After weeks of suspense, the prefect of the Gard ordered Nestlé on Wednesday to withdraw within two months his controversial microfiltration system of Perrier water and must within three months renew or not the authorization to operate the famous green bottles as “natural mineral water”.
In two words:
- Perrier bottles remain safe, but Nestlé must cease filtration not in accordance with regulation on natural mineral waters.
- This crisis economically weakens the Vergèze factory, its 1,000 employees and the brand’s image, in a difficult job context in the Gard.
- The authorities have until August 7 to decide on the renewal of authorization, while political and judicial criticisms intensify.
Consumer Health is not threatened, since “Perrier bottles sold to date have no risk “underlines in his press release the prefect of Gard, Jérôme Bonet.
The stake is above all on the economic level, firstly for Nestlé Waters, a parent company of Perrier whose image was seriously tarnished, and for the thousand employees of the Vergèze factory, where water is captured, and their families, in a department where employment is rare.
Natural mineral waters, which are sold the most expensive, are supervised by a 2009 European directive, which defines them by their mineral content and their “Original purity” And indicates that they cannot be the subject of any disinfection and any treatment likely to modify their “microbism” (microbial flora).
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At the beginning of 2024, the Nestlé group had publicly recognized having used prohibited treatments (ultraviolet and active coal) in the past), then replaced them with a microfiltration system “0.2 micron cartridge”, necessary according to him for “Ensure food security” products.
It is therefore this microfiltration system that Nestlé will have to delete on its Vergèze site, the authorities considering, based on the opinion of the experts of the Regional Health Agency (ARS) Occitanie, that this device “Modifies the microbism of the water produced, in contradiction with the regulations in force”.
-At the same time, the Gard prefecture clarified to continue “The investigation of the request to renew the authorization” Given to Nestlé to exploit its Vergèze boreholes “intended for the manufacture of natural mineral water” Perrier. The decision “will have to take place before August 7”.
“Two months to find solutions”
“A prohibited treatment replaced another. The government, which had validated the transformation plan of Nestlé Waters, is heavily at fault”, reacted the socialist senator Alexandre Ouizille, rapporteur of the commission of inquiry into the practices of bottled water manufacturers set up in November and whose report is expected on May 19.
“How to produce natural mineral water when the original purity of water is no longer assured (…)? How now Optimal health security with a filtration system by definition less effective? “, He questioned, denouncing” serious dysfunctions which weakened the State as much as the sites of the Nestlé group and their employees “.
“Today, the urgency is to support Nestlé and its employees in the transformation which will be necessary to limit microfiltration. We have two months to find the solutions that will allow us to comply with the standard”has estimated in a statement the president of the Occitanie region, Carole Delga (PS).
A decision “in the right direction”
Regarding the possibility for Nestlé to continue to exploit its five natural mineral water drilling Perrier in Vergèze, hydrogeologists solicited by the Prefecture of Gard have already rendered a negative opinion, had revealed on April 9 before the senatorial commission the director general of Nestlé, Laurent Freixe.
Faced with the difficulty for him to produce in Vergèze water respecting the norms required for natural mineral waters, the Nestlé group had already reassigned in 2022 two drilling of the site to produce its new brand “Maison Perrier”, flavored drinks sold without the “natural mineral water” name.
The consumer association Foodwatch estimated this Wednesday that “This decision goes in the right direction”, Hoping that the judicial information started in parallel will allow us to “shed light on the actions committed by the multinational and its managers”.
“Perrier is our story. We have all known people from our family, for generations, who have been working in Perrier”said at the end of April to the mayor of Vergèze, Pascale Fortunat-deschamps.
Perrier standards
