3 6 Ke·2025-09-28 10:06Core Viewpoint - The ongoing price war in China's bottled water market has intensified, with major players like Nongfu Spring, Wahaha, and Yibao engaging in aggressive pricing strategies, leading to significant market share shifts and financial impacts on the companies involved [1][6][13]. Group 1: Price War Dynamics - Nongfu Spring launched its green bottle purified water at a retail price of 1 yuan per bottle, directly targeting the core markets of Yibao and Wahaha [1][6]. - The retail price of Nongfu Spring's red bottle water has dropped to around 0.8 yuan per bottle due to heavy subsidies from the company and external platforms [3][8]. - Wahaha, under the leadership of Zong Fuli, has also reduced its bottled water prices to below 1 yuan, employing aggressive promotional strategies similar to those seen in other sectors [6][8]. Group 2: Market Share Changes - As of April 2024, Wahaha's market share in the bottled water segment increased from 14.22% to 17.7%, while Yibao's share decreased from 25.11% to 20.34% [8][12]. - The competitive landscape has shifted significantly, with Nongfu Spring maintaining a leading position despite short-term fluctuations in market share [8][12]. Group 3: Financial Performance - Yibao's revenue and net profit have declined significantly, with a reported 18.52% drop in revenue and a 28.74% decrease in net profit for the first half of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024 [15][16]. - The gross margin for Yibao has decreased by 2.6 percentage points, indicating pressure on profitability amid the price war [15][16]. Group 4: Industry Practices - The practice of "performance betting" in subsidies has become common, where distributors face pressure to meet sales targets or risk losing rewards, leading to price undercutting [8][11]. - Instances of "price inversion" have emerged, where distributors sell products below cost to maintain market presence, reflecting the intense competitive pressures in the industry [11][12].