Nestle used unauthorized filters in Perrier mineral water.

Nestlé is currently facing scrutiny in France from a commission investigating the use of filtration systems in its Perrier "natural mineral water" that are not allowed. The commission has raised concerns about consumer deception. According to a report on Tagesschau, the product sold does not match the label. Instead of natural mineral water, customers have been consuming treated drinking water. This issue is not about endangering consumers' health but rather about deceiving customers. Perrier is known for being seen as the "champagne" of mineral waters due to its high price. The reason for the manipulation is contamination in the spring waters, affecting not only Perrier but also Nestlé brands Vittel and Contrex. It is noteworthy that Nestlé has previously been in the headlines for the same issue. Despite assurances to the contrary, the company continued the prohibited treatment of the mineral water with Perrier. In early 2024, Radio France and Le Monde investigated and uncovered the scandal. Politically, the case is making waves because the government is suspected of covering up Nestlé's practices at the highest levels. The Senate's investigative committee found that the government had at least failed in its duty to bring this practice to court. Consumers were kept in the dark, aside from the fact that the company is also breaching European law. The report suggests that all this was done in favor of an industrial conglomerate. Alexis Kohler, the General Secretary of the Elysée Palace, who was supposed to testify, did not appear before the committee in March. At that time, he was a close confidant of President Emmanuel Macron. The media in the country report on close connections between Nestlé and the French government that have now come to light. Observers anticipate legal investigations into the food conglomerate. A senior manager at Nestlé Waters is said to have given false testimony to the senators. At the production site in Vergèze, Southern France, around 1,000 employees are concerned about their jobs. Due to contamination, the sources that have been flowing from the carbon-rich limestone layers of the Garrigues for 120 years no longer meet the standards for natural mineral water. The Gard Department Prefecture has granted Nestlé a license to bottle natural mineral water until early August. The company must find a solution by then.