Nestlé’s water subsidiary, which produces brands such as Perrier, has agreed to pay €2 million to settle French investigations into the use of illegal wells and the treatment of mineral water, according to prosecutors on Tuesday, September 10.
Frédéric Nahon, the prosecutor in the eastern town of Epinal, announced that this non-prosecution agreement is the “biggest concerning the environment signed in France to date.”
The agreement concludes initial investigations into unauthorized wells and fraudulent practices related to filtering its mineral waters.
This practice is illegal in France, where mineral waters are required by law to remain natural.
In addition to the €2 million payment, the Swiss company, which also produces Vittel and San Pellegrino, has committed to spending €1.1 million over the next two years on environmental restoration projects in several French towns where it operates.
Nahon explained that the settlement was justified because Nestlé had cooperated with the investigation, brought its practices into compliance, and no public health risks were identified.
The deal, he added, “while penalizing the unauthorized activities, facilitates a quicker resolution, remediation of environmental damage, and compensation for several parties.”
A local environmental organization welcomed the agreement, but consumer advocacy groups expressed outrage.
Ingrid Kragl, a fraud expert at Foodwatch, called the decision “scandalous” and said it sends “a very bad message about a climate of impunity:
Nestlé Waters can deceive consumers around the world for years and get away with it by pulling out its checkbook.”
