When we told our colleague about our love for the spritz, the latter gave us big eyes half surprised half disgusted. It’s because his taste buds only vibrate for one drink, much more consensual: the Perrier. She could boast for hours about the taste and the pleasure of the bubbles that fizz in the throat. But for a few months, this sweet feeling has become rare in her life, and here she is, wandering like a soul in pain on the shelves of supermarkets. The drunkenness of the bubbles seems to be gone, forcing her into plain water – but still not the spritz.
Our colleague is not alone in her pain. According a recent NielsenIQ study, large retailers are indeed suffering from a lack of sparkling water supply. In January, the products most affected by shortages in supermarkets were flavored waters (+ 10.9 points in one year) and sparkling waters (+ 10.3 points), ahead of eggs (+ 9.7 points), l animal feed (+ 6.8 points) or fresh cream (+ 5.4 points).
Too much CO2 in the atmosphere, not enough in food
Not resisting helping a colleague in need, we decided to investigate: but where did the bubbles go? To understand this strange disappearance, you have to go back to the source: how are these sparkling waters produced? Element of explanation with Françoise Ciavaldini, patroness of the Waters of Zilia. The leader begins by breaking a myth: no, sparkling water does not come directly from a natural source, sorry for the dreaming spirits. Even if there are indeed sources of sparkling water, “it’s never enough and we add natural food gas to mineral water, which gives our sparkling water”, explains Françoise Ciavaldini.
If you’ve followed the news a bit over the past few months, you’ve no doubt already understood the problem: the explosion in the price of gas with the conflict in Ukraine. Russia was Europe’s main gas supplier, before gradually cutting the bridges (or rather the gas pipelines), agrees Yolande Piris, university professor of management sciences. The latter announces that “natural food gas is becoming more expensive and rarer, and it quickly becomes unprofitable to sell bottles of sparkling water, unless you reach crazy prices. »
In 2022, Acqua Sant’Anna, water giant frizzy Italian, as well as Sanpellegrino, a little better known here, were forced to close their factories for several days due to lack of profitability, recalls Béatrice Durand-Mégret, teacher-researcher specializing in new consumer trends. Who cannot help noticing the irony of the situation: “They say that there is too much CO2 on earth, but the food gas is lacking in the European economy, and it is probably not over. »
A shortage far from over
Same conclusion with Françoise Ciavaldini: “We sell less and less sparkling water at Eaux de Zilia, we have almost stopped production, because it becomes unprofitable, unlike plain water, which is sold more or less at normal price. “And again, “we are a small box, we are doing well compared to large groups”, estimates Corsica. “Negotiations with Air Liquide, the leading supplier of natural gas, have not led to price reductions.”
Added to this problem of content is that of the container. “The prices of plastic and glass have also increased significantly with the war in Ukraine, making the production of bottles even more expensive,” continues Béatrice Durand-Mégret.
Add in a historic drought, a bogged down conflict and a drop in temperature that drives up the price of gas, and the shortage doesn’t seem to be ending anytime soon. “Eventually, you will either have to pay for the Perrier at the price of a luxury drink, or settle for tap water,” concludes the professor. Our colleague has not finished spleener.