20.05.2025 01:11
The French Senate Committee revealed in its investigation into the bottled water scandal that the government altered a report against the Nestlé Group. The committee's report stated that official authorities attempted to conceal information related to health quality and allowed the use of banned purification systems.
The report of the French Senate Commission revealed that the national authorities altered a report against the Nestle Group as part of its investigation into the "bottled water scandal."
According to reports in the French press, the results of the French Senate Commission's investigation into the "bottled water scandal" were shared with the public.
REPORTS ALTERED
The investigation uncovered that various French ministries, a governor, and the Director of the Occitanie Regional Health Agency, Didier Jaffre, altered a report regarding the health quality of the water wells operated by the Nestle Group at the request of the company.
The Senate Commission's report on the bottled water scandal stated that the official authorities attempted to conceal the bacteria, herbicides, and sometimes pesticide residues that had been banned for years in these waters with these changes.
The report noted that the Nestle Group obtained permission from the Paris government to continue using banned purification systems in the bottled waters it offered for sale, while it was recorded that the French Presidency had been aware since at least 2022 that this group was cheating regarding its bottled waters, leading to unfair competition with other mineral water producers.
"BOTTLED WATER SCANDAL"
Le Monde newspaper and Radio France revealed in a report published in January 2024 that the then Minister of Industry, Agnes Pannier-Runacher, allowed the Nestle Group to use banned purification systems in the bottled waters it offered for sale.
The Senate had initiated a commission investigation into the incident, also known as the "bottled water scandal," on November 20, 2024.
The commission had invited former Elysee Palace Secretary General Alexis Kohler to speak at a session related to this scandal.
The Chairman of the Senate Investigation Commission regarding the bottled water scandal, Laurent Burgoa, stated in the invitation sent to Kohler that "the Nestle Group had contacted the French Presidency many times." Burgoa claimed that Kohler had followed part of this file and facilitated communication between the Nestle Group and the French Presidency.
Kohler did not participate in the Senate's investigation commission's invitation, citing the principle of separation of powers.