This discussion paper aims to provide background information on bottled water and the bottled water world market, in order to understand the reasons of a trend that goes beyond a simple fashion and turns to be a real social phenomenon. It will first identify existing types of bottled water: although they seem very much alike, bottles of water don’t contain the same product. The increase in bottled water consumption has boosted the bottled water industry and market trends show very promising perspectives for the future. This paper will then identify the major reasons why consumers choose to buy expensive bottled water rather than drink tap water. Finally, it will analyse the impact this industry has on the environment.