French prosecutors said on Wednesday, January 31, that they had opened an investigation into suspected fraudulent practices by the waters division of Swiss food giant Nestlé, after it admitted treating water for its top French brands including Perrier and Vittel.
The investigation announced by prosecutors in the Epinal region of eastern France came after a government probe, reported on by Le Monde and Radio France, said almost one in three mineral water brands in France undergoes purification treatment supposed to be used only on tap water.
The investigation was ordered following a complaint by France's ARS health regulator, prosecutor Frederic Nahon told Agence-France Presse (AFP), without specifying when it was opened. Investigations "are still in progress, in particular to establish whether the label 'natural' mineral water is misleading or not," he added. Regional daily Vosges Matin said the investigation had been opened in January 2023.
Nestlé Waters said this week it said it had passed some waters, such as Perrier and Vittel, through ultraviolet light and active carbon filters "to guarantee food safety." Nestlé said it "lost track of the importance of conforming to regulations" but that all the brands concerned now fulfill French requirements.
French law based on a European Union directive bars disinfection of mineral water, which is supposed to be of naturally high quality before bottling.