Most Common Questions


Raw Material (bottle)


Recovery Options


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  • How does Primo source its water? Is it municipal water?
  • Primo Water is locally sourced in the U.S. from an approved spring or from municipal water. Independent of the source, the water is carefully selected for quality and for executing the high standards needed to meet Primo Water purification requirements and the unique taste perfection formula. A proprietary mineral package is added for great taste.
  • Where are Primo single serve bottles available?
  • Primo is expanding nationally and is available in select retail stores. It can be purchased in Kroger owned and operated stores nationally and in limited numbers of Hannaford and Lowes stores. Primo will be announcing availability in additional stores in coming months.
  • How much does Primo cost?
  • Currently Primo cases are affordable and "in value" everyday at a suggested retail price of $4.99/case.
  • What bottle sizes are available?
  • Currently a 16.9-oz bottle is available in multi-packs of 18 bottles. Primo Water Corporation also produces three- and five-gallon jugs for water coolers.
  • How has Primo performed in taste tests?
  • In taste tests conducted at the end of 2007 with almost 7,000 consumers, three out of four consumers preferred Primo over the market's leading spring water and four out of five consumers preferred Primo over tap water in the same taste tests. The taste tests were conducted in six markets - Charlotte, Tampa, Boston, Dallas, Columbus and Los Angeles - by an independent contractor.
  • Is documentation of these taste tests available?
  • Yes. Please make your request through our media contact.
  • Primo Single Serve bottles are identified with the #7 code. Do they contain any BPA?
  • Primo is committed to responsible and safe distribution of its entire family of great tasting, environmentally friendly water products.

    Primo single serve bottles are made from plants, not crude oil like other plastic bottles. Our single serve bottles are made from a renewable natural plastic and do not contain Bisphenol A.

    There are some reports that state all bottles with the #7 classification code contain Bisphenol A. Fact is, this generalization is not true. The #7 classification does not represent a specific kind of plastic. The #7 indicates the package is made from resin other than #1 - #6. Packages with #7 have not yet received their own classification by the Society for Plastics Industry. Primo single serve bottles are labeled #7 because our new bio-resin has not yet received its own classification. Primo single serve bottles are labeled #7 but they do not contain Bisphenol A.

    To learn more about the classification system:

    Visit American Chemistry Council's guide to plastic packaging resins: www.americanchemistry.com/s_plastics/bin.asp?CID=1102&DID=4645&DOC=FILE.PDF

    Visit Californians Against Waste: www.cawrecycles.org/issues/plastic_campaign/resin_code.

  • Why should consumers purchase Primo water? Why would anyone buy bottled water when tap water is free?
  • Consumers' preference for bottled water is driven by taste and convenience. Taste is the number one reason why consumers chose water. Primo offers exceptional taste preference over tap water, with four out of five consumers preferring Primo over tap water in taste tests. Consumer demand for bottled water remains high, as its convenience supports busy lifestyles. Tap water may fill the needs of some consumers but bottled water is portable, potable and resealable while being an alternative to other carbonated and sugar-based beverages.
  • Will the water stay fresh in a Primo bottle?
  • Yes. According to the USFDA, bottled water doesn't have an expiration date. But while water does not have an expiration date, there are many things that can affect the life of plastic bottles. If you are ever concerned about the age of your Primo bottle or believe it has developed an off-taste, please contact Primo Water Corporation at www.primowater.com.
  • Can I taste the corn in a Primo bottle?
  • No. Ingeotm, the natural plastic used to make Primo single serve bottles, does not retain any corn flavor after going through the manufacturing process. The performance and quality of the Primo bottle is equal to that of traditional PET bottles. This neutral taste was confirmed in a study conducted at Michigan State University in 2006. For more details contact Primo Water Corporation at www.primowater.com.
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Raw Material (bottle)

  • What is the Primo bottle made from?
  • The renewable Primo bottle is made from Ingeotm, the world's first and only performance plastic made from 100 percent annually renewable-resources - plants, not crude oil like other plastic bottles.
  • What is Ingeotm?
  • Ingeotm is the brand name for the performance plastic derived from plants and marketed by NatureWorks LLC. It is clear and strong like petroleum-based plastic, providing great consumer appeal and environmental benefits for products such as Primo water.
  • Is the Primo bottle manufactured from genetically modified (GM) corn? What amount of GM material is in the Primo bottle?
  • There is no GM material in the Primo bottle. This is certified by the internationally recognized body, GeneScan Inc. Ingeotm does not contain genetic material, and its production does not require any genetic content from field corn.
  • How much corn is used to make a Primo bottle? Isn't this making our corn crop more expensive and all other crops more expensive?
  • The answer to this question depends on several manufacturing variables, but the impact to the nation's corn supply is minimal. For example, if every household in the U.S. purchased one Primo multi-pack, this would require 0.05 percent of the U.S. corn crop.
  • Is Primo looking to utilize other plant resources in the future?
  • Primo is always looking for ways to improve the customer's experience with its product. Our vision is to make 100% of the packaging materials, including the label, closure, and shrink film from 100% renewable resources. We are actively working on this technology. For more information about Ingeotm, please go to www.NatureWorksLLC.com.
  • Why is the Primo bottle a "better" choice than a PET bottle?
  • Manufacturing of the Primo bottle requires 65 percent less fossil resources than a PET petroleum based bottle. Conventional PET bottles use limited and depleting reserves of oil and natural gas as their feedstock source. In contrast, the material for Primo's bottle is derived from annually renewable resources such as plants. Energy from the sun and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere are harnessed in agricultural crops.

    Ingeotm emits less carbon dioxide because it uses renewable resources as a feedstock. Carbon dioxide is believed to be the most important contributor to global climate change. Because carbon dioxide is removed from the air when plants are grown, Ingeotm contributes 80 to 90 percent less greenhouse gases to the atmosphere than traditional plastic materials.

    Primo's bottle fits into any waste management system with a benefit. At the end of their useful life, Primo bottles can be disposed of by all traditional waste management methods such as mechanical/chemical recycling, commercial composting where the bottle harmlessly biodegrades, and incineration.

    The Primo bottle has performance equal to petroleum-based bottles. A product is sustainable only when it has an equivalent function as the products it is replacing. The Primo bottle meets and often exceeds this requirement.

    To summarize, the Primo bottle is made from renewable resources, plants, which helps kick our foreign oil addiction, emits substantially less greenhouse gases, provides more end of life options, and performs well as a food container.

  • Will Primo bottles change shape in high heat?

  • Primo bottles are made from a renewable plant-based natural plastic that is better for the environment than oil-based bottles. But like other plastics, in some instances, exposure to high temperatures can alter the shape of the bottle. As with all beverages, we recommend storing Primo in a cool place. In addition, there should be no worry that any chemicals can leach into the Primo water. Rigorous testing indicates that regardless of temperature, there is no known leaking of chemicals from our natural, petroleum-free bottle to the water inside. Primo single-serve bottles are also 100% BPA free.

  • Will the bottle degrade on store shelves?
  • No, the Primo bottle will not degrade on shelves and has a shelf-life similar to other petroleum-based bottles.
  • Are all raw materials for the bottle grown in the U.S.A.?
  • Yes.
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Recovery Options

  • How should consumers dispose of Primo bottles?
  • Primo renewable bottles have an advantage throughout their lifecycles:
    • They are made of Ingeotm natural plastic, which is derived from plants, not crude oil.
    • Primo bottles have three recovery options that allow the bottle to be renewed: mechanical recycling, commercial composting, and energy recovery through incineration.
    • Although not all recyclers are prepared to recycle Primo bottles today, recycling will ultimately be the most environmentally responsible option.

    We recognize that not all consumers have access to recycling options that accept Ingeotm natural plastic; in some cases consumers have no access to any plastics recycling. Primo is working to form a consortium of leading waste management experts, retailers, brand owners, public policy experts and manufacturing engineers that will work together to develop new long-term, effective and efficient processes for renewing bioplastics. We encourage consumers to take advantage of any recovery opportunity everyday. But in all cases, please don't litter. Learn more at www.primowater.com

  • What do you mean by "Please Renew"?
  • Primo bottles offer consumers more ways to contribute to a better environment than simply recycling. The bottles can be recycled, commercially composted, or incinerated for energy recovery. We feel that "Please Renew" best captures the positive environmental and social impact of each of these multiple options.
  • Is the Primo bottle compostable? Where can consumers take bottles to have them composted?
  • Yes, consumers can take bottles to municipal and industrial compositing facilities where available. For a list of available industrial composting facilities in North America, visit: http://www.natureworksllc.com/media/Files/LCA/nw%20compost%20sites_11%2030%2005_final.pdf
  • How long does it take for a bottle to compost?
  • Depending on bottle design, composting will happen in approximately 80 to 90 days, when performed in accordance with international standards such as ASTM D6400 (for Compostable Plastics) or ASTM D6868 (for Compostable Packaging).
  • What is the difference between biodegradable and compostable?
  • Biodegradable means that a material under the right conditions can be broken down and used as a food source by microbes in the environment in a reasonable period of time. The key word is "reasonable." Generally, in the U.S., think of a biodegradable material as one that can be left alone in nature and will decompose in three months or less. Very few materials are truly biodegradable.

    The Primo bottle is degradable under composting conditions. When products are designed to be composted, they should meet global standards such as ASTM Standards D6400 (for Compostable Plastics) or ASTM D6868 (for Compostable Packaging). Products that meet the requirements in these two specifications will:

    • Disintegrate rapidly during the composting process (so that no large plastic fragments will wind up on the composters' screens when the process is finished).
    • Degrade quickly under composting conditions.
    • Not reduce the value or utility of the finished compost. The humus manufactured during the composting process will support plant life.
    • Not contain regulated metals.
  • Can Primo be composted in a home compost?
  • The Primo bottle is intended for industrial-based composts which very carefully regulate temperature, moisture and turning. Due to the variability in home composting, Primo does not recommend that its bottles be placed in home or backyard composts.
  • Is the Primo bottle recyclable?
  • Yes, technology exists today to adequately recycle Ingeotm bioplastic used in Primo bottles, although the technology is not universally accessible. Primo is exploring opportunities to work with the recycling community and other critical groups to make this technology more accessible to local and regional recyclers. Primo Water Corporation supports recycling of all materials. If you have any questions of suggestions for improving materials recycling in your area, please contact your local recycler or municipality.
  • What is Primo doing to advance recycling opportunities with its bottle?
  • Working with our suppliers, Primo is supporting the testing of potential recycling solutions. For more information about these tests, please contact NatureWorks LLC.

    In addition, Primo is working to form a consortium of leading waste management experts, retailers, brand owners, public policy experts and manufacturing engineers that will work together to develop new long-term, effective and efficient recycling processes for bioplastics.

  • Can you give me specifics on who will be participating in the consortium?
  • Primo is in the process of talking to interested parties and will confirm the participants at the appropriate time. Our goal is to convene the first consortium meeting in the summer of 2008. Individuals or organizations who are interested in participating in a consortium should contact Primo Water Corporation at www.primowater.com.
  • What roles will Primo and NatureWorks play in the consortium?
  • Primo is driving the establishment of the consortium. Primo and NatureWorks intend to participate in the consortium.
  • Are the Primo bottle label and cap recyclable?
  • Currently, these components of the packaging are made from PET and HDPE respectively and are recyclable, where recycling services are available.
  • What happens to Primo bottles that are recycled with PET bottles?
  • If a recycling facility has the capabilities to sort and separate Primo's bottles made with Ingeotm natural plastic, the bottles are ground into flakes that are packed according to local regulations. They are then sold to buyers of recycled Ingeotm bioplastic, such as the large-volume buy-back program instituted by NatureWorks LLC. If a recycling facility does not have the capabilities to sort, or chooses not to sort Ingeotm or other PLA plastics, then these materials potentially may be left in the PET stream to be recycled with PET bottles.
  • Is there a resale market for recycled Ingeotm bioplastic?
  • Yes. NatureWorks LLC has instituted a large-volume buy-back program in North America for post-consumer Ingeotm bottles. Through this program, commercial material recovery facilities (MRFs) and PET bale processors can separate post-consumer Ingeotm bottles into distinct bales meeting a predefined specification. NatureWorks LLC will buy these bales and route them to an appropriate end of life solution and/or post-consumer use. For more information, see www.NatureWorksLLC.com.
  • What is the size of the bottled water market?
  • The bottled water market is estimated to be a $10+ billion category, and is growing at high single digit percentages each year.
  • What is the size of the market for bottled water packaged in bioplastic?
  • Primo is the first nationally distributed bottled water packaged in a bioplastic.
  • Does Primo have any other businesses?
  • Yes. Primo Water Corporation markets and sells three- and five-gallon jugs for use in water coolers and also manufactures and sells Energy Star-rated stylish water cooler dispensers.
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