Court Rejects Consumer Group's Challenge Against Perrier
A French court has delivered a significant victory for Nestlé Waters, ruling that its iconic Perrier brand can continue to market its sparkling beverage as 'natural mineral water'. The decision came from the Nanterre court near Paris on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, rejecting a legal challenge from the prominent consumer rights organization UFC-Que Choisir.
The consumer group had urgently requested the court to suspend sales of Perrier products bearing the 'natural mineral water' designation. They argued that the company's use of microfiltration processes disqualified the water from being marketed under this strict legal classification.
The Heart of the Legal Dispute
The controversy stems from admissions made by Nestlé Waters in early 2024, when media investigations revealed the company had been using ultraviolet treatments and activated carbon filters on its water sources. These processing methods are explicitly forbidden under both French and European law for any product labeled as natural mineral water, which must maintain its original state without artificial alterations.
UFC-Que Choisir maintained that these processing methods not only violated labeling regulations but potentially posed health risks to consumers. Marie-Amandine Stevenin, head of the consumer rights group, expressed strong disappointment with the ruling, stating they were 'angry' at the outcome.
'We believe that this decision does not live up to the issues we were denouncing, namely misleading commercial practices,' Stevenin commented following the verdict.
Legal and Financial Consequences
The court's ruling carried financial penalties for the losing party. UFC-Que Choisir was ordered to pay 5,000 euros (approximately $5,790) to the Nestlé Waters group as compensation.
In its defense, Nestlé Waters welcomed the court's decision, asserting that it confirmed 'the food safety of Source Perrier natural mineral waters has always been guaranteed.' The company emphasized that the court found no established health risk to consumers from Perrier waters labeled as natural mineral water.
This legal battle occurs against a backdrop of previous regulatory actions against Nestlé Waters. The company had already faced consequences for its water treatment practices, including paying a two-million-euro ($2.2-million) fine in 2024 to avoid legal action over using illegal water sources and filtering methods.
Furthermore, in June 2025, Nestlé Waters was fined more than $610,000 in Switzerland for using activated carbon filters on its Henniez bottled mineral water, demonstrating a pattern of regulatory scrutiny across different jurisdictions.
The case highlights ongoing tensions between corporate practices and European Union regulations that strictly limit treatments allowed for products marketed as natural mineral water. Despite the court's ruling in Perrier's favor, the decision leaves unanswered questions about the interpretation of 'natural' in consumer goods labeling.
