Reliance Industries has entered India’s booming bottled water market with the launch of two new brands, Campa Sure and Independence. The company is aiming to disrupt the market with its low pricing strategy, offering a one-liter bottle of Campa Sure for ₹15, significantly lower than the ₹20 charged by established players such as Bisleri, Aquafina, and Kinley. A two-liter pack of Campa Sure is priced at ₹25, while Independence offers a 1.5-liter bottle for ₹20. This pricing strategy is similar to the one used by Reliance in the telecom sector with Jio and in the soft drinks market with Campa Cola.
Industry observers believe that Reliance’s low pricing strategy is intended to capture volume and gain shelf space quickly in a market worth over ₹20,000 crore. However, building trust and scale in the bottled water category will be a challenge. Established brands like Bisleri have built reputations over decades, and consumers often associate them with consistent quality and purity. Reliance will need to invest heavily in manufacturing plants, bottling operations, and logistics to match the reach of incumbents.
Analysts caution that the success of Reliance’s new launch will depend on how quickly the company can scale its distribution. With its vast distribution network and history of aggressive market entry, Reliance is well-positioned to replicate the impact it created in other consumer segments. If the company can combine aggressive pricing with strong quality controls and nationwide availability, it may once again rewrite the rules of the game, forcing established players to rethink their strategies.
The entry of Reliance into the bottled water market is expected to trigger a price battle, with other players likely to respond to the company’s low pricing strategy. The move is also expected to increase competition in the market, which could lead to better quality products and services for consumers. Overall, Reliance’s entry into the bottled water market is a significant development that is likely to have a major impact on the industry.