Perrier is under pressure following a scathing report by the French health agency. The report states that production in the French town of Vergèze may have to be shut down due to serious health risks.
Consequences of pollution
The health agency of the Occitania region says the water poses a virological risk to consumers, Belgian newspaper De Standaard reports. This is not the first controversy surrounding Perrier this year: its parent company Nestlé Waters had to destroy millions of bottles due to the presence of E.coli bacteria in one of its sources. Although this was dismissed as an incident after heavy rainfall at the time, new research points to structural problems with water quality. The quality of springs is said to be affected by environmental pollution and the impact of climate change.
French authorities have been following Nestlé closely for some time. The Swiss group also produces brands such as Vittel, Contrex and Hépar, and is accused of unauthorised purification techniques to ensure the quality of mineral water. The use of methods such as carbon filters or UV radiation is banned because they detract from the so-called “original purity” of mineral water. This expected purity is precisely the reason why consumers are willing to pay a premium price.
Perrier’s future depends on the decision on a new operating licence, expected in 2025. Meanwhile, bottles of Perrier will remain on shelves as usual, but the question is how long consumers will be willing to pay almost three times as much as for standard spring water. If Perrier loses its mineral water status, it risks undermining the brand’s position.
