Latest news with #Hépar
LeMonde
04-07-2025
- Business
- LeMonde
Mineral water scandal: Nestlé says it removed illegal filters, but must still prove Perrier is pure
On May 7, the prefect of the southern French Gard department, Jérôme Bonet, issued a formal notice to Nestlé over the natural mineral water fraud scandal, ordering the company to stop using "filters with a diameter of 0.2 micron" at its Perrier plant in Vergèze, arguing that they were "in contradiction with regulations." He gave the global bottled water leader two months to remove them and comply with the law. On Thursday, July 3, three days ahead of Bonet's deadline, Nestlé announced it had "adapted" its microfiltration system "at the prefect's request" and installed "a new 0.45-micron microfiltration system [...] in compliance with discussions with the health authorities." The Swiss food industry group added that "15 days after the Vosges site [where the Vittel, Hépar, and Contrex mineral water brands are bottled], this new system is now operational at the Vergèze site." According to information Le Monde was able to obtain, the "discussions with the health authorities" were limited to a phone call from Nestlé Waters president Muriel Lienau to Bonet, on Thursday afternoon. By the end of the day, the prefect had still not received any documentation from the group confirming that a new filtration system had been set up. The local regional health agency (ARS), responsible for monitoring the cleanliness of bottled water, also had not received any documentation by Thursday evening. The prefecture said it would ask the ARS to verify that the illegal filters had actually been removed and replaced with a 0.45-micron microfiltration system.
LeMonde
20-05-2025
- Business
- LeMonde
Nestlé's fraud allegedly netted the industry giant over €500 million
More than €500 million. That is the estimated profit Nestlé (Perrier, Vittel, Hépar, Contrex) allegedly made from its mineral water fraud, according to a French Sénat inquiry commission, which released its findings on Monday, May 19. The report, revealed by Le Monde and Radio France, exposes a "deliberate strategy of concealment" by the major agri-food group and the French government. The consequences of this cover-up resulted in "excessive delays that allowed violations regarding consumer deception and health risk emergence to take root," noted Alexandre Ouizille, the commission's rapporteur and a Socialist senator. On August 31, 2021, the world leader in bottled water, under pressure from a whistleblower exposing similar practices about its competitor, Sources Alma (Cristaline, St-Yorre…), informed the French Ministry of Industry it was using banned filtration techniques (charcoal filters, UV, microfiltrations). However, the company was ordered to remove these treatments (charcoal and UV filters) a lot later and was only recently asked, in April, to abandon illegal microfiltration systems below 0.2 microns (Perrier) and 0.45 microns (Vittel, Hépar, Contrex).
Japan Today
20-05-2025
- Business
- Japan Today
Inquiry says France's government covered up Nestle's illegal treatment of bottled water
A bottle of Perrier stands on a cafe table as a French Senate inquiry commission said the government of President Emmanuel Macron covered up decisions over the illegal treatment of mineral water by food industry giant Nestle, Monday, May 19, 2025 in Paris. (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla) By SYLVIE CORBET The government of French President Emmanuel Macron covered up decisions over the illegal treatment of mineral water by food industry giant Nestle, including the world-famous Perrier brand, a Senate inquiry commission said Monday. Its report focused on Nestle's years of use of treatments to avoid bacterial or chemical contamination of water labeled as 'natural mineral water' or 'spring water' for brands also including Contrex, Vittel and Hépar. Such treatments are prohibited under French and European regulations. The report concluded that France's government had concealed 'illegal practices." 'In addition to Nestle Waters' lack of transparency, the French government's lack of transparency must also be highlighted,' it said. French media reported the banned treatments last year. The report noted a "deliberate strategy" of concealment since the first government meeting on the issue in October 2021. Months later, authorities agreed to a Nestle plan to replace the banned treatments with microfiltering. Nestle did not immediately respond to a request for comment. France's government did not immediately comment. Last year, the Swiss company publicly acknowledged having used treatments on mineral waters and agreed to pay a 2 million euro fine ($2.2 million) to avoid legal action. The inquiry commission interviewed more than 120 people including Nestle's CEO and top managers. One refused to speak to it: Alexis Kohler, then-secretary general of the Elysee presidential palace, who the report said has spoken several times with Nestle executives by phone or in person. The commission concluded 'that the presidency of the republic had known, at least since 2022, that Nestle had been cheating for years.' Asked about scandal in February, Macron said he was 'not aware of these things ... There is no collusion with anyone.' Alexandre Ouizille, the commission's rapporteur, said the total amount of the fraud has been estimated at over 3 billion euros ($3.38 billion) by France's agency in charge of fraud control. Natural mineral water is sold about 100 to 400 times the price of tap water, he said, denouncing "misleading of consumers." Ouizille described a Nestle plant in southern France the commission visited where there were 'sliding cabinets behind which illegal treatments were carried out.' The report said Nestle argued there was a risk of job losses if the government did not authorize some kind of treatment or microfiltration, because its plants would have to close due to spring water being contaminated by bacteria like E. coli that can cause serious illness and death. Laurent Burgoa, the president of the commission, said there has been no proven harm to the health of people who drank water sold by Nestle. 'Personally, I drank some Perrier ... But I didn't know what I was drinking, that's the problem," Burgoa said. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
San Francisco Chronicle
19-05-2025
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
An inquiry says France's government covered up Nestle's illegal treatment of bottled water
PARIS (AP) — The government of French President Emmanuel Macron covered up decisions over the illegal treatment of mineral water by food industry giant Nestle, including the world-famous Perrier brand, a Senate inquiry commission said Monday. Its report focused on Nestle's years of use of treatments to avoid bacterial or chemical contamination of water labeled as 'natural mineral water' or 'spring water' for brands also including Contrex, Vittel and Hépar. Such treatments are prohibited under French and European regulations. The report concluded that France's government had concealed 'illegal practices." 'In addition to Nestle Waters' lack of transparency, the French government's lack of transparency must also be highlighted,' it said. French media reported the banned treatments last year. Nestle paid a fine to avoid legal action The report noted a "deliberate strategy" of concealment since the first government meeting on the issue in October 2021. Months later, authorities agreed to a Nestle plan to replace the banned treatments with microfiltering. Last year, the Swiss company publicly acknowledged having used treatments on mineral waters and agreed to pay a 2 million euro fine ($2.2 million) to avoid legal action. The inquiry commission interviewed more than 120 people including Nestle's CEO and top managers. One refused to speak to it: Alexis Kohler, then-secretary general of the Elysee presidential palace, who the report said has spoken several times with Nestle executives by phone or in person. The commission concluded 'that the presidency of the republic had known, at least since 2022, that Nestle had been cheating for years.' Asked about scandal in February, Macron said he was 'not aware of these things ... There is no collusion with anyone.' Fraud estimated to be worth over $3 billion Alexandre Ouizille, the commission's rapporteur, said the total amount of the fraud has been estimated at over 3 billion euros ($3.38 billion) by France's agency in charge of fraud control. Natural mineral water is sold about 100 to 400 times the price of tap water, he said, denouncing "misleading of consumers." Ouizille described a Nestle plant in southern France the commission visited where there were 'sliding cabinets behind which illegal treatments were carried out.' The report said Nestle argued there was a risk of job losses if the government did not authorize some kind of treatment or microfiltration, because its plants would have to close due to spring water being contaminated by bacteria like E. coli that can cause serious illness and death. 'Personally, I drank some Perrier ... But I didn't know what I was drinking, that's the problem," Burgoa said.
19-05-2025
- Business
Inquiry says French government covered up Nestle's illegal treatment of bottled water
PARIS -- The government of French President Emmanuel Macron covered up decisions over the illegal treatment of mineral water by food industry giant Nestle, including the world-famous Perrier brand, a Senate inquiry commission said Monday. Its report focused on Nestle's years of use of treatments to avoid bacterial or chemical contamination of water labeled as 'natural mineral water' or 'spring water' for brands also including Contrex, Vittel and Hépar. Such treatments are prohibited under French and European regulations. The report concluded that France's government had concealed 'illegal practices." 'In addition to Nestle Waters' lack of transparency, the French government's lack of transparency must also be highlighted,' it said. French media reported the banned treatments last year. The report noted a "deliberate strategy" of concealment since the first government meeting on the issue in October 2021. Months later, authorities agreed to a Nestle plan to replace the banned treatments with microfiltering. Nestle did not immediately respond to a request for comment. France's government did not immediately comment. Last year, the Swiss company publicly acknowledged having used treatments on mineral waters and agreed to pay a 2 million euro fine ($2.2 million) to avoid legal action. The inquiry commission interviewed more than 120 people including Nestle's CEO and top managers. One refused to speak to it: Alexis Kohler, then-secretary general of the Elysee presidential palace, who the report said has spoken several times with Nestle executives by phone or in person. The commission concluded 'that the presidency of the republic had known, at least since 2022, that Nestle had been cheating for years.' Asked about scandal in February, Macron said he was 'not aware of these things ... There is no collusion with anyone.' Alexandre Ouizille, the commission's rapporteur, said the total amount of the fraud has been estimated at over 3 billion euros ($3.38 billion) by France's agency in charge of fraud control. Natural mineral water is sold about 100 to 400 times the price of tap water, he said, denouncing "misleading of consumers." Ouizille described a Nestle plant in southern France the commission visited where there were 'sliding cabinets behind which illegal treatments were carried out.' The report said Nestle argued there was a risk of job losses if the government did not authorize some kind of treatment or microfiltration, because its plants would have to close due to spring water being contaminated by bacteria like E. coli that can cause serious illness and death. Laurent Burgoa, the president of the commission, said there has been no proven harm to the health of people who drank water sold by Nestle. 'Personally, I drank some Perrier ... But I didn't know what I was drinking, that's the problem," Burgoa said.
