Dutch Water Cooler Association (AWCN) invites Belgian watercooler companies to Annual meeting

On Wednesday 23 November the Dutch Water Cooler Association (AWCN) held its yearly annual meeting hosted by Dolphin Bottling in Mierlo.

After two years of pandemic and virtual screens, members were happy to meet each other again in person. Quality matters such as the yearly audits as well as the training courses Hygienic Awareness and Point-of-Use were discussed at length; the upcoming round of training courses has been planned for March 2023. Covid 19 has had its impact on the industry but all members reported that business was again moving into the right direction! For the near future, the association will keep a close eye on the regulations for packaging and various government proposals to that effect, as well as the logistical issue of zero emission rights, an issue impacting many industries.

Next to the Dutch members, Belgian watercooler companies were invited to join and discuss the latest developments and upcoming regulations in both countries. For the Dutch watercooler members, it has been a long wait but after years and years of lobbying, the Dutch government has finally decided to abolish the consumer tax on bottled water per 1 January 2024. The tax will remain to be levied on soft drinks and fruit juices.

The meeting closed with lunch and it was a great pleasure to see all present again. We hope to welcome members, potential future members and our Belgian colleagues next year when the AWCN will organise its meeting in conjunction with the Aquatech 2023 in Amsterdam.