Eau dear! French turn on the tap

For decades it has been one of the world's bottled water capitals, home to leading names such as Evian, Volvic and Vittel. But now France is turning its back on eau minérale in favour of cheaper and more environmentally friendly tap water.

A combination of money worries, green consumerism and mild weather has left some of the most famous brands gasping for breath, with supermarket sales this spring down 6.7% on last year. More than two-thirds of French people now say they regularly drink tap water, compared with 59% five years ago.

The rise of the eco-consumer has taken its toll on the previously unshakable bottled water market for the past two years. The environmental impact of unrecycled plastic, along with the carbon emissions produced by mass transportation, made people think again about the merits of their shopping routine.

But soaring food and petrol costs have left the average French consumer out of pocket. Faced with a choice between turning on the tap and buying a bottle which is around 200 times more expensive, many shoppers are taking the option which makes the most financial sense.

One product that has benefited from France's changing habits is the soda stream, the machine which turns tap water fizzy in a matter of seconds and is enjoying something of a renaissance on the continent.

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