The headquarters of Nestlé’s operations in France have been raided in connection with an ongoing probe concerning its local water business.
The French government’s General Directorate for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) said the raid was as the result of a complaint from consumer rights group Foodwatch.
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The investigation was carried out by the National Fraud Investigation Service (SNE) and the Central Office for Combating Environmental and Public Health Damage (OCLAESP).
“The investigation will continue, in particular to proceed with the exploitation of the data seized during these searches,” the DGCCRF said.
Nestlé’s water arm confirmed “that searches were carried out in France”, adding: “We continue to cooperate fully with the authorities as we have always done.”
Foodwatch filed a complaint against Nestlé and its waters arm Nestlé Waters in February with the Paris Judicial Court, alleging nine offences by both companies.
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By GlobalDataAt the time, the consumer rights group said the Swiss heavyweight’s bottled-water business and Sources Alma had “intentionally” and “illegally treated their bottled waters and then sold them without informing consumers”.
An investigation was later launched by prosecutors at Épinal law courts in north-eastern France. The probe concluded in September, with Nestlé being fined €2m (then $2.2m) for breaching French mineral water laws and engaging in illegal drilling.
Foodwatch then re-filed two accusations against the two companies in September with the civil courts in Paris.
The subject of the group’s most recent complaint covered “offences of deception” and “risk to health”, Ingrid Kragl, head of investigations and information at Foodwatch, said at the time.
Commenting on the latest search operation, Kragl said: “This search at Nestlé shows that our allegations are being taken seriously.
“Nestlé Waters has been selling illegally filtered bottled water while presenting it as ‘natural’ – in France and across global markets. This is not a minor infraction but a deliberate strategy to mislead consumers.
“We expect the French judiciary to establish the truth and ensure accountability. If global corporations can get away with deceiving the public, that undermines the foundations of food safety regulation.”
Nestlé and its water unit have been under intense scrutiny since the group admitted to violating French laws in the way it treated bottled mineral water against contamination.
In May, French authorities ordered the company to remove system filters from its Vergèze and Vosges sites in France, which produce bottled water brands such as Perrier and Contrex.
According to local reports from Bloomberg last week, the business has adapted micro filters for its Perrier brand.
The business reportedly said its Vergèze was to submit a new application for an operating licence.
