Foodwatch denounces “massive fraud” and files complaint against Nestlé Waters and Sources Alma

On January 30, an investigation revealed that Nestlé and other manufacturers had hidden from the public that the water they pumped was contaminated.

The consumer defense NGO Foodwatch filed a complaint this Wednesday before the Paris judicial court against Nestlé Waters and Sources Alma, suspected of having illegally treated their bottled waters and of having sold them without informing consumers, according to the information from franceinfo this Wednesday.

On January 30, an investigation by the investigation unit of Radio France and Le Monde revealed that Nestlé and other manufacturers had hidden from the public that the water they pumped was contaminated. To continue bottling it, they used banned purification systems. 30% of bottled water brands are affected, according to the survey.

“No one, not even a multinational like Nestlé, is above the law”

Foodwatch denounces, this Wednesday, a “massive fraud“of these companies.”Bottled water wasn’t as pure as people thoughtwrites the NGO in a press release. Using water treatment systems such as carbon filters or UV filters, filling bottles with tap water, hiding these processes from the eyes of controllers, marketing non-compliant products, is simply prohibited.“

According to the NGO, “a third of the water sold in France has thus undergone non-compliant treatments“, including the Cristaline brand, the best-selling, but also Perrier, Vittel, Hépar and Contrex in particular. According to the investigation by the investigation unit of Radio France and Le Monde, concerning Nestlé, “100% of brands are affected by the use of prohibited treatments“, recalls Foodwatch. “No one, not even a multinational like Nestlé, is above the law“, adds the NGO.

Foodwatch is suing Nestlé Waters and Sources Alma for nine criminal offenses under the European Directive on Mineral Waters, the Consumer Code and the Public Health Code.
She blames the “use of treatment products and processes which modify the composition of water in its essential constituents“. She points a “false information likely to mislead about the substantial qualities of the product“, as well as a “deception as to the substantial qualities of a good“. The NGO notes the “non-compliance relating to substantial quality of the product”, “falsification of drinks intended to be sold“, and the “absence of mention of treatments on the labeling of mineral water“. Foodwatch again denounces the “modification of the analytical composition of mineral water“, L'”lack of information from the Minister responsible for Health“, as well as the”lack of information from the European Commission and member states by the government“.

“Complacency of France”?

Foodwatch also asks about “the complacency of France“which is, according to the organization, “involved in this affair for several years”. France “should have alerted the European authorities and other Member States importing these waters“.

The NGO thus calls on the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Stella Kyriakides, on France’s responsibility in this matter. She points out that the name natural mineral water is governed by a strict European directive. According to Foodwatch, France was aware of the fraud at least since 2021″but did not consider it useful to inform citizens or other member states“. She calls on the European Commission to take action to ensure that such fraud does not happen again.