Nestlé should consider stopping production of Perrier mineral water, suggests ARS Occitanie

Caught in a scandal for using banned treatments on its “mineral” waters, Nestlé Waters should “question yourself strategically” on another “food use” of its Perrier packaging site, according to a report from the Occitanie Regional Health Agency (ARS) revealed this Monday, December 16 by Radio France and The World .

Since January, the French subsidiary of the Swiss giant has been the subject of controversy concerning its use, in the past, of disinfection treatments for its mineral waters, which are not dangerous but prohibited for mineral waters, which must have a high quality natural which allows you to do without it. These conditions are less and less met on the mineral water production sites of Nestlé Waters, which had to stop operating one of its boreholes at its Perrier packaging site in Vergèze (Gard) in April after the discovery bacteria of fecal origin. In a report dated August, the ARS of Occitanie judged that these “bacterial contamination”well that “punctual”are “unacceptable for natural mineral water”. For example, Nestlé Waters owns the Maison Perrier brand, which does not benefit from the mineral water designation and can therefore be subject to disinfection treatments.

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“Not regulatory” microfiltration

According to the two media, ARS Occitanie concluded in August that the use of certain unauthorized treatments, which include UV lamps and carbon filters, had ceased on the Vergèze site. On the other hand, she estimated that microfiltration, the regulations for which were relaxed by the government in 2023, is not “not regulatory” in that she has a “proven disinfectant effect”.The report also mentioned a “virological risk”the microfilters not having “retention effect on viruses”according to Radio France and The World.

“We operate the Vergèze site in accordance with the framework set by the authorities and under their control”reacted Nestlé Waters, who does not wish to comment on the report before its final version. Socialist senator Alexandre Ouizille, rapporteur for the parliamentary commission of inquiry into the practices of bottled water manufacturers, discussed a report on Monday “overwhelming for” Nestlé Waters, “but also for the Borne government, which validated a transformation plan which remains […] illegal”.