Hoping to capture the premium water purifier segment, HUL has launched a UV-powered variant of its water purifier brand, Pureit.

With a storage capacity of four litres, Pureit Marvella UV, is priced at a price of Rs 7,990. Till now, Pureit was being targeted at the mass market, with its Pureit Intella and Pureit Classic variants. It also has a RO variant. According to an HUL official release, the UV-powered variant was launched keeping in mind households that prefer UV water purifiers. Much of the existing UV-powered water purifiers in the market, have no storage capacity.

Badri Narayanan, GM, Water, Hindustan Unilever

According to Badri Narayanan, GM, Water, Hindustan Unilever, with Pureit Marvella UV, HUL has taken its “first step into the premium UV water purifier segment,” with a guarantee of “unparalleled set of features coupled with a beautiful design, which will instantly appeal to consumers who not only want safe drinking water but also a purifier that goes a step further as an aesthetically appealing device that they can proudly display in their kitchen.”

In the UV water purifier segment, Pureit would be competing with brands from Panasonic, Eureka Forbes, Kent and Godrej. Philips that had entered the UV-segment around 2005-06, doesn’t sell it any more.

According to ASSOCHAM, the water purifier market is estimated to be worth Rs 4,000 crore and is likely to grow to Rs 7,000 crore by 2015.