Europe’s installed base of water dispensers exceeded 6.6 million units in 2025, increasing by around 2% year on year, according to new data from Zenith Global Commercial.

The consultancy’s 2026 West Europe and East Europe Water Dispense Market Reports showed contrasting trends across the two regions, with Western Europe maintaining steady growth while Eastern Europe recorded its first increase since 2021.

Western Europe’s installed base rose by 3% to more than 4 million units, adding approximately 118,000 units during the year. Over the past five years, the region has recorded compound annual growth of 4.2%.

Meanwhile, Eastern Europe grew by 0.6% to almost 2.55 million units, marking a return to growth following several years of decline. Zenith said the regional installed base had fallen by close to 180,000 units over the previous five years.

Excluding Russia and Ukraine, Eastern Europe recorded stronger growth of 1.5% in 2025, reaching around 1.13 million units. The installed base across these markets has increased by 5.8% since 2020.

Zenith highlighted mains-fed systems as a key driver of growth across both regions. Integrated tap systems were the fastest-growing format, increasing by 5.8% in Western Europe and 8.1% in Eastern Europe.

Point-of-use systems grew by 2% and 7.3% respectively, while bottled water dispense increased by 3.4% in Western Europe, supported by growth in Iberia. In Eastern Europe, bottled water dispense declined by 0.4% as customers continued to switch to mains-fed alternatives.

Spain remained Western Europe’s largest water dispense market, with more than 1 million units installed following its thirteenth consecutive year of growth. The country added more than 100,000 net placements during 2025, supported by residential subscription models such as Aquaservice.

Zenith forecasts Spain’s installed base to approach 1.4 million units by 2030.

In Eastern Europe, Russia remains the largest market, followed by Poland, Ukraine, Romania and Czechia. However, the Russian and Ukrainian markets remain below pre-war levels following the withdrawal of companies including Brita and Eden Springs from Russia in 2022.

Regulatory changes are also expected to influence the European water dispense sector. The EU ban on bisphenol A (BPA) in polycarbonate bottles and water-contact components took effect on 20 July 2026, with a transition period for existing bottles running until January 2029.

Meanwhile, provisions under the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation include restrictions on PFAS in food-contact packaging and a 25% recycled content requirement for single-use PET from 12 August 2026.

Zenith said operators are increasingly incorporating PFAS-capable filtration into equipment specifications as a wider restriction on the substances under REACH is anticipated around 2029.

European water dispense revenue surpassed €2.5 billion in 2025, growing faster than the installed unit base as higher prices fed through to the market.

Zenith forecasts the European installed base to approach 7.5 million units by 2030, representing average annual growth of approximately 2.5%. Western Europe is expected to grow by 2.9% annually, while Eastern Europe is forecast to expand by 1.8%, based on an assumption that the war in Ukraine ends during the forecast period.

Akos Petri, managing director of Zenith Global Commercial, said: “Europe is two markets with one name. One has compounded at more than 4% a year for five years on mains-fed conversion. The other lost close to 180,000 units to war and market exits and has only just stopped falling.”

"Anyone sizing an acquisition in the East should be looking at the region without Russia and Ukraine in it, because that is the part they can actually buy.”