The use of prohibited treatments to purify mineral waters, recognized on Monday by the Nestlé group, concerns around a third of brands in France,
Le Monde
and Radio France reported on Tuesday, citing a report by Igas inspectors.
“The work revealed that nearly 30% of commercial designations undergo non-compliant processing
,” write the two media, referring to the
“conclusions”
of a report from the General Inspectorate of Social Affairs (Igas), submitted to the government in July 2022.
“The mission (of Igas) has no doubt that the proportion of 30% (of the commercial names concerned) underestimates the phenomenon and that all ore carriers are concerned
,” it is indicated. in this report, assure
Le Monde
and Radio France.
Asked by AFP, Igas did not react immediately.
“This report contains data subject to business secrecy
,” a government source told AFP on Tuesday.
This source believes
“that no health risk linked to the quality of bottled water has been identified at this stage”
.
In its investigation, Radio France nevertheless underlines that according to the Igas inspectors, if
"overall"
, the
"level of conformity is high for bottled water, it would not be prudent to conclude that the health risk is perfectly controlled, particularly microbiological risk
.
The government source confirmed to AFP that an
“inspection mission of natural mineral water and spring water packaging plants”
in France was entrusted to Igas, following an approach by Nestlé in the summer of 2021 which had acknowledged to the authorities
“non-compliant processing practices on (its)
production sites”.
Preliminary investigation opened
These practices were revealed in the press on Monday by the world number one in mineral water Nestlé Waters, which, taking the lead, assured that they were no longer used in its brands (Perrier, Vittel, Hépar and Contrex). .
Authorized for tap water or
“water made drinkable by treatment”
, purification techniques such as activated carbon filters or ultraviolet are prohibited for natural mineral waters or spring waters.
According to
Le Monde
and Radio France, the affair began at the end of 2020, when a former employee of the company Sources Alma, which produces around thirty bottled waters in France including Cristaline, Saint-Yorre and Vichy Célestins, reported to the fraud prevention (DGCCRF) of
“suspicious practices in a group factory”
.
This investigation by the DGCCRF led to a preliminary investigation opened by the Cusset public prosecutor's office (Allier) targeting acts of deception, specify the two media.
Contacted by AFP, the Alma group had not made any comment at midday.
Another judicial investigation has been opened targeting the Nestlé Waters group for regulatory breaches, the government source confirmed, without specifying the location.
According to Radio France and
Le Monde
, it was opened by the Epinal public prosecutor's office.