The Environmental and Legal Challenges Facing France’s Mineral Water Industry
France’s multi-billion euro mineral water industry is facing increasing scrutiny due to climate change and growing concerns about its environmental impact. At the heart of the controversy are some of the world’s most iconic brands, including Perrier, which is now under pressure to reconsider its claim of being “natural mineral water.”
A major decision on this issue is expected in the coming months. This follows revelations in the French media about the use of illicit filtration systems within the industry. These systems have been widely used due to concerns over water contamination, a problem exacerbated by years of drought linked to climate change.
Stéphane Mandard, who has led investigations at Le Monde newspaper, describes the situation as “Water-gate.” He highlights a combination of industrial fraud and state collusion, with a “Sword of Damocles” hanging over Perrier. According to hydrologist Emma Haziza, the commercial model of big producers has been successful but is unsustainable in the face of global climate change. She notes that when large brands feel they must treat their water, it indicates a problem with its quality.
The issue came into the public eye a year ago after an investigation by Le Monde and Radio France revealed that at least a third of mineral water sold in France had been illegally treated. While the treated water was safe to drink, the problem lay in EU law, which requires “natural mineral water” to remain unaltered from its underground source to the bottle. This is the core of the brand’s appeal, with images of mountain-sides, rushing streams, and purity driving consumer demand.
Complicating matters for Perrier and its parent company Nestlé, along with President Emmanuel Macron’s government, is the charge that executives and ministers conspired to keep the affair quiet, cover up reports of contamination, and rewrite rules to allow micro-filtration. Investigations by Le Monde and Radio France alleged that the government considered the mineral water industry so strategic that it suppressed damaging information. A senate inquiry accused the government of a “deliberate strategy” of “dissimulation.”
In response, the government has asked the European Commission to rule on permissible levels of micro-filtration for “natural mineral water.” Aurelien Rousseau, who was head of Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne’s cabinet at the time, admitted there had been an “error of appreciation” but insisted there was no risk to public health.
Earlier this year, at a senate hearing into the industry, Nestlé’s CEO Laurent Freixe admitted that Perrier had indeed used illicit methods to treat its water. He also revealed that an official hydrologists’ report into the company’s historic site in the Gard department in southern France had recommended against renewing “natural mineral water” status for the company’s output. This raises the possibility that for the first time in its 160-year history, Perrier water may no longer be labelled as what people assume it to be.
According to Haziza, the link between climate change and global warming is well-established. If Perrier is feeling the impact ahead of other companies, it is likely because of its geographical location. Unlike the remote mountain landscapes often associated with mineral water, Perrier’s water is pumped from deep aquifers in the coastal plain between Nîmes and Montpellier, a short drive from the Mediterranean. The area is populous, heavily farmed, and very hot.
Since 2017, there has been a significant climatic shift, with five years of droughts particularly affecting the south. All aquifers have been impacted, including deeper ones that were once thought to be protected. Haziza explains that the system can no longer sustain itself as it once did.
Hydrologists like Haziza note a clear link between deeper and surface aquifers. Contaminants such as farm chemicals or human waste from flash floods can now enter lower aquifers. At the same time, long-term drought and over-pumping mean these aquifers contain less volume, making any contamination more concentrated.
Haziza warns that what has happened at Perrier’s site will likely affect other producers in the coming years. She calls for a shift away from the current consumption model. Last year, three million bottles of Perrier had to be destroyed due to contamination, though the company insists problems are swiftly detected and disputes claims of contaminants entering deep aquifers.
Perrier’s hydrologist Jérémie Pralong states that the company pumps water from 130 metres underground, beneath layers of limestone, and is confident of its purity. He argues that there is no EU ruling specifically banning micro-filtration, and the debate centers on where the line between acceptable filtration and alteration lies.
Perrier’s history dates back to the 1860s, when a local doctor first tapped the source. It gained international recognition under British management, with St John Harmsworth playing a key role. According to company lore, he was inspired by Indian clubs for the bulbous shape of the bottles.
Today, the bottling plant at Vergèze remains next to Harmsworth’s residence and the original source. The facility is heavily automated, with a rail track connecting to the SNCF network for exports. In recent years, Perrier has launched a new brand, Maison Perrier, featuring energy and flavoured drinks that have proven highly successful. These products do not claim to be “natural mineral water,” allowing for easier treatment and filtration.
Perrier says the new brand is part of its strategy, and it has no intention of abandoning its original Source Perrier natural mineral water. The company has stopped ultra-fine (0.2 micron) microfiltration and now uses a 0.45 micron system approved by the government. It has applied for “natural mineral water” status for just two out of five drilling wells, with a decision expected later this year.