Nestle Waters has been given official approval to market its Contrex and Hepar brands as natural mineral water in France. The decision comes despite the company using filters before bottling, following new regional regulations.
In two orders dated December 23, 2025, the prefect of the Vosges region in northeastern France authorized Nestle to install filtration systems for the two brands. Previously, Nestle’s other French brands, Vittel and Perrier, had received similar approval.
Nestle Waters France welcomed the decision in a statement sent to AFP, describing it as a step toward compliance with national regulations while maintaining product quality. The company had acknowledged earlier in 2025 that it had used banned treatments for some of its waters, prompting revisions to its microfiltration process.
Some consumer groups and competitors had raised concerns that filtering water could conflict with the premium “natural mineral water” label. Jean-Francois Fleck of the Eau 88 group in Vosges said, “We’re in the process of turning the bottling of natural mineral water into the bottling of drinking water that’s still being called mineral water.”
The regional authorities, however, clarified that filtration is allowed only if it “does not alter the natural mineral water in its essential constituents and is not intended to modify the microbiological characteristics of the water.” Nestle has been ordered to monitor the presence of micro-organisms in the water before and after each filtration point for one year to ensure compliance.
This approval allows Nestle to continue selling its French brands under the natural mineral water label while following strict safety and quality measures. The move reinforces the company’s position in the premium water market while addressing regulatory and consumer concerns.
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By following these rules, Nestle aims to maintain the balance between filtration for safety and preserving the natural qualities of its mineral water, ensuring trust among consumers in France and beyond.
