A French magistrate has initiated a fraud inquiry into mineral water giants Nestlé and Sources Alma, focusing on suspicions of illegal water processing methods. This move comes despite recommendations to halt further investigations into the companies.
The inquiry was spurred by formal complaints from the consumer watchdog Foodwatch, targeting Nestlé Waters, known for brands like Perrier, Contrex, and Vittel, and Sources Alma, the largest mineral water producer in France. Foodwatch has been vocal about the companies’ potentially deceptive practices regarding their water’s purity and treatment.
Recent reports have shed light on the extent of the issue:
- Investigative Journalism Uncovers Government Complicity: A joint investigation by Le Monde and Radio France on February 4, 2024, alleged that the French government permitted Nestlé to sell non-compliant mineral water. They claimed that former Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne’s office and the French presidency, despite health authority warnings, allowed these practices to continue since 2023.
- High-Level Accusations: The journalists cited internal communications suggesting that governmental bodies favored Nestlé’s interests over public health, a claim denied by President Emmanuel Macron as part of a cover-up accusation.
- Nestlé’s Admission and Legal Consequences: In 2024, Nestlé Waters confessed to employing banned filtration methods like UV treatments on their mineral water. They settled a case by paying a €2 million fine to sidestep further legal action related to illegal water sourcing and processing, with the company asserting that their current practices comply with government regulations and maintain water purity.
- Sources Alma’s Involvement: Sources Alma has also faced scrutiny from prosecutors in the past regarding similar issues.
- Additional Complaints and Senate Inquiry: The consumer group CLCV has also lodged complaints now under review. Meanwhile, the French Senate has been probing the government’s role in these water scandals since November, with the head of the commission, Alexandre Ouizille, expressing concerns over governmental oversight failures.