UPDATE: Primo’s VP of Marketing Responds to Incredible Shrinking Water Bottle
Reader David wrote in to show us the transformation of his incredible shrinking water bottle. The bottles used by Primo bottled water are made from plant by-products which degrade easily compared to normal plastic, making them more eco-friendly. However, as David found out, they shrink to nearly half their size when exposed to sunlight and the heat from inside a car which could easily result in a watery mess. David’s letter and photo, inside…

Editors,

I recently purchased a case of Primo bottled water. Like other products,
it’s trying to a niche. Their spin is that the plastic in the bottle is
made from plants, not crude oil. Additionally, they claim the water tastes
just as good as the national brands. BUT the thing you aren’t told is that
the bottle shrinks!

I left a bottle in my car while I was at work (I park in an open lot). When
I left work and got into my car, I noticed that the bottle was half its
original size. The bottle shrank after a few hours under the Houston sun.
Perhaps plastic made from corn by-products is not as durable as plastic
from petroleum. Whatever it is, I am concerned. If the bottle was full and
it shrank, it could have exploded from the pressure. Or it could have
gushed out as I was opening it. Because the plastic is so sensitive to 100
degree heat, it doesn’t serve its purpose very well. And, this probably
means that toxins could be leaking out from the plastic.

Buyer beware!

I have enclosed a picture that compares the original bottle with the
shrunken version.

Thank you,

David

Degradable bottles seem like a good idea, we just don’t want them degrading inside of our cars.

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