“No information has been communicated to consumers either by Nestlé or by the authorities, it’s serious,” laments Foodwatch

While Franceinfo and “Le Monde” revealed a report from Anses reporting widespread contamination of sources used by Nestlé, the consumer defense association Foodwatch denounces the attitude of the multinational.

After the revelations of franceinfo and The world on the Nestlé group, Ingrid Kragl, director of information at Foodwatch and expert in food fraud, deplores that no “information has not been communicated to consumers either by Nestlé or by the authorities.”

Thursday April 4, franceinfo and The world revealed the content of an expertise carried out by the Food Safety Agency (ANSES) on the waters of the Nestlé group and the conclusions of which were submitted to the government in February. This report confirms the widespread contamination with bacteria, pesticides, Pfas, of natural mineral water sources operated by the Nestlé group in France and ensures that their health quality is not guaranteed.

The French government ordered to explain itself

That no information was communicated to consumers “vs‘is serious”Foodwatch judge. “We are clearly facing fraudulent practices on the part of the world’s leading multinational”, points out Ingrid Kragl. She deplores “opacity” and the “deafening silence” of the government. Faced with this silence, Foodwatch called out the European Commissioner for Health. The latter confirmed that France “has communicated absolutely nothing to the European authorities. Which is still quite crazy, because all these waters that we are talking about today as big brands are also sold and consumed in other European countries”explains Ingrid Kragl.

After the NGO’s request, the European Commission forced France to explain itself to the Member States. The Commission organizes “a committee on April 30”, specifies Ingrid Kragl. “France will have to explain how it managed this situation.”. According to her, the European Commission has launched an audit “at this moment”. She is “checking in France, how the French authorities” handled this situation.

“Is Nestlé continuing to market these fraudulent products?”

For Ingrid Kragl, “the European directive on water and the public health code are however crystal clear: when mineral water is polluted, there is no doubt that bottling and marketing must be suspended. However, this is not what happened”, she denounces. She asks: “Does Nestlé continue to market its fraudulent products today? Has the pollution suddenly disappeared and if so, how?”.

Contacted by franceinfo, Nestlé management reiterates that the quality of its water complies with regulations and ensures that it has removed all other illicit treatments put in place in recent years.However, “from the first observation of pollution from its sources, Nestlé Waters should have immediately interrupted its operation and marketing, this is the law. Why were these fraudulent waters not recalled?”, asks Foodwatch.