Nestlé to Audit French Water Operations Following Regulatory Concerns
Nestlé has announced an independent audit of its bottled water production sites in France after facing scrutiny over its treatment practices. The move follows recent media coverage and increased regulatory pressure regarding how the company has managed certain operational processes over the years.
The Swiss food and beverage group said the assessment would examine its practices across eight bottling sites, which include prominent brands such as Vittel, Hépar, Perrier and Contrex. The audit will be led by Bureau Veritas and is expected to take several months.
This initiative comes in the wake of a broader inquiry by the French government into drilling and production practices within the bottled water segment. According to Nestlé, the audit will review site-specific water treatment protocols and sampling procedures to ensure compliance with both French and European standards. The company has voluntarily suspended ultra-fine filtration treatments, a practice allegedly no longer aligned with French natural mineral water regulations.
Nestlé reaffirmed that it has always met health and safety regulations and noted that changes in production processes had not compromised the microbiological quality of its products. However, the company acknowledged the need to verify its operations through independent third-party validation to restore stakeholder confidence.
In a broader context, the audit comes at a time when sustainability and transparency are under increasing scrutiny within the FMCG sector. Governments, consumers and industry stakeholders are demanding stricter adherence to environmental and regulatory standards, particularly in water-intensive categories like bottled beverages.
France’s natural mineral water market remains highly competitive and tightly regulated, making credibility and consumer trust vital intangible assets for brands. Nestlé’s decision to undergo a comprehensive audit could serve as a benchmark for other FMCG players facing similar regulatory and public scrutiny.
The company stated that it will publish the results of the audit once completed, while it continues to cooperate with French authorities. As regulatory environments tighten across Europe, proactive compliance and transparent reporting may increasingly define the competitive edge in the bottled water category.