Guidance

Compare types of bottled water

The differences between the 3 types of bottled water, and what bottled water is exempt from the rules.

Applies to England

There are 3 types of bottled water with rules that producers need to follow to produce and market it to the public.

This guide summarises the differences between the 3 types.

You can find full guidance for each type of bottled water:

Differences between the 3 types of bottled water

Use this table to compare the differences.

Natural mineral water Spring water Bottled drinking water
Must come from underground source, tapped at a natural or drilled exit Yes Yes No
Must be free of parasites and bacteria which cause disease Yes Yes Yes
Must be bottled at a spring or borehole Yes Yes No
Spring or borehole must be protected from pollution Yes Yes Not applicable
Must keep its ‘original purity’ (this means its properties have stayed the same from source to bottling) Yes No No
Composition must be ‘stable’ (remain consistent over a lengthy period of time) Yes No No
Must meet limits for chemical, microbial and radioactive substances Yes Yes Yes
Treatments permitted 5 treatment types permitted Any Any
Need official recognition from local authority before producing and marketing Yes No No
Must put composition on labelling Yes No No

What’s exempt from the rules

Bottled water is exempt from these rules if it’s:

  • not for human consumption
  • registered as a medicinal product for people, for example, bottled nasal spray or intravenous drip solution
  • used to make packaged ice for cooling other foods

Natural mineral water is exempt if you use it at source for healing in thermal or hydromineral premises, in for example, a spa.

The rules also do not apply if you’re exporting natural mineral water to countries outside:

  • the UK
  • the EU
  • Iceland
  • Norway
  • Lichtenstein
  • Switzerland

Check the rules for the country you’re exporting to.

Updates to this page

Published 28 May 2020

Sign up for emails or print this page