Swiss authorities have fined Nestlé’s waters business in the country for using activated carbon filters in its mineral water production.
According to a statement from Swiss public prosecutors, the filters were used to manufacture Nestlé’s Henniez water brand between 2008 and 2022.
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The Vaud public prosecutor’s office described the penalty of Sfr500,000 ($620,000) as a “compensatory claim” for non-compliance with legal labelling obligations.
Vaud attorney general Eric Kaltenrieder, said Nestlé’s bottled water unit “misled” consumers by labelling the product as “natural mineral water” during the period in question and “obtained economic advantages”.
The use of carbon filters was first discovered in a 2020 inspection by the Vaud State Consumer Office (OFCO). OFCO recommended that Nestlé apply for a request for exemption from the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO).
The group’s exemption request however was denied, with Nestlé being required to remove the carbon filters by the end of 2022. A follow-up investigation in 2023 confirmed the filters had been removed.
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By GlobalDataIn April 2024 however, OFCO lodged a complaint with the public prosecutor’s office, claiming Nestlé’s water business had concealed its use of a carbon filter, and had potentially misled consumers around how its waters had been made.
According to the Vaud public prosecutor’s office, the fine considers “the specific circumstances of the case”, including the fact that the water posed no health risks to consumers, before or after being filtered.
It also reflects Nestlé Waters’ “complete cooperation” during the proceedings, the statement said.
Responding to the decision, a spokesperson from Nestlé’s water business in Switzerland told Just Drinks it “takes note of this judgment about the use, before the end of 2022, of activated carbon filters”.
“These filters were not compliant with Swiss regulation on mineral waters and have since been removed under the supervision of the authorities.
“We accept the judgment and express our regret regarding this past situation.”
News of the fine follows the recent scandal around Nestlé’s water production in France.
The Acqua Panna maker has had its water production under scrutiny since January last year, when it admitted to breaching regulations in France regarding how it treats bottled mineral water against contamination.
Last month, authorities ordered Nestlé to remove filtration systems from its Vergèze and Vosges sites, which produce Perrier, Vittel, Contrex, and Hépar bottled waters.
On 7 May, the Gard prefecture demanded that Nestlé cease using “0.2 micron diameter filters” at its Perrier plant in Vergèze, giving the company two months to comply. The Vosges prefecture issued a similar directive for the Vosges site.
Nestlé’s waters unit told Just Drinks it was “determined to seek solutions” to address these requirements.
