Enlarge image
Nestlé bottling plant in the Vosges (2017)
Photo:
Sebastien Bozon/AFP
In recent years, French mineral water has in many cases not been as “naturally pure” as the law requires. According to research by the French media, the Nestlé Group and other producers of mineral water are suspected of having disinfected the spring water illegally. “At least a third of brands have ignored the regulations,” says a report in the newspaper Le Monde.
Nestlé announced on Monday that it had used these techniques but had since discontinued them. These included disinfection using activated carbon or UV rays. These procedures are permitted for tap water, but not for spring and mineral water, which are sold at significantly higher prices as naturally pure water. “The goal was always to guarantee food safety,” said Nestlé. The water from the affected brands, which include Perrier and Vittel, is no longer being treated.
According to information from “Le Monde”, the French government has been aware of this since 2021 at the latest. A commission of inquiry confirmed in 2022 that the illegal disinfection of spring water was widespread. However, the report was not published. Last year, the French government discreetly changed the regulations and allowed the use of microfilters.
In the background is the threat to the sources from drought caused by climate change, but also from the use of pesticides in agriculture. According to the report by Le Monde, several springs were temporarily contaminated with fecal bacteria. US scientists recently detected microplastics in bottled water and suggested that this could also come from the microfilters.
Nestlé announced that two springs in the Vosges, whose water was marketed under the Hépar brand, were no longer used. Some springs in southern France would now be offered as flavored water under the new Maison Perrier brand. For this product, the manufacturer does not use the additive “natural mineral water”, which allows the water to be treated.
fdi/AFP