New revelations in the mineral water scandal: Nestlé has apparently been using illegal filtering methods for decades

https://www.foodwatch.org/en/new-revelations-in-the-mineral-water-scandal-nestle-has-apparently-been-using-illegal-filtering-methods-for-decades

by Born-Dot8179

22 comments

  1. ”

    The mineral water scandal surrounding **Nestlé** is expanding: New media investigations in France show that the food company has apparently been filtering **contaminated water using illegal methods since the 1990s** and still selling it as “natural mineral water”, without informing consumers. In the past 15 years alone, **the fraud amounts to a total of 3 billion euros**, as reported […] The international consumer organization filed a lawsuit against Nestlé and the mineral water producer Sources Alma in France in February. […]

    *“Nestlé has apparently sold billions of bottles of water that had nothing to do with ‘natural mineral water’ for decades: in France, Europe and even worldwide – and consumers were completely clueless. If the new media reports are confirmed, there is only one conclusion: the mineral water scandal is the result of* ***decades of systematic fraud by the food giant****. The authorities must now act quickly. A judicial investigation is now needed.* ***Nestlé is not above the law****”,* said Ingrid Kragl from foodwatch France.

    In the past months, media investigations had revealed that mineral water sources in France were **contaminated with faeces, Escherichia coli bacteria, PFAS and pesticides**. Companies such as Nestlé had filtered the water in an illegal manner and continued to sell it as “natural mineral water” – a clear case of food fraud. […] However, there was no public recall or warning to the authorities in other EU countries. […]

    According to the relevant EU directive, […]

    “

  2. Is anyone even surprised Nestle would do something like this?

  3. >Nestlé is not above the law”, said Ingrid Kragl from foodwatch France.

    Yes they are. The most that will happen is a token fine.

  4. Not a fan of Nestle, but I’m not pissed off by them filtering out contaminants. H20 is still water and “natural”.

  5. I wouldn’t be surprised if Nestle used a wall of suffering Mortys to filter their water.

  6. Nestlé uses ultraviolet light disinfection and activated carbon filtration to “promote food safety”. No, you are selling ordinary tapwater for mineral water prices. That is fraud BTW.

  8. From the article:

    > foodwatch […] [t]he international consumer organization filed a lawsuit against Nestlé and the mineral water producer Sources Alma in France in February.
    > […]
    > However, there was no public recall or warning to the authorities in other EU countries. The European Commission launched an investigation into the case. The report is due to be published on Wednesday, July 24.
    > […]
    > Only a few treatment processes are permitted in the production and processing of natural mineral water, but not the methods used by Nestlé and Sources Alma.

    [Lawsuit announcement](https://www.foodwatch.org/en/scandal-over-illegally-disinfected-mineral-water-foodwatch-sues-nestle) on the same site:
    > The companies had disinfected contaminated mineral water using illegal methods, such as UV or carbon filters, and had sold bottled tap water as mineral water. Well-known brands such as Perrier, Vittel, Vichy and Cristaline are affected. The products were probably sold across Europe.

    [Nestlé Waters brands](https://www.nestle.com/brands/water) and [local brands](https://www.nestle.com/brands/water/local-brands):
    – S.Pellegrino
    – Perrier
    – Acqua Panna
    – Vittel
    – Buxton
    – Erikli
    – Nestlé Pure Life
    – Levissima
    – Contrex
    – HENNIEZ
    – Hépar
    – La Vie
    – Nałęczowianka
    – Essentia

    [Sources Alma brands](https://www.sources-alma.com/en/nos-marques-principales/):

    – Cristaline
    – Mont Blanc
    – St-Yorre
    – COURMAYEUR
    – Rozana
    – Thonon
    – VICHY Celestins
    – Chateldon
    – Vals
    – Vernière
    – Pierval
    – Montcalm
    – Saint Amand
    – Biovive
    – Mont Dore
    – Saint Antonin
    – Montagnes d’Arrée
    – Arcens
    – Chambon
    – Jolival

    Not sure if all of these are affected but will be steering clear as far as practical until this is clarified by the European Commission. But if anyone can find and read the lawsuit, it’d be great to know if it’s known yet which specific brands were/are dodgy. I couldn’t find any response press releases on the 2 companies’ websites.

  9. Macron: can this wait for after the Olympic Games ?

  11. How many Nestle stocks did Nestle buy in the past decades, while using illegal methods to save money across the board

    Nationalise those stocks

  13. I saw this new few years ago that Nestle,they sell tap water lying that the water comes from a spring with super mineralized water from the mountains.

  14. I’m sure they will slap their wrist and really mean it this time!

  16. Netle, the evil mega corporation, is doing evil stuff? Nobody’s surprised of that.

  20. Another news on the water scandal: the water is wet.

  21. We should stop buying their stuff altogether. This is disgusting.

  22. As if we needed yet another reason to boycott Nestlé.

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