Perrier 'water brand' production under threat: Reports

Perrier's brand is under threat of losing its natural mineral water label, which it has held for more than a century following a report from the Occitanie regional health agency (ARS), said Le Monde.

Completed in August, following an inspection carried out at the end of May at Perrier's packaging site in Vergèze, southern France, the report concluded that Nestlé Waters, the brand's owner, should seriously consider "stopping production of mineral water at the Vergèze site" because of the consistently deteriorating sanitary quality of its catchments, and in particular due to a virological risk.

Following an inspection carried out at the end of May at Perrier’s only packaging site in the Gard region, the state agency says that Nestlé Waters, the brand’s owner, should seriously consider “stopping production of mineral water at the Vergèze site”, due to the regularly degraded sanitary quality of its catchments and, in particular, a virological risk.

The ARS thus “invites” the subsidiary of the Swiss food giant to “strategically consider another possible food use for the current mineral water catchments”, on condition that “additional health safety guarantees” are provided. When contacted by Le Monde and Radio France, Nestlé Waters said it was “not in a position to comment”, as it was “not aware of the final report”.