The Nestlé Waters scandal has shed light on the natural mineral water industry. This industry relies on precise knowledge of the water sources used… But paradoxically, this is often lacking, as The Conversation states.
Some people drink it every day, but do they really know what it is? Natural mineral water (NME), whether it is Evian, Vittel, Volvic or others, has a specific legal designation in France. It is defined as water from underground, without treatment, whose physico-chemical components – the mineral content of the water – remain stable over time, with a variation of less than 10%.
Factories managed by Nestlé having been caught by the courts for having used prohibited treatments and taken samples from wells that did not have an operating permit . In September, Nestlé Waters finally agreed to pay a fine of two million euros to avoid the trial.
Enough to reveal this little-known part of the economy which plays a major role not only in France, but also in Europe and the world.
