A French court has upheld Perrier’s right to call its drink natural mineral water, giving Nestlé Waters a clear win in a dispute over how the brand treats and markets its bottled water. The ruling blocks an effort by consumer group UFC-Que Choisir to halt sales and challenge the label on the grounds it was misleading.
The court in the Paris suburb of Nanterre said it had seen no proof of a health danger or a clear breach of the law. “The existence of a health risk to consumers linked to Perrier waters labelled 'natural mineral waters' has not been established,” it said.
UFC-Que Choisir said it was unhappy with the decision. Marie-Amandine Stevenin, head of the consumer rights group, said: “We believe that this decision does not live up to the issues we were denouncing, namely misleading commercial practices."
The court ordered UFC-Que Choisir to pay €5,000 to Nestlé Waters, which welcomed the decision – saying it confirmed that “the food safety of Source Perrier natural mineral waters has always been guaranteed”.
French media reported in early 2024 that the company had used banned treatments such as ultraviolet light and activated carbon filters on its waters. French and European rules say natural mineral water cannot undergo processes that change its original state.
Perrier could lose 'natural mineral water' label after contamination found
Banned filters
UFC-Que Choisir argued that Perrier’s use of microfiltration meant it could not claim the natural mineral water designation and said the treatment suggested possible health risks. Perrier is sourced from a spring in Vergèze in southern France.
Contamination by bacteria from faecal matter has been found at times in wells supplying the brand, particularly after heavy rainfall. Nestlé Waters said such cases were rare and that the affected wells were no longer used.
The group has faced pressure since admitting in 2024 that it had used banned filters and ultraviolet treatment on mineral waters. It paid a €2 million fine to avoid legal action over illegal water sources and filtering.
In June, Nestlé Waters was fined more than $610,000 in Switzerland for having used activated carbon filters on its Henniez bottled mineral water.
The Nanterre court found UFC-Que Choisir had failed to prove any illicit processes by Nestlé Waters, adding that Perrier could continue to be sold.
Nestlé admits to treating bottled mineral water in breach of French regulations
Factory changes
In July, Nestlé withdrew its 0.2-micron microfiltration system at its Vergèze factory after a request from local authorities and replaced it with a 0.45-micron device, a system it already uses for its Vittel brand.
The company has said microfiltration does not alter the mineral makeup of its waters.
The new system is part of a wider application awaiting approval from local authorities for continued production of mineral water at Vergèze. An inquiry commissioned by France’s Senate found in May that the French government had covered up the use of treatments for years.
Nestlé repeated its support for the ruling in a statement.
“We welcome the court’s decision to reject all of UFC-Que Choisir’s demands in this case,” it said. “Today’s decision confirms that the food safety of Perrier natural mineral waters has always been guaranteed.”
(with newswires)
