UFC-Que Choisir Takes Legal Action Against Perrier Over Misleading Labeling

On September 24, 2025, the consumer association UFC-Que Choisir filed a lawsuit seeking the temporary withdrawal of Perrier mineral water from the market, alleging that its labeling as "natural mineral water" is misleading. UFC argues that the marketing misleads consumers into believing they are purchasing unaltered water when, in fact, it has undergone treatments that do not comply with the regulations governing natural mineral waters. The association's lawyer, Maître Alexis Macchetto, stated, "The water has been treated, thus not qualifying as natural," emphasizing the importance of transparency in labeling.

UFC-Que Choisir's actions follow reports from early 2024, which revealed that Nestlé Waters, the producer of Perrier, had used prohibited treatments such as ultraviolet light and activated charcoal at its bottling facilities to address safety concerns. According to UFC, these treatments contradict the stipulations that define natural mineral water, which should remain untreated in order to maintain its natural characteristics. As a result, they are pursuing provisional measures to enforce product recalls and halt Perrier's marketing until the issue is resolved.

Nestlé Waters plans to contest the lawsuit, asserting that it complies with regulatory standards and maintains appropriate safety measures. The company highlighted that incidents of bacterial contamination detected at Perrier's water sources were isolated events and that all necessary protocols were followed to address those occurrences. In response to regulatory requests, Nestlé recently changed its filtration system from 0.2-micron to 0.45-micron filters, which UFC claims are less effective, raising further concerns about water quality.

Despite local authorities assuring that current Perrier bottles are safe for consumption, UFC-Que Choisir expresses ongoing concerns about potential health risks, particularly given past contamination issues. This legal action represents a significant step in a growing movement for consumer protection and highlights the need for clear product labeling in France's beverage market as consumers increasingly demand transparency regarding the products they consume.