The Costly Truth: Why is Fiji Water so Expensive?

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Ever wondered why Fiji Water is so expensive compared to some of the other brands in the supermarket? Is Fiji Water really any better than its peers? And is it worth the price tag? Find out in this guide.

📌 Key Takeaways:

  • Some of the reasons why Fiji Water is more expensive than other bottled waters are that its bottling process is costlier due to the unique bottle shape, it’s marketed as a luxury brand and can therefore attract people who will pay more for the brand association, and the cost of transporting the water from Fiji is high.
  • You can save money on Fiji Water by looking for coupons online, taking advantage of discounts and deals, and buying the water in bulk.
  • In our opinion, the Fiji Water brand is overhyped and it’s not worth paying so much for any bottled drinking water product.

🤔 Why Is Fiji Water So Expensive? 8 Reasons

So, why is Fiji Water so expensive compared to other bottled waters? Let’s take a look at the top 8 reasons.

Branding And Marketing

A manufacturer’s branding and marketing strategy plays a big role in how it can price its products. Look at Apple, for example, which markets its products to give us the impression that they’re expensive, then confirms this with the eye-watering price tag.

The same goes for Fiji Water. The manufacturer has invested significantly in building a strong brand image associated with sustainability and purity. Fiji Water is sold as a luxury product – you only have to look at the uniquely-shaped bottle, the celebrity endorsements, and their placement in some of the bars, spas, and minibars in some of the most expensive hotels in the US to see that.

The manufacturer can therefore charge higher prices for its product, knowing that people are willing to pay the price for the status associated with it.

And, ironically, the cost of all that branding and marketing really adds up, and the manufacturer has to sell its products on the higher end of the price scale in order to still make a good profit.

Fiji Natural Artesian Bottled Water

Water Source

One of the key reasons why Fiji costs more than other bottled waters is due to its water source.

Fiji Water comes from a natural underground aquifer in Fiji, and is marketed as “Earth’s finest water”. We think that’s a bold claim, but it’s true that Fiji water is likely a lot tastier and higher in quality than many other bottled water brands, because it’s naturally filtered before being collected and bottled at the source (an artesian aquifer in Viti Levu).

If you compare Fiji – natural artesian water – with bottled water products that are simply filtered tap water from the US – it’s easy to see why Fiji Water is more expensive: it’s the more appealing choice.

Water Transportation

On a similar note, the costs of transporting Fiji Water to the US is another reason why this water is so expensive.

The manufacturer of Fiji Water makes no secret of the fact that the product comes from Fiji. In fact, its entire marketing strategy is centered on this point.

Fiji is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean, and is about 7,000 miles away from the US. So, rather than being transported a few hundred miles from a local source, the water has to be shipped overseas to reach its final destination – and these long-distance shipping costs are high.

A lot of diesel fuel, energy, and time goes into shipping Fiji Water to the US, not to mention human power. A good percentage of the price of Fiji bottled water is due to the manufacturer’s transportation costs.

Fiji natural artesian water source

Water Bottles

The bottles that Fiji Water is sold in also contribute to its expensive cost.

Of course, a premium bottled water product wouldn’t be sold in the standard cylindrical water bottle that most other brands use.

Fiji water bottles are unique to the brand, with high-grade plastic and a distinct square shape that we’ve come to associate with Fiji alone.

These bottles add to the appeal, and Fiji water probably wouldn’t be the same without the renowned Fiji water bottle – but there’s a price to pay for this feature.

The cost of manufacturing these bottle is higher than manufacturing bottles using generic molds or simply bulk-buying pre-made generic bottles from another manufacturer.

High Demand

Demand is another reason why Fiji Water is so expensive.

Fiji’s manufacturer has done such a good job of marketing its product that the are hundreds of thousands of people who exclusively drink Fiji water – partly for the taste, but partly because of the brand image.

So, the manufacturer can sell Fiji at a higher price, knowing that there are plenty of active water drinkers who will pay that price because they’re loyal to the product.

The higher the demand for anything, the more the manufacturer can charge. That’s why Fiji Water is so much more expensive than other lesser-known bottled water products, which may not have been marketed as effectively as Fiji.

Demand is often higher for a more expensive product because customers assume that they’re paying for top quality, so Fiji’s manufacturer is winning in this situation.

Demand on Fiji bottled water

Production Costs

Like most bottled drinking water brands, Fiji’s manufacturer runs a large manufacturing facility, and there are lots of costs associated with this.

Production cost is a normal cost for any bottled water product, but in the case of Fiji Water, when there are already so many other costs (including transportation, bottling in bespoke plastic bottles, and marketing), this adds to the overall expense of the product.

Some of the production costs involved in running the Fiji Water factory include employee costs and equipment costs (including maintaining the specialized pumping equipment that’s used to extract the water from the aquifer).

There are a few unique costs, too, including the cost of diesel, which is used to power the generators that supply the factory with electricity. This is due to the fact that the factory is located in a remote location in Fiji, without the infrastructure to provide enough power to meet the factory’s demands.

Water Quality

We’ve discussed a bit about the water source already, but water quality also plays a role in the expensive cost of Fiji Water.

Every bottle of Fiji Water is naturally filtered through layer upon layer of mineral-rich rock before gathering in an aquifer deep below the ground. This natural artesian water is bottled at the source and is unaffected by many of the pollutants and contaminants that often end up in US waterways.

Fiji Water is known as mineral water because it’s rich in calcium, magnesium, silica, and other natural minerals.

It also contains electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and chloride. Again, these are all naturally present, rather than being artificially added during the bottling process.

Fiji Water has a pH of 7.3-7.7, making it natural or slightly alkaline. This gives the water a crisp, hydrating taste that many people find pleasant.

If you’re something of a bottled water snob, you’ll likely be able to tell the difference in taste and quality between Fiji’s artesian water and cheaper bottled drinking waters.

Fiji Water is marketed as pure, clean, and naturally preserved, which is why it gets away with being one of the most expensive bottled waters available today.

Taking water ph reading with handheld ph meter

Sustainability

With sustainability becoming more and more important to the average consumer, Fiji – like all other big manufacturers – is feeling the pressure to demonstrate its commitment to reducing carbon emissions and practicing environmental sustainability.

According to the Fiji website, the manufacturer has recently invested about $2.5 million USD on energy initiatives, and two of the brand’s bottle sizes are now made from 100% recycled plastic.

It’s great to see that Fiji is working to reduce its environmental impact, although it obviously can’t do anything about the huge amounts of energy required to ship its imported water around the world.

Plus, these sustainability practices are paid for by the customer, so if you’ve noticed that a bottle of Fiji water in your local grocery store seems to get more expensive year-by-year, the manufacturer’s environmental initiatives likely have something to do with it.

💲 Is Fiji Water Worth The Extra Money?

So, now we’ve outlined the reasons why Fiji Water is so expensive – is it worth the extra money?

In our opinion, no. Fair enough if you love the taste of the water; it can make a nice treat if you’re away from home all day or on vacation and you want to quench your thirst with something a little more exciting.

But because of how expensive Fiji Water is, we don’t recommend buying it in bulk to drink instead of tap water every day. You’ll end up spending hundreds – if not thousands – of dollars on water every year. Plus, think of all those single-use water bottles you’ll be getting through.

We think Fiji Water is best as an occasional treat, like a Starbucks coffee. But if you want to enjoy great-tasting water year-round, the best solution is to install a water filtration system.

Water filter systems are much more affordable and energy-saving than any bottled water brand, especially an expensive imported bottled water brand like Fiji Water.

The best water filter will remove hundreds of contaminants, improving your water’s taste and making it cleaner and purer. No, you probably won’t achieve the same taste as water from a volcanic rock aquifer in Fiji, but it should still taste great.

🧑‍🔧 If you’re considering water filters and you don’t know where to begin, discover the ultimate list of the best water filter pitchers you need in your home.

Fiji bottled water in pack

🔎 Is Fiji Water Problematic?

Fiji Water is still technically doing “good” by providing jobs to local communities in Fiji, helping to boost the island’s economy.

With that said, there has been some controversy with Fiji Water in the past. As reported by HuffPost, the manufacturer threatened to close its plant in Fiji in 2017 rather than allow the government to increase its bottled water tax from third of a Fiji cent to fifteen Fiji cents. So, Fiji Water’s economic power is clearly a threat to the very country that gives it its name.

Honestly, we think most major corporations are involved in some shady or controversial dealings, but that doesn’t let Fiji off the hook. The manufacturer could certainly afford to pay the proposed increase in taxes – its marketing budget alone is estimated to be around $10 million.

There are other issues, too. A New University article reported that around 12% OF Fijians didn’t have access to clean water in 2018, and something seems off that a luxury water bottling facility is based on Fiji’s largest island and yet the manufacturer isn’t working to help locals access this basic and fundamental resource (not to mention sourcing and shipping the water that is rightfully theirs).

Plus, while the company behind Fiji Water says it’s committed to reducing its carbon footprint, we know very little about what it’s actually doing in this regard.

💰 How To Save Money On Fiji Water

Still desperate to drink from the iconic Fiji Water bottle?

Fiji Water is expensive, period. But you can save some money by making the most of deals and discounts, looking for coupons online, and buying the water in bulk.

You can also check wholesale shopper clubs to see if they sell Fiji Water. But you’re going to end up spending a lot on this premium water brand. The demand for Fiji is high enough that the manufacturer doesn’t need to tempt customers with deals and offers.

📑 Final Word

It’s easy to get swept up in a bottled water brand’s marketing, and Fiji certainly knows what it’s doing. By associating its water with a beautiful tropical island, the manufacturer knows that many of us will project our yearning for a luxury vacation onto our bottled water purchases, especially since we assume that water simply must taste better if it comes from such an exquisite location.

We think it’s obvious why there’s such a price difference between Fiji Water and the rest of the bottled water crowd, but our advice is to be aware of clever marketing. We personally think Fiji Water tastes great, but it’s no substitute for Fiji itself – somewhere you could probably save up to visit in a few years if you stopped spending so much money on a premium bottled water brand!

  • Laura Shallcross
    Senior Editor

    Laura is a passionate residential water treatment journalist who holds an undergraduate degree in Print Journalism and a master’s degree in Creative Writing. Over a span of 5 years she's written on a range of topics including water softening, well water treatment, and purification processes.

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