Scandal around Nestlé: Macron involved in water complaint!

Scandal around Nestlé: Macron involved in water complaint!

Frankreich - The French Senate raises serious allegations against the government of President Emmanuel Macron in connection with a scandal around Nestlé and the processing of mineral water. In a comprehensive report that denounces the state coverage of illegal practices when dealing with natural mineral waters, the investigation commission comes to the conclusion that the government saw Nestlé's inadmissible treatment methods. These violations concern brands such as Perrier, Vittel, Hépar and Contrex, all of which are part of the Nestlé portfolio in France. The scandal raises questions about compliance with EU regulations that can not be treated that natural mineral water should not be treated in order to change its properties, as in the [Directive 2009/54/EC of the European Parliament] (https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/de/ ?uri=celex:32009L0054) is.

In the previous year, French media reported on the forbidden practices that caused enormous economic damage of over three billion euros. Natural mineral water is usually sold 100 to 400 times more expensive than tap water, which misleads consumers. The presidential office, which had been informed about Nestlé's fraudulent practices since 2022, is accused of pursuing a "deliberate cover -up strategy" in the report. In particular, a government meeting is mentioned in October 2021, which is viewed as a turning point for the approval of Nestlés illegal procedures. After this meeting, the authorities allowed the company to use the micro -filtering treatment method.

authorities and Nestlé: A problematic power relationship

Nestlé, which argues that the use of microfilation is necessary to ensure food safety, is still exposed to criticism. A report notes that the approved filter systems were installed in hidden areas, which makes the company's lack of transparency and the close interaction with the state authorities appear in a negative light. It is speculated that economic interests played a role in the influence of the authorities because the mineral water market in France secures many jobs.

Nestlé already admitted that he had applied various inadmissible procedures last year and approved a penalty payment of two million euros. Nevertheless, the Situation remains tense for the affected brands. The responsible prefecture has announced that by August 7, a decision to renew the usage permit for the Perrier source will be made in which Nestlé has to park the filter system.

inadequate controls and possible consequences

The investigation commission surveyed over 120 civil servants about the events. Alexis Kohler, the then general secretary of the Élysée Palace, refused to say. Overall, the explanation of the scandal remains insufficient almost four years after the first revelations. Experts warn that the microfilation used at Nestlé can change the properties of natural mineral water, which, according to the EU regulations, is not permitted. Despite these massive allegations, there have so far been no legal consequences for Nestlé, since the company can continue to act as the operator of "natural mineral water".

In view of the complexity of the case and the associated economic aspects, it is expected that the debate about the control of the water withdrawals and the quality assurance of mineral waters will be managed more intensively in the coming period. The report also calls for a clear and transparent labeling of the products as well as stricter regulations to avoid misleading in consumer information.