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yesterday

French Senate Report Exposes Government Cover-Up in Nestlé Water Scandal

The investigation confirms top-level concealment of illegal water treatments and regulatory breaches, implicating Macron's office and sparking new legal actions.

Bottles of Perrier are pictured in a supermarket, 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)
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)
The scandal has ramifications all the way to the Elysee
Perrier is one of France's most iconic spring waters

Overview

  • A French Senate inquiry uncovered a deliberate government strategy to conceal Nestlé Waters' use of banned treatments on Perrier, Hépar, and Contrex mineral water brands.
  • The report revealed that officials, including those in President Macron’s office, authorized microfiltration processes that violated EU regulations against altering natural mineral water.
  • Despite consumer fraud disclosures in 2021, French authorities have not pursued legal action, while Nestlé paid a €2 million fine in 2024 to avoid prosecution.
  • NGO Foodwatch has filed a consumer deception complaint against Nestlé Waters, and a Paris judge has launched an investigation into the matter.
  • The Senate report follows a six-month inquiry involving 70 hearings, highlighting regulatory failures and ongoing transparency issues nearly four years after the initial revelations.