Nestle to pay €2 million to end French mineral water case

A unit of Nestle SA has agreed to pay 2 million euros ($2.2 million) to settle French criminal charges focusing on its production of natural mineral water.

The deal, which was approved on Tuesday by a judge in Epinal, eastern France, ends two investigations it faced in the region. Under the terms of a plea deal with local prosecutors, Nestlé Waters Supply Est, or NWSE, pleaded not guilty.

In addition to the fine, the Nestle unit agreed to a 1.1 million euro restoration plan and to pay around 500,000 euros to compensate several associations that filed a complaint with the authorities, according to a statement from prosecutor Epinal.

Foodwatch, one of the complainant groups behind the cases, criticized the deal.

“This is an outrageous decision that sends a very bad message about the climate of impunity: Nestlé Waters can cheat consumers for years around the world and get away with it by simply pulling out their checkbook,” said Ingrid Kragl, an expert on fraud at Foodwatch. in a statement.

Nestle said the agreement states that public health has not been affected and that previous treatments have not altered the mineral composition of the waters.

“From 2023, all NWSE activities comply with the current regulatory framework and comply with the latest directives given by the authorities,” the company said.

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