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France
The French government ordered Perrier to destroy two million bottles of its sparkling water allegedly contaminated with faecal bacteria, the public health agency said on Thursday (Apr 25).
Swiss food giant Nestle is facing new challenges in its ongoing Perrier water saga as French authorities are investigating alleged illegal purification methods at Nestle's French water subsidiary.
Health authorities told Nestle Waters France to destroy all Perrier production from March 10 to 14 from one of its sources near Nimes, the health agency said in a document.
Nestle in a statement said that nearly two million bottles were destroyed out of precaution. The company said that Perrier bottles in stores are safe.
It is worth mentioning that, earlier this month, regional authorities ordered Nestle Waters France to immediately suspend production at one of its sources near Nimes, according to a report in AFP.
The order stated that faecal contamination had been registered from March 10.
Nestle is also the owner of the Vittel, Contrex and Hepar brands.
French prosecutors in January opened an investigation into its purification methods.
The company has admitted that it disinfected water using UV lamps, carbon filtering and other means that are not allowed for "natural" mineral waters.
The sources for Vittel, Contrex and Hepar brands are in eastern France.
Prosecutors launched an investigation in January after it was revealed the company used unauthorised purification methods, including UV lamps and carbon filters, on water labelled as natural mineral water. These methods are not permitted under French regulations for this category.
The health authority said that after new checks some water sources in eastern and southern France had been re-classified as water made drinkable through treatment.
"Before these closures, these catchments were treated fraudulently by the operator," the French health agency said.
The investigation has stunned the whole of France's water industry.
Antoine de Saint-Affrique, director general of French food company Danone, informed during the company's annual shareholders meeting on Thursday that its natural mineral water sources are now facing extremely rigorous monitoring.
(With inputs from agencies)