The consumer association UFC-Que Choisir announced Tuesday that it has launched several legal actions in response to what it calls the Nestlé mineral water "scandal". It accuses the company of deceiving consumers and has condemned the lack of "action" on behalf of public authorities.
In a press release on Tuesday, the consumer association announced that it had filed a complaint with the Court of Justice of the Republic against several ministers including the current Minister for Ecological Transition and former Minister Delegate for Industry, Agnès Pannier-Runacher.
Roland Lescure (Industry), Aurélien Rousseau (Health), and Agnès Firmin-le-Bodo (Health) have also been named in the complaint.
UFC-Que Choisir says it wants "the role of the state", and in particular the executive branch, to be "fully analysed" in what has become known as the Nestlé mineral water scandal.
Water safety
The association indicates that it has also filed a criminal complaint against Nestlé Waters for "acts likely to constitute deceptive commercial practices, aggravated falsification, and aggravated deception."
According to a joint investigation by the newspaper Le Monde and the Investigation Unit of Radio France, the scandal of water treatment dates back to 2020 when an employee of Nestlé competitor Sources Alma factory, reported the use of illegal water treatments.
In January 2024, Nestlé Waters admitted to using illegal "food safety" treatments on its products that infringe French law.
Nestlé under fire as Perrier sales collapse amid water scandal
Confirming an initial report from business daily Les Echos, the Swiss food group said it had passed some waters, such as Perrier and Vittel through ultraviolet light and active carbon filters "to guarantee food safety".
However, natural mineral water cannot be subjected to any disinfection or treatment that could alter its characteristics.
Nestlé Waters paid a two-million-euro fine in September 2024 to avoid legal action over the use of illegal water sources and filtering. It says the filters it uses now are allowed by the government and that its water is “pure”.
Legal proceedings are already underway in Paris following complaints from consumer protection associations for "deception" targeting Nestlé Waters and Sources Alma brands like Cristaline, St-Yorre, Vichy Célestins.
State concealment
However, the French government has also come under fire, accused of covering up its knowledge of Nestlé's actions.
In February, investigative journalists from Le Monde and Radio France revealed that the services of former prime minister, Elisabeth Borne, and the French presidency allowed Nestlé to continue marketing these waters, despite the health authorities' recommendations for a ban from 2023.
A six-month-long Senate inquiry which wrapped up mid-May concluded that these treatments were indeed the subject of "concealment by the state."
"In addition to Nestle Waters' lack of transparency, it is important to highlight the state's lack of transparency, both towards local and European authorities and towards the French people," the report was quoted as saying.
French government accused of top-level cover-up in Nestlé water scandal
The report authors said the concealment was part of a "deliberate strategy", that was addressed at the first interministerial meeting on natural mineral waters on 14 October, 2021".
UFC-Que Choisir also claims to have filed an application with the Nanterre District Court for an expedited procedure that allows for summons to appear within a very short timeframe.
This would allow for interim measures such as "product withdrawals and recalls," "a marketing ban," and "an end to the deception surrounding these Perrier waters presented as 'natural minerals'," the group said.
The hearing is scheduled for early July.
(with AFP)
