Exploring Water Packaging and Advertising in Dakar, Senegal

Abstract

Packaged water (in sachets, bottles, or other containers) is often viewed as an alternative to or substitute for tap water. The way in which water is packaged and labeled often encourages the consumer to perceive a level of purity that may or may not align with the actual quality of the water in the container. This paper presents an overview of the current water packaging and advertising landscape in Dakar, Senegal. In the last year in particular, Dakar’s reliance on packaged water, especially sachets, has been the subject of criticism by several news agencies due to the waste created when these single-use plastics are discarded. Yet, sachets and other forms of plastic packaging, especially the more affordable ones, are popular in a region where access to potable water is tenuous.