Marie Toussaint speaks about Nestlé bottled water, in front of the Ministry of Health in Paris on April 5, 2024 (AFP/Miguel MEDINA)
The head of the European environmentalist list Marie Toussaint called on Friday for the withdrawal of Nestlé water bottles after an Anses report recommending “increased surveillance” of the Swiss agri-food giant’s water catchment sites.
“France is one of the countries that consumes the most mineral water,” recalled the MEP during a press conference near the Ministry of Health, denouncing “stingy and greedy industrialists who have not their job with regard to consumer health.
The National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES) has recommended “reinforced surveillance” of Nestlé’s water catchment sites due to “an insufficient level of confidence” for ensure “the health quality” of mineral waters, in a note sent to the ministry in mid-October, revealed on Thursday.
“We must remove Nestlé bottles from sale,” said Marie Toussaint, accompanied by the boss of environmentalists Marine Tondelier, the head of deputies Cyrielle Chatelain, and several running mates and elected officials.
Nestlé Waters France assured AFP that “all natural mineral waters placed on the market in France can be consumed safely”.
“No one is able to say today that there is quality water in these bottles,” insisted Marie Toussaint.
She also announced that she would refer the matter to the European Commission “because the government must be held responsible for the European legislation that has been flouted.”
She claimed that “the government had knowingly decided to hide what was happening”, following a meeting in Bercy with Nestlé in 2021.
During this meeting, the executive decided to open the Igas investigation “but also to lower the regulatory quality thresholds”, lamented Ms. Toussaint, denouncing “an industrial crime facilitated by the State “.
Finally, she demands that the reports which have been submitted to the government be made public.
“We are in front of the ministry because as environmentalists, we want the French to know the truth,” explained Marine Tondelier, explaining that she comes “from a territory where when you are pregnant, you do not have the right to drink tap water, so we drink bottled water.
The socialist group in the Senate has also requested the creation of a parliamentary commission of inquiry to “shed light on the government’s responsibility and administrative failures” in this matter, regretting that the executive has, according to it, “kept secrets of serious revelations on a major public health issue”.
A preliminary investigation for deception has already been opened by the Epinal public prosecutor’s office against Nestlé Waters, suspected of having used illegal treatments to purify its mineral waters.
© 2024 AFP
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