Section 3: Consumer information

Packaged natural mineral waters are held for sale, offered for sale, sold or distributed free of charge, under one of the following sales names: 1° “Natural mineral water” or “Non-carbonated natural mineral water”, which designates a natural mineral water that is not effervescent, i.e. that does not spontaneously release carbon dioxide when it emerges in a way that is clearly perceptible under normal conditions; 2° “Naturally sparkling natural mineral water”…

The labelling of packaged natural mineral waters held with a view to sale, offered for sale, sold or distributed free of charge shall 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 source…

Where the trade description of a specific natural mineral 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 a natural mineral water from the same source under several trade…

Claims relating to mineralisation, if they have been established on the basis of officially recognised physico-chemical analyses, may appear on the packaging and labels of a natural mineral water and in advertising concerning this water.

Any indication attributing to a natural mineral water the properties of preventing, treating or curing a human disease is prohibited, with the exception of indications established on the basis of officially recognised physico-chemical analyses, the list of which is set by order of the ministers responsible for health and consumer affairs.

It is forbidden on packaging, labels and in advertising, in any form whatsoever, to use any indication, name, product or service mark, image or other sign, figurative or otherwise, which, when applied to a natural mineral water, suggests a characteristic that this water does not possess, in particular as regards its origin, the date of authorisation to exploit it, the results of analyses or any similar reference to guarantees of…

The analytical composition of a water which is the subject of a numerical description appearing on packaging, labels and in advertising is not different from that presented by the water to which the said description refers. However, differences in the composition of a natural mineral water resulting from natural fluctuations which do not affect the stability of the essential characteristics of the water are not considered to be differences within…