“Practices have been hidden from the general public despite information from the government and we can suspect the latter of having tried to minimize the consequences for manufacturers. If all this is proven, we wish to bring it to light,” said the environmentalist senator from Paris, Antoinette Gühl, appointed rapporteur for this information mission. The creation of this “flash” mission, which will deliver its conclusions by July 15, follows revelations by Radio France and Le Monde of the existence of a note from the health agency Anses, recommending that the State “reinforced surveillance” of the water catchment sites of the Swiss giant Nestlé Waters.
This note dating from mid-October, of which AFP obtained a copy, raises in particular an “insufficient level of confidence” to ensure “the sanitary quality” of mineral waters, relating in particular to “multiple findings of microbiological contamination of fecal origin “. It comes as a preliminary investigation for deception is opened by the Epinal public prosecutor’s office against Nestlé Waters, suspected of having used illegal treatments to purify its mineral waters.
“A major consumer information problem”
“While many French people are attached to bottled water, even if it means sometimes paying 100 times more for it, […] there is a significant problem of consumer information, transparency and purpose of public action”, added Antoinette Gühl at a press conference. This “flash” mission was validated on Wednesday by the Senate Economic Affairs Committee and could acquire very strengthened commission of inquiry powers in July “if necessary”, she said.
The socialist group in the Senate had also requested in recent days the launch of a commission of inquiry on the subject, while Nestlé Waters France assured AFP that “all natural mineral waters placed on the market in France can be consumed safely. In France, Nestlé owns the Vittel, Contrex and Hépar brands, drawn and bottled in the Vosges, and Perrier in the Gard.