KUWAIT: The hot summer season has increased the country's mineral water consumption and supermarkets everywhere have noticed an increased sale in all kinds of mineral water. There are various kinds of local and international brands of mineral water available on the Kuwaiti market but local bands are always in the highest demand. An employee at one of the more well-known supermarkets in Salmiya confirmed that the consumption of mineral water has increased since summer started.

In summer, we sell more mineral water in all different sizes," noted the employee. "The most sold brand is a local mineral water produced specifically for our supermarket. It's price is cheaper than others and is of a good quality. The prices haven't change in more than a year.

The co-ops also denied raising the prices of any of the mineral water brands. "The prices haven't increased, even though the demand for mineral water has increased," said Tomas, an employee at the Rawdha Co-op, to the Kuwait Times. "Of course the local brands of mineral water are the cheapest. The price of a pack (20 pieces) of Abraj costs 670 fils while one bottle of the same size of Evian coasts 480 fils.

Hassan, an employee at the Shamiya Co-op agreed that the consumption of mineral water increases during summer. He assured that the price hadn't increased. "The cheapest kind of water is Rawdatin, then Abraj. There are other kinds that are more expensive, like Aquafina. The most expensive is the French mineral water Evian. Some customers buy Evian but more people buy the cheaper Kuwaiti water," he noted.

Some co-ops don't notice an increase in the sale of mineral water during this time of the year. "It's true that during the hot weather people buy more water but the holidays have started," said Mahmoud, a salesman at the Daiya Coop. "Most people have left the country, so that means the number of costumers has decreased. In the end we have an average sale of mineral water. The prices haven't increased, as some rumors say, and local brands are the most demanded because they're the cheapest. - Kuwait Times