Shoppers have questioned the sale of HK$950 bottled polar iceberg water in Hong Kong. The limited edition Svalbardi bottles contain water carved off melting glaciers, and are available at Great supermarket.

glacier water
Photo: Jeanette Buurma‎.

“Cashing in on melting ice caps?” asked one user on a closed Facebook group. “What is the world coming to?” asked another.

The mineral-free water is bottled at source, with Svalbardi claiming that it has an “exceptionally light mouthfeel.” The Arctic icebergs are located around Svalbard – an archipelago between the North Pole and Norway.

The manufacturers say: “It makes an ideal gift for those who want to experience a different type of fine water that has been taken from unparalleled Arctic waters.”

A percentage from each sale goes to the Global Seed Vault – a project which stores seeds to ensure food security in the event of disasters caused by climate change.

Former Wall Street businessman Jamal Qureshi founded the firm in 2013 after visiting the icebergs.

Support HKFP  |  Code of Ethics  |  Error/typo?  |  Contact Us  |  Newsletter  |  Annual & Transparency Report

Tom founded Hong Kong Free Press in 2015 and is the editor-in-chief. In addition to editing, he is responsible for managing the newsroom and company - including fundraising, recruitment and overseeing HKFP's web presence and ethical guidelines.

He has a BA in Communications and New Media from Leeds University and an MA in Journalism from the University of Hong Kong. He previously led an NGO advocating for domestic worker rights, and has contributed to the BBC, Deutsche Welle, Al-Jazeera and others.