Risk perceptions of arsenic in tap water and consumption of bottled water

Abstract

[1] The demand for bottled water has increased rapidly over the past decade, but bottled water is extremely costly compared to tap water. The convenience of bottled water surely matters to consumers, but are others factors at work? This manuscript examines whether purchases of bottled water are associated with the perceived risk of tap water. All of the past studies on bottled water consumption have used simple scale measures of perceived risk that do not correspond to risk measures used by risk analysts. We elicit a probability-based measure of risk and find that as perceived risks rise, expenditures for bottled water rise.

Reports of Water Quality Violations Induce Consumers to Buy Bottled Water

“…The authors show that concerns about the safety and tap water quality are important determinants but, in contrast to our results, they find notification of local water problems with tap water is not significant determinant in the decision to buy bottled water. A few years later, unlike Abrahams et al [2000], Jakus et al [2009] found that directly perceived water quality (taste, smell, clarity) has a greater influence than perceived risk in prompting people to buy bottled water in the decision. But, all else equal, those with greater perceived risks are willing to spend more money on bottled water than those with lower perceived risks.…”

“…Direct human consumption, according to American Water Works Association [1999], is only 15.7% of total usage. Therefore we follow the literature (Smith and Desvousges [1986], Larson and Gnedenko [1999], Abrahams et al [2000] and Jakus et al [2009]) and use bottled water consumption as a substitute for direct human consumption of tap water.…”

Bottled Water or Tap Water? A Comparative Study of Drinking Water Choices on University Campuses

“…Jakus et al used a probability-based measure of risk and focused attention on the role that the perceived risks of tap water play in the demand for bottled water [20]. They studied a sample of people living in areas in the United States whose water supply was contaminated with arsenic, measured their perceived risk, and related it to observed behavior statistically.…”

Risk perception, choice of drinking water and water treatment: evidence from Kenyan towns

“…Notable exceptions are those by Cai et al (2008), Jakus et al (2009), and Nauges and Van den Berg (2006). Nauges and Van den Berg study the perception of health risk and averting behaviour for non-pipe water sources in Sri Lanka.…”

“…Nauges and Van den Berg study the perception of health risk and averting behaviour for non-pipe water sources in Sri Lanka. Jakus et al (2009) examine why people in the United States (US) buy bottled water, while Cai et al (2008) explore altruistic averting behaviour of removing arsenic risk in drinking water in the US. The studies find that a household's averting behaviour increases with its perception of a health risk.…”