ethical Bottled Water Ratings Table, scoring well across environmental reporting, genetic modification stance, fossil fuels, animal welfare, armaments and political donations, with a generally positive public record. It does not yet hold Ethical Accreditation, but its eco‑focused aluminium and recyclable packaging and ethical commitments still show strong sustainability intent.
Is One Water an Ethical Bottled Water Brand?
One Water sits above the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Ethical Bottled Water Ratings Table, scoring well across environmental reporting, genetic modification policy, fossil fuels, animal welfare, armaments, political donations and public record criteria. While it doesn’t currently hold Ethical Accreditation, it’s recognised as an Ethical Innovator thanks to its carbon‑neutral commitments and its work funding clean water access through The One Foundation.
Is Strathmore an Ethical Bottled Water Brand?
Strathmore sits above the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Ethical Bottled Water Ratings Table, performing well across environmental reporting, GMO policy, fossil fuels, animal welfare, armaments, political donations and its public record. However, it does not currently hold Ethical Accreditation, even though its strong ethical indicators and innovations in sustainability suggest solid responsible credentials.
Is Actiph an Ethical Bottled Water Brand?
Actiph sits above the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Ethical Bottled Water Ratings Table, with strong performance in environmental reporting, genetic modification policy, fossil fuels, animal welfare, armaments, political donations and public record criteria. However, it does not currently hold Ethical Accreditation from the Guide. Its positive ethical indicators and responsible practices nonetheless underline solid ethical credentials.
Is Ballygowan an Ethical Bottled Water Brand?
Ballygowan sits above the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Ethical Bottled Water Ratings Table, scoring well across environmental reporting, genetic modification stance, fossil fuels, animal welfare, armaments, political donations and public record criteria, showing solid ethical indicators. It doesn’t currently hold Ethical Accreditation with the Guide, but its sustainability efforts—including recyclable packaging and local sourcing—underline responsible practice.
Is Deeside Mineral Water an Ethical Bottled Water Brand?
Deeside Mineral Water sits above the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Ethical Bottled Water Ratings Table, scoring well in environmental reporting, genetic modification stance, fossil fuels, animal welfare, armaments, political donations and with a generally positive public record. It does not currently hold Ethical Accreditation, but its strong ethical indicators still reflect solid sustainability credentials.
Is Hildon an Ethical Bottled Water Brand?
Hildon sits above the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Ethical Bottled Water Ratings Table, with strong performance in environmental reporting, genetic modification stance, fossil fuels, animal welfare, armaments, political donations and public record criteria. However, it does not currently hold Ethical Accreditation with The GOOD Shopping Guide. Its generally positive ethical indicators still reflect solid sustainability intent across key areas.
Is Radnor Hills an Ethical Bottled Water Brand?
Radnor Hills sits above the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Ethical Bottled Water Ratings Table, performing well in most key areas including genetic modification stance, fossil fuels, animal welfare, armaments, political donations and its public record. However, it scores only acceptable on environmental reporting and currently does not hold Ethical Accreditation, suggesting there’s still space to strengthen transparency and ethical commitments.
Is VOSS an Ethical Bottled Water Brand?
VOSS sits above the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Ethical Bottled Water Ratings Table, scoring well in genetic modification stance, fossil fuels, animal welfare, armaments and political donations, and with a positive public record. However, its environmental reporting is only mid‑range, and it does not currently have Ethical Accreditation, suggesting room to strengthen its overall ethical transparency.
Is Aqua Carpatica an Ethical Bottled Water Brand?
Aqua Carpatica sits below the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Ethical Bottled Water Ratings Table, performing well in areas such as genetic modification stance, fossil fuels, animal welfare, armaments and political donations with an overall acceptable public record. However, it scores poorly on environmental reporting, showing that its ethical practices still have considerable room for improvement.
Is Aqua Pura an Ethical Bottled Water Brand?
Aqua Pura sits below the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Ethical Bottled Water Ratings Table. It scores well in genetic modification stance, fossil fuels, animal welfare, armaments and political donations due to a lack of negative records, but it performs poorly on environmental reporting and has a weaker public record, indicating there’s significant room for ethical improvement.
Is Cristaline an Ethical Bottled Water Brand?
Cristaline sits below the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Ethical Bottled Water Ratings Table, showing positive indicators in areas like genetic modification stance, fossil fuels, animal welfare, armaments and political donations. However, it scores poorly on environmental reporting and has a weak public record, indicating its overall ethical performance still has considerable room for improvement.
Is Evian an Ethical Bottled Water Brand?
Evian sits below the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Ethical Bottled Water Ratings Table, scoring well for environmental reporting, genetic modification stance and fossil fuel transparency. However, it performs poorly on animal welfare, political donations and its broader public record, indicating that its ethical and sustainability credentials still have significant room for improvement.
Is Glaceau Smartwater an Ethical Bottled Water Brand?
Glaceau Smartwater sits below the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Ethical Bottled Water Ratings Table, scoring well for environmental reporting, genetic modification stance, fossil fuels and armaments but performing poorly on animal welfare, political donations and public record criticisms. On balance, these ethical indicators show there’s still considerable room for improvement.
Is Harrogate Spring Water an Ethical Bottled Water Brand?
Harrogate Spring Water sits below the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Ethical Bottled Water Ratings Table, with strong environmental reporting and positive GMO and fossil fuel indicators. However, it scores poorly for animal welfare, political donations and its wider public record, showing that its ethical and sustainability credentials still have significant room for improvement.
Is Thirsty Planet an Ethical Bottled Water Brand?
Thirsty Planet sits below the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Ethical Bottled Water Ratings Table, showing positive scores for genetic modification stance, fossil fuels and environmental reporting. However, it performs poorly on animal welfare, political donations and its broader public record, suggesting its ethical and sustainability indicators still have notable gaps compared with higher‑ranking brands.
Is Volvic an Ethical Bottled Water Brand?
Volvic sits below the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Ethical Bottled Water Ratings Table, scoring well for environmental reporting, genetic modification stance and fossil fuel transparency. However, it performs poorly on animal welfare, political donations and has a weak public record overall, showing that its ethical and sustainability indicators still have considerable room for improvement.
Is Fiji Water an Ethical Bottled Water Brand?
Fiji Water sits below the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Ethical Bottled Water Ratings Table. It scores reasonably on aspects like genetic modification stance and fossil fuels, but does poorly for armaments, political donations and its broader public record, with weak environmental reporting overall — highlighting that its ethical indicators still have significant room for improvement.
Is Buxton an Ethical Bottled Water Brand?
Buxton sits below the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Ethical Bottled Water Ratings Table, scoring well in environmental reporting and fossil fuel transparency but performing poorly for genetic modification stance, animal welfare, political donations and its wider public record. These ethical indicators indicate there’s still significant room for improvement in its overall ethical and sustainability performance.
Is Nestlé Pure Life an Ethical Bottled Water Brand?
Nestlé Pure Life sits below the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Ethical Bottled Water Ratings Table. It scores reasonably for environmental reporting and fossil fuel transparency, but performs poorly in areas like genetic modification stance, animal welfare, political donations and its broader public record, indicating that its ethical and sustainability indicators still have substantial room for improvement.
Is Perrier an Ethical Bottled Water Brand?
Perrier sits below the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Ethical Bottled Water Ratings Table, performing well in environmental reporting and fossil fuel transparency but showing weaknesses in its stance on genetic modification, animal welfare and political donations, and facing a poor public record. Overall, these ethical indicators suggest there’s still considerable room for improvement.
Is San Pellegrino an Ethical Bottled Water Brand?
San Pellegrino sits below the benchmark on The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Ethical Bottled Water Ratings Table, doing relatively well on environmental reporting and fossil fuel transparency but performing poorly in areas such as genetic modification stance, animal welfare and political donations, alongside a weaker public record. These ethical indicators suggest there’s still substantial room for improvement.
How does The GOOD Shopping Guide's Ethical Accreditation complement other accreditations?
The GOOD Shopping Guide doesn’t replace existing certifications, it ensures your ethical credentials are clearly recognised so they are trusted by consumers. By appearing in our comparison tables, your brand reaches an audience that is actively seeking genuinely ethical options, while also being referenced by Google and AI search tools to enhance credibility and discoverability.
How is The GOOD Shopping Guide's Ethical Accreditation different from other accreditations?
Unlike many accreditations that focus mainly on compliance or internal audits, The GOOD Shopping Guide provides scored, research-led assessments across environment, people and animals. Our tables are consumer-facing and freely accessible, making it easy for shoppers and AI tools to compare brands based on verified performance, not just promises.
How does The GOOD Shopping Guide choose who is eligible for accreditation?
The GOOD Shopping Guide audits brands for their ethical impact across a variety of criteria in the human, animal and environment categories. We research the records of brands and their parent companies, and rate them across those criteria. If they are found to be above our benchmark, they are eligible to apply for Ethical Accreditation.
How can I apply for Ethical Accreditation?
You can apply for Ethical Accreditation if your brand is assessed as above our benchmark. Click on this link to fill out our online form, and our researchers will assess your brand’s viability for Ethical Accreditation.