French Authorities Carry Out Surprise Searches at Nestlé Waters Sites
French authorities carried out unannounced inspections and searches at two industrial sites operated by Nestlé Waters, the bottled water subsidiary of Swiss-based food giant Nestlé.
The raids took place on Tuesday at the Perrier plant in Vergèze and a laboratory in Vittel, according to Radio France investigative reporting. Around 40 officials from French fraud authorities were involved in the coordinated operation.
The inspections are part of an ongoing investigation led by the Paris public prosecutor’s office following a complaint filed by the NGO Foodwatch, which alleges potential fraud linked to bottled water operations.
Authorities have not yet disclosed specific findings from the searches. However, the investigation is understood to focus on regulatory compliance and possible misconduct within water treatment or labeling practices.
Nestlé Waters confirmed that unannounced inspections were taking place at its sites and stated that it is fully cooperating with the relevant authorities throughout the process.
The case adds further scrutiny to Switzerland’s Nestlé, which has faced multiple regulatory and public trust challenges in recent years related to food and water safety concerns.
French investigators continue to examine evidence as part of a broader inquiry into corporate practices in the bottled water sector.
