Bottled water scandal: Nestlé's French headquarters raided

Nestlé continues to rack up legal troubles . The group's French headquarters in Issy-les-Moulineaux, on the outskirts of Paris, was raided on Thursday, July 10, as part of the judicial investigation opened by the public health division of the Paris judicial court in February 2025, the General Directorate for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) told Agence France Presse, confirming information from Radio France's Investigation Unit .

According to the fraud squad, this search operation is taking place in the context of two complaints filed by the Foodwatch association, with civil action against unknown persons, but " targeting the companies Nestlé and Nestlé Waters ".

Following these complaints against the Swiss giant and the Sources Alma group (Cristaline, St-Yorre, Vichy, etc.), two judicial investigations were opened in February 2025 in Paris, concerning the treatment of their mineral waters . Investigators from the National Investigation Service of the DGCCRF and the Central Office for Combating Attacks on the Environment and Public Health "were seized on a letter rogatory by the two joint investigating judges," they declare. " The investigation will continue to proceed in particular with the exploitation of the data seized during these searches."

The Swiss company is accused of having treated its bottled mineral waters in France illegally, in order to conceal their contamination by bacteria and pesticides. A case revealed by Radio France and Le Monde in January 2024. The group had admitted to having used prohibited disinfection methods , such as ultraviolet lamps or activated carbon, to maintain the " food safety" of its Vosges waters (Vittel, Contrex and Hépar).

In their investigation, the journalists revealed another scandal: the then Minister of Industry, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, had allegedly authorized the use of these prohibited treatments. In total, 30% of "branded" waters were affected by these abuses, including 100% of Nestlé waters. Following these revelations, the Foodwatch association questioned the government's responsibility and its " complacency" in the affair.

On June 3, the consumer association UFC-Que Choisir decided to file a complaint against Nestlé Waters and several former ministers of Macron's government before the Court of Justice of the Republic .

The association had also brought an action before the Nanterre Judicial Court to order interim measures against the food giant. It had requested the withdrawal from the market and the recall of products and a ban on the marketing of Perrier waters sold as "natural mineral waters."

" With this search of Nestlé's headquarters, we are delighted that the expertise (of the SNE and OCLAESP) has brought more elements to the investigation ," said Ingrid Kragl, head of investigations and information at Foodwatch, in a press release.

The consumer protection NGO believes that " Nestlé Waters, even today, believes itself to be above the law by continuing to market its illegally filtered bottled water in France and around the world ." The interim hearing against Nestlé, which was due to take place this week in Nanterre, has been postponed and is expected to take place at the end of September, according to information from FranceInfo .