Section 2: Provisions specific to packaged waters for human consumption, excluding natural mineral waters

Spring water is underground water that is microbiologically sound and protected against the risks of pollution. On emergence and during marketing, it respects or satisfies the quality limits or references, relating to microbiological and physico-chemical parameters, defined by order of the ministers responsible for consumption and health. However, when unstable elements or undesirable constituents must be separated from spring water using treatment authorised for this water in accordance with article…

Spring water may only undergo treatments or additions determined by order of the ministers responsible for consumption and health. This order lays down the technical conditions of use and, where applicable, the deadlines for applying the various types of authorised treatment, as well as the procedure for requesting the use of new types of treatment.

Where the labelling of a soft drink indicates that it is made from spring water, the spring water must comply with the provisions of this chapter.

Packaged spring waters are held for sale, offered for sale, sold or distributed free of charge under one of the following names: 1° “Spring water” ; 2° “Spring water with added carbon dioxide”, which refers to spring water effervesced by the addition of carbon dioxide.

The labelling of packaged spring waters that are held with a view to sale, offered for sale, sold or distributed free of charge must include, in addition to the particulars provided for in Article 9 of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2011, as amended, on the provision of food information to consumers, the following particulars: 1° The name of the…

If the trade description of a particular spring water differs from the name of the spring or the place where it is exploited, the name or place must be indicated in characters at least one and a half times the height and width of the largest of the characters used to indicate the trade description. The marketing of spring water from the same source under several trade descriptions is prohibited….

It is prohibited, both on packaging or labels and in advertising, in any form whatsoever, to use any indication, name, product or service brand, image or other sign, figurative or otherwise, which, when applied to a spring water, is likely to create confusion with a natural mineral water, in particular by indicating properties favourable to health, by mentioning expressions containing the word “mineral” or derivatives of this word, or by…