The gourd market - France

A gourd is a reusable container designed to hold and transport water or any other beverage, whether at home or away. Although they often take the format of a classic bottle, they are distinguished by their durability, personalization and strong symbolic potential. The water bottle is both a functional object and a marker of identity, and increasingly a vector for technological and stylistic innovation. In 2025, the gourd is no longer just a simple accessory: it has become an object with a high value in terms of use and representation. Since 2020, the French water bottle market has enjoyed sustained double-digit growth, driven by a series of profound changes. starting with a rapidly changing regulatory and environmental context. The AGEC (anti-waste for a circular economy) law passed in 2020 set a trajectory for phasing out single-use plastic by 2040, prompting a readjustment of offerings across the entire container sector. In 2024, two measures will accelerate this momentum: an increase in VAT on plastic bottles to 20% (from 5.5% previously), and a bill to ban bottles under 50 cl from 2027, currently being debated in the French National Assembly. These political signals, widely reported in the press(LSA Conso, Le Monde), are reinforcing interest in sustainable alternatives - first and foremost the gourd. This movement is reinforced by a crisis of legitimacy affecting bottled water. Investigation after investigation, scandals targeting the giants of the sector - Alma (Cristaline, Saint-Yorre) or Nestlé Waters (Vittel, Perrier) - have revealed the illegal use of chemical additives in the production of bottled water.the illegal use of chemical treatments, contamination cover-ups, and intense lobbying leading to regulatory relaxations. These cases, made public between 2023 and 2024, have had a lasting impact on consumer confidence. According to France Bleu and Le Monde, almost a third of the so-called "natural mineral waters" sold in France are said to use prohibited practices. Against this backdrop, the gourd has become the symbol of regained control, of chosen, local and transparent consumption. Demand is exploding, driven by a society in search of healthier, more sober and more responsible products. In 2025, according to L'Équipe, 54% of French people will be using a water bottle on a daily basis. Of these, 46% own a stainless steel model, far ahead of plastic (36%) or aluminum (34%), showing a clear preference for materials perceived as durable and safe in terms of health. Stainless steel has thus become the benchmark material, at the crossroads of ecological, aesthetic and practical imperatives. At the same time, the market is moving in two directions. On the one hand, an entry-level offer, massively imported from China, where the country accounts for more than 50% of imported volumesin 2024, China will account for more than 50% of imported volumes, with an average price of $9,700/tonne, illustrating Asia's domination of the standardized, undifferentiated product segment. On the other hand, French players (Qwetch, Gobilab, Rebo) are moving upmarket, focusing on quality materials, design, customization and more local production. In terms of value, Switzerland became France's leading export customer for isothermal water bottles, with $3.48 million worth of purchases for just 210.8 tons, reflecting growing demand for top-of-the-range "made in France" products, particularly in premium European markets. But the real breakthrough comes from smart water bottles. In 2024, models such as HidrateSpark, Equa Smart and AirUp will usher in a new generation of hybrid, connected, interactive and sometimes sensory products. Lighted reminders, drinking volume sensors, synchronization with Apple Health, playful feedback: the water bottle becomes a health companion. It meets a real need: 54% of users say they don't drink enough every day. The gesture of hydration is thus framed, measured and valued, particularly among young people or those sensitive to digital tools. Distributed by Apple, concept stores and wellness chains, these water bottles are positioned in a high-end niche, somewhere between lifestyle accessory and quantified self. The average price of these models, between €60 and €90, places them well above conventional water bottles, but the brands manage to justify this difference with a well-assumed health-fun-tech promise. Finally, a symbolic dimension is emerging: the water bottle is becoming a fashion accessory. The success of the Stanley Cup in the United States, viral on TikTok, propelled into open spaces, gyms and Instagram feeds, shows that hydration is now staged, almost like a handbag or a pair of sneakers. This phenomenon is spreading to France: pastel models, portable shoulder versions, collaborations with designers or luxury brands (Prada, Chanel) are redefining the object. The gourd, once utilitarian, is now a status symbol. At the crossroads of all these dynamics - health, ecology, technology, style, regulation - the gourd market in France is rapidly maturing, but remains open to innovation. Its development is part of a process of sustainable change: less disposable, more controlled; less plastic, more meaning. In this respect, the gourd is not following a trend: it crystallizes a new model of consumption, at once intimate, political and economic.