Nestlé will compensate the families of victims

The French branch of Nestlé has pledged to compensate dozens of victims of the Buitoni pizza scandal contaminated with E.coli bacteria. A deal “amicable compensation” was found and signed on March 31, closing the civil part of the case, the parties announced on Monday April 17, without disclosing the amount.

Nestlé France has assured that it wants “contribute, within a reasonable time, to the appeasement of the victims and their families”. Two children died and dozens of others fell seriously ill after the ingestion in 2022 of pizzas from the Fraîch’Up range of Buitoni, a subsidiary of Nestlé.

The criminal proceedings continue

This process should “allow in the long term a fair reparation commensurate with their damages”, explained in a separate statement the lawyer Pierre Debuisson, who represents 63 victims. Pierre Debuisson had sued Nestlé for “gross negligence” before the Nanterre court and requested compensation of up to 250 million euros for his customers. The hearing was set for May 9. The amicable agreement suspends this assignment.

“In the context of civil procedure, amicable agreements are usual and make it possible to put an end to civil litigation without extinguishing the criminal action” who she, “takes its course”, Nestlé told AFP. A judicial investigation had been opened in May 2022 in Paris, in particular for manslaughter and involuntary injuries. Nestlé has not yet been indicted.