Nestlé Waters, the world's leading mineral water producer, has admitted to using prohibited ultraviolet treatments and activated carbon filters on some of its mineral waters, including Perrier and Vittel, to maintain "food safety." The company informed French authorities in 2021 about these practices, which are against regulations prohibiting disinfection of mineral waters that are expected to be naturally healthy. While Nestlé Waters claims the treatments were intended to ensure food safety, they resulted in the company losing sight of regulatory compliance.
The affected brands, Perrier, Vittel, Hépar, and Contrex, are now stated to be fully compliant with the applicable regulatory framework in France.
Mineral water regulations mandate high microbiological quality without disinfection, unlike tap water. Nestlé Waters justifies the use of ultraviolet treatments and activated carbon filters, at least until 2021, by citing changes in the environment around its water sources that sometimes make it challenging to maintain the stability of essential characteristics, including food safety and mineral composition. The cessation of these treatments led Nestlé Waters to suspend some well activities in the Vosges region due to sensitivity to climatic hazards, resulting in reduced production volumes of Hépar and Contrex.
