04/06/2024

How much does the taste of water affect hydration? Exploring the Zip Water Taste Test

How important is drinking water in the workplace? As experts in hydration, we know the answer is ‘very’. And from wellbeing to productivity, the importance of keeping yourself, and your workforce hydrated can’t be overstated. 

But, is all drinking water created equal? And is there a ‘right way’ to stay hydrated? Last year, we planned to find out, and who better to ask than the experts in taste: you! 

So, with our plan set, we headed to London to conduct our taste test. 

Since then, we’ve gone even further, and recently published our Ultimate guide to hydration, detailing our findings on how dehydration can affect everything from our health, to our productivity levels; as well as sharing our top tips for staying hydrated in the workplace.

Hydration is key to health and wellbeing

The more we’ve researched, the clearer things have become: the availability, and great taste, of water is key to staying hydrated. And staying hydrated is key to productivity, wellbeing, and health. 

When we conducted our taste test in London, we learnt a lot about people’s hydration habits. In fact, 83% of the people we asked said that they considered drinking more water a goal for themselves. This was interesting to us – we know that hydration is important for productivity in the workplace, and we know that providing filtered water on tap is key to boosting productivity, but now we understand that employees are keen to up their water intake, too. 

This is great news for workplaces and workforces alike, because it’s a shared, attainable goal. 

What prevents good hydration habits?

So, what are the barriers to staying hydrated? If it’s clear that people want to drink more water, then what is stopping them? 

We proposed it was a matter of taste. And we were right: in our taste test, we saw that 92% of people asked, preferred the taste of Zip filtered chilled water to ordinary tap water. If you don’t like the taste of something, why would you drink it?

The numbers don’t lie. And what we’ve seen is that if people enjoy the taste of water, they are more likely to drink more of it. But how can you make water taste better? You could add syrups, or sugars… or, you could just filter out chlorine, bacteria, and sediment, so that you’re left with water at its best. 

“We preferred the filtered water because it tasted healthier. As the name suggests, it’s filtered water, so it doesn’t contain microplastics and bacteria, so I’d definitely see it as a healthier option.”

The good news? We’re not just experts in hydration, but also in filtration technology, and we’re passionate about providing water at its best in every workplace. We’ve spent over 75 years at the forefront of hydration technology, and we know what good water tastes like. 

What makes filtered water better? 

Although tap water in the UK is safe to drink, there are still impurities and contaminants present. HydroTap can remove these potentially harmful contaminants, leaving you with perfectly filtered water. And that’s what we heard in our taste test, too.

‘It’s just smoother, it’s that little bit colder… a little bit fresher’

Of course, as we’ve mentioned, the superior taste of Zip-filtered water means it’s much more likely that people will drink more water as a result. And we’re not just saying that, either. When asked in our taste test, 89% of people said that they would drink more if they had access to our filtered drinking water. That’s quite the majority. 

Are we ‘too busy’ to stay hydrated?

Another barrier to staying hydrated is a lack of time. According to a survey of 2,000 UK residents, 70% of people often go nearly the whole working day (7 or more hours) without drinking a glass of water. When asked why, two-thirds of people cited being ‘too busy’.

Convenience is king

What’s the solution for this? On the one hand, it’s great news that the workforce is so busy: that implies people are highly engaged and productive at work. On the other hand, however, it shows that it’s perhaps even more important to provide easily accessible drinking water than previously thought. 

How can Zip help you?

At Zip, we’ve got solutions for all of your water needs. Think beyond the sink: instant chilled, filtered water anywhere in your space – from break rooms, to hot desking areas. With HydroTap, you can install on a font anywhere you require. Taking up less space, and giving you endless options for hydration stations where you need them most. Save employees the distance to fresh-tasting water, and watch your productivity grow. 

And if you’re looking for even more futuristic hydration, we’ve got you covered. The filtration you know and love, coupled with the option for adding fresh-tasting flavouring, with added vitamins and minerals, with HydroMe. Choose from still or sparkling water, and add flavour as you desire to take your hydration to the next level. You can even use our integrated app to make your selections, track your hydration, and collect points and badges to donate clean water to communities around the world with our GivePower partnership. Install this smart hydration station wherever you require in your space, and enjoy personalised drinks at the touch of a button, or a swipe on your phone. 

And if all this is making you wonder about the upkeep of your systems, don’t panic. With HydroCare, our comprehensive servicing packages tailored to your requirements, we’ll take care of filter changes and any servicing for you, meaning you’ll always have fresh-tasting water when you, and your workforce, need it. 

Find out more about our Ultimate guide to hydration, and our Taste test on our website. 

If you are interested in drinking water solutions for your workplace, get in touch today for a bespoke solution.