How does a company like Nestlé, with its longstanding claims of pure, natural minerals in every sip, end up embroiled in a web of regulatory scrutiny and consumer deception?
At a Glance
- Swiss prosecutors fined Nestlé 500,000 Swiss francs ($620,000) for illegally filtering its Henniez brand mineral water between 2008 and 2022.
- The fine comes amid a wider scandal in France, where Nestlé admitted to using banned treatments on major brands like Perrier and Vittel.
- A French Senate report has accused the government of covering up Nestlé’s illegal practices from the public and EU authorities.
- Under strict E.U. law, “natural mineral water” cannot be treated with methods like carbon filters or UV light.
Nestlé Fined for “Unnatural” Practices in Switzerland
Swiss prosecutors have fined Nestlé 500,000 Swiss francs for the unauthorized use of activated carbon filters in the production of its Henniez brand mineral water. The Vaud public prosecutor’s office announced the fine on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, stating the illegal filtration took place between 2008 and 2022.
According to the prosecutor, by using these banned filters, Nestlé gained an “unjustified economic advantage by not complying with its legal labelling obligations,” as reported by Swissinfo.ch. Under strict European regulations, water labeled as “natural mineral water” cannot be subjected to such treatments. Nestlé accepted the ruling and expressed regret for the past situation.
A Wider Scandal and Cover-Up in France
The Swiss fine is the latest development in a much larger scandal that has engulfed Nestlé’s European water brands. Nestlé had previously admitted to French authorities that it used treatments forbidden by law—including ultraviolet light and carbon filters—on major brands like Perrier, Vittel, and Hépar to maintain “food safety” due to periodic contamination at its sources.
The affair has escalated into a major political scandal in France. A recent French Senate commission report accused the government of knowing about Nestlé’s illegal practices for years and actively concealing them from the public and the European Commission. “In addition to Nestlé Waters’ lack of transparency, it is important to highlight the state’s lack of transparency,” the damning report concluded.
Eroding Consumer Trust
The revelations have shattered the carefully crafted image of purity that Nestlé and other companies use to market their bottled water. The very definition of “natural mineral water” is that it is pristine and bottled at the source without disinfection.
The consumer rights NGO Foodwatch, which helped expose the scandal, has been scathing in its criticism. “We understand better why the French government did not inform the European Commission—it was clearly too busy covering up a massive fraud,” Ingrid Kragl of Foodwatch told RFI. The scandal has not only tarnished Nestlé’s reputation but has also severely damaged public trust in the regulatory bodies meant to protect consumers.
