Bhubaneswar: Consumers are once again beginning to feel the impact of the ongoing West Asia conflict, with even the prices of drinking water witnessing a rise, though marginally. Several popular brands of packaged drinking water have marginally increased their prices, thanks to the hike in the rising input and logistics costs, triggered by the ongoing crisis.The prices of 10-litre and 20-litre water jars — widely used by households and offices — have gone up by Rs 10, while that of 5ltr bottles are up by Rs 5 in the city. The 10-litre water jars are now retailing at around Rs 100, while the 5-litre packs are being sold at Rs 65, according to wholesalers.The carton prices of one-litre and 500ml bottled water have also increased, though they have not been extended to the consumers for single bottles as of now.Industry sources said for the time being, retailers are absorbing the additional burden of the price rise of 1l and 500ml bottles. The price per carton has increased by about Rs 10 to Rs 15, they said. Usually, a carton contains 12 bottles of 1l and 24 of 500ml. Currently, the bottles are being sold at Rs 20 and Rs 10, respectively. However, the retailers cautioned that the consumers may soon have to bear the increased cost if the prevailing situation continues. “We have received supplies at revised rates over the past few days. At present, most retailers are not passing the entire increase to customers, but that may not be sustainable if prices remain elevated,” says Rakesh Panda, a distributor of a leading packaged drinking water brand in Laxmi Sagar.For the households depending on these bottled water for day-to-day needs, the pocket pinch adds to the financial burden. “We don’t have an expensive RO filter at home, so these 20-litre jars are what we rely on for drinking and cooking every single day. A Rs 10 hike per jar might not sound like a lot, but when you multiply that by 30 in a month, it is an extra Rs 300 monthly expense just for having safe water. You can cut back on eating out or buying clothes, but you can’t tell your kids to drink less water,” says Sushant Sarangi, a resident of Sailashree Vihar who buys a 20-litre jar daily for his family of five.Industry insiders attributed the hike to rising input and logistics costs triggered by the geopolitical uncertainties. “The increase is relatively small, but transportation and packaging costs have become volatile in recent weeks. Companies have been left with little choice but to revise prices marginally,” says Aksh Patnaik, an industry representative.Rasulgarh-based bottled water supplier Sangram Jena says demand has remained stable despite the price rise. “Packaged drinking water is an essential commodity, especially during the summer and monsoon months. Consumers have so far accepted the revision, but any further increase might affect sales,” he says.The prices of packaged drinking water of local brands, however, remained unchanged. Market players say they are closely monitoring the situation.
