Has Perrier’s bubble burst?
Despite efforts to keep the mineral product pure for consumers, water at one of seven southern France wells used by the mineral water purveyor showed traces of fecal matter after heavy rains earlier this year.
The company streams its upscale water from the arid highlands near Vergèze, and the alarming discovery led to a suspension in April, prompting the destruction of more than 2 million bottles of the popular sparkling beverage.
At the same time, a redacted regulator’s 2023 report leaked to French media and reported by Bloomberg revealed that traces of cancer-linked pesticides — banned three decades ago — were found in the water where Perrier is sourced.
In 1990, Perrier faced an infamous recall after small amounts of benzene were found in 160 million of Perrier’s distinctive green bottles, which were taken off shelves in 120 countries.
In September, Perrier’s Swiss owner, Nestlé SA, agreed to pay $2.2 million to settle a fraud case accusing the company of illegally filtering what should have been natural water in the globe’s largest bottled eau-exporting country.
Though Nestlé acknowledged it had filtered water “for a long time,” according to Bloomberg, the company claims it is now in compliance with the country’s rules — though concerns exist about possible ongoing contamination of water sources, especially in light of the recent heavy rains.
“Our operating conditions are becoming more difficult, especially due to the environmental challenges linked to climate change, with more heavy rains and droughts that are becoming more frequent and more intense,” Sophie Dubois, general manager of Nestlé Waters France, told Bloomberg.
However, since Perrier must collect its water through the springs near Vergèz, the company is put in an uneasy situation of potentially producing the beverage with filtering methods that go against French laws — or risk “chronic contamination,” as outlined in the leaked 2023 report.
The company admits that further weather onslaughts “will mean more fluctuations in our product levels,” classifying it as the “new normal.”
In the wake of the recent settlement, Foodwatch, a consumer rights group, filed a lawsuit claiming the judgment allowed the company to “bury the case.”
Dubois added that the company has made efforts “to ensure perfect hygiene and food safety,” and Nestlé says it is “invested significantly” in production to “ensure its future.”
