Overall, the quality of tap water is pretty good in Europe, with 99 percent of the population in many countries having access to safely managed drinking water (data from 2022).

Yet, as Statista's Anna Fleck reports, data from a Statista Consumer Insights survey reveals, a sizable chunk of respondents questioned in 2024 said they regularly drink bottled water (daily or weekly consumption). 

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This is despite the fact that the plastic waste generated is allegedly harmful to the environment, and that bottled water is much more expensive: up to 100 times more expensive than tap water. What's more, several scientific studies have shown that bottled water is a leading source for human intake of microplastics, and could therefore potentially have harmful effects on health.

As the chart shows, of the 21 countries covered by the study, Italy, Mexico and Brazil are home to the most regular consumers of bottled water, at between 65 to 70 percent of the population.