The company is preparing to launch a new mass-priced bottled water brand, Campa Sure, to disrupt the fragmented and intensely competitive category through aggressive pricing.
Reliance Consumer Products has announced plans to collaborate with regional water makers for bottling and distribution, without pursuing acquisitions.
According to T Krishnakumar, director of Reliance Consumer Products, the initiative is focused on ensuring governance standards for smaller brands, structured around bottling, technology, and potential branding tie-ups.
Campa Sure, with prices starting at Rs 5 for 250 ml bottles, is set to begin its rollout in Northern markets within the next fortnight.
Bigger packs of Campa Sure are priced 20-30% lower than existing national brands. A one-litre Campa Sure bottle is being offered at Rs 15, compared to Rs 20 for brands like Bisleri, Coca-Cola’s Kinley, and PepsiCo’s Aquafina. Similarly, two-litre bottles are priced at Rs 25, undercutting the Rs 30–35 range of competitors.This move echoes the pricing strategy previously used for Campa soft drinks, which launched at Rs 10 for 200 ml bottles and led to price cuts and packaging changes by PepsiCo and Coca-Cola.Industry executives noted that the entry of Campa Sure is prompting major players to ramp up branding and consumer promotion campaigns to defend market share.
Krishnakumar emphasised that Reliance aims to keep pricing relevant for consumers and that the move is not just tactical but strategic. He highlighted the benefits of partnering with regional and local manufacturers to ensure benchmark standards, broaden access to quality water, and counter the threat of counterfeit bottled water products.
Reliance is reportedly in talks with about two dozen regional players in Northern India for the rollout phase. Additionally, it also markets another packaged water brand, Independence, under its staples franchise, positioned at a higher price point than Campa Sure.
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The launch of Campa Sure also coincides with the government’s implementation of GST 2.0 from September 22, under which the GST on packaged drinking water, including mineral and artificial water, was cut from 18% to 5%, allowing for a more competitive pricing environment across the sector.
On Wednesday, shares of Reliance Industries closed flat at Rs 1,368.80 on the BSE.
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