In the last century it was called the “champagne of table waters”. But the spirit is no longer really celebrating for Perrier, the French subsidiary of the Swiss Nestlé, entangled in a series of resounding contamination scandals.
In a report dating from last August written by the Regional Health Agency (ARS) of Occitanie, which has just been unearthed by Radio France and Le Monde, the health authorities even suggested to the industrial group the cessation of the production of mineral water on the historic site of its source in Vergèze (Gard). A massive blow for the sparkling water giant which has made the purity of its product its trademark. Explanations.
Unauthorized treatments that raise questions
Let’s rewind almost a year to fully understand. In January, the two media already revealed that Perrier, among others, had in the past used disinfection treatments only authorized for tap water. If these treatments are not dangerous in themselves, they are in fact prohibited for those who would like to “box” in the category of natural mineral waters or spring waters.
“While 9 billion liters of natural mineral water and spring water are drunk each year in France and we are champions of these export products, mineral producers have an obligation to guarantee that their water is free from of bacteria and pesticides, but also that it was filtered naturally by mineralizing in contact with underground rocks, explains Senator Antoinette Guhl, author, in October, of a flash information mission report on Perrier. Water that has undergone treatment cannot be passed off as pure. »
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In its report dating from August, the Occitanie Regional Health Agency notes, however, that the use of these unauthorized treatments which included UV lamps and carbon filters have ceased on the sparkling water production site.
The agency judges, on the other hand, that microfiltration, the regulations for which were relaxed by the government in 2023, is not regulatory: microfilters have, according to the ARS, a “proven disinfectant effect”, without having what is more “ retention effect on viruses.
More generally, the ARS doubts that the conditions for producing mineral water are met, since Nestlé had to stop operating one of the boreholes at its packaging site in April after the discovery of bacteria of fecal origin. These “bacterial contaminations”, although “punctual”, are “unacceptable for natural mineral water”, asserts the ARS.
“This report does not call into question the food safety of our bottled waters,” defends the Swiss group. “All waters marketed by Nestlé Waters, including under the Perrier brand, can be drunk safely,” says the group, which says it carries out more than 700 tests every day “to ensure that each bottle is perfectly safe to consume” and said to protect “with great care the catchment area located around the sources”.
Put an end to the name “natural mineral water”?
However, the ARS invites Nestlé Waters to “strategically question another possible food use for the exploitation of current mineral water catchments” in Vergèze. In other words, to put an end to the name “natural mineral water”. A terrible warning shot for the Swiss group which nevertheless minimizes everything, describing “a preliminary administrative report, which has since been supplemented” by technical details provided by the industrialist “on all the points raised”.
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Perrier still believes that the ARS report does not constitute “a definitive recommendation on the operating conditions of our Vergèze mineral water site”, where water has been drawn since 1863.
Antoinette Guhl demands more transparency from the company on the products that leave its packaging site because “the same factory also produces another water which undergoes treatment. “A reference to the new Maison Perrier brand, which does not benefit from the appellation mineral water » and can be subject to disinfection.
“The sustainability of the sale of water under the name natural mineral water is currently being discussed by the health authorities,” notes Oise senator Alexandre Ouizille. Rapporteur of the commission of inquiry “aimed at shedding light on the practices of bottled water manufacturers”, the elected official believes that “consumers have been deceived for many years”.
He will go there at the beginning of 2025 to question the industrialist and will also demand “accounts” from the various control administrations and the ministers responsible for the file. Surprised that the Borne government has “validated” an “illegal” transformation plan on the microfiltration aspect, the senator tells us that he will inform the courts if he finds elements contrary to the law.
