UK: Choose Ethical Water in 2008

The Co-operative ? the largest co-operatively-owned food retailer in the UK, and probably in the world – is calling on its customers to choose ethical mineral water, the Co-operative Fairbourne Springs Mineral Water, over standard mineral water wherever possible.

The Co-operative own-label water, launched in September 2007, aims to fund the installation of PlayPump Water System in Africa.

Every time a customer buys a bottle or multi-pack of the ethical water, The Co-operative automatically makes a donation to the One Foundation, a charitable division of One Water, to fund the PlayPump Water Systems in Africa.
Each system costs £7,800 (10,400 euro) and it will ensure people to get free, readily available, clean water.

It has to be remembered that one billion people in the world do not have access to clean water, and two million people die every year from water-related diseases. 

The PlayPump Water Systems pump water through roundabouts, which even children can play on to fill a storage tank to be used by the whole community. 

Since September 2007, The Co-operative has raised enough money to fund 25 PlayPumps (about £200,000 ? 267,000 euro), this means that The Co-operative's customers, through their purchases, have helped over 60,000 people to improve their lives.

In 2008, The Co-operative aims to provide another 100 PlayPumps through the sales of Fairbourne Springs.

www.co-operative.coop