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Tag: Nestlé

Nestle Spent $11M Lobbying Congress To Control Water, Cocoa & Trade Since 2013

Posted in Journalism, and MintPress News

Nestlé’s political influence in the United States is backed by a generous war chest which funds the often controversial company’s efforts to lobby against the types of trade, labor, and environmental regulations which might impede its profits.

The Swiss multinational has been accused of using slave labor in the seafood and cocoa trades, and environmental activists have targeted Nestlé for harnessing scarce natural resources in the production of bottled water from California to Canada.

And a closer look at Nestlé’s political spending suggests that it’s working to prevent increased regulation in these profitable industries.

Judge: Nestlé Can Keep Bottling California’s Water Under Permit That Expired In 1988

Posted in Journalism, and MintPress News

A federal judge ruled Tuesday that Nestlé can continue to bottle water from drought-stricken Southern California, even though the permit which allows the company to pipe water from the San Bernardino National Forest expired in 1988.

Despite a devastating, five-year drought in California, Nestlé piped about 36 million gallons from the forest last year. That water is transported to Canada for bottling, and the end product appears in stores under the Arrowhead brand. Under the current agreement, Nestlé pays the U.S. Forest Service an annual permitting fee of $524 to run its pipeline.

U.S. District Court Judge Jesus G. Bernal ruled that although the permit expired 28 years ago, Nestlé can keep bottling water because corporate executives attempted to renew the permit in May 1987, but did not hear back from the Forest Service.

After Bottling Michigan’s Clean Water, Nestle Comes Under Fire For Ties To Snyder Admin

Posted in Journalism, and MintPress News

As celebrities, corporations and citizens alike donates thousands of gallons of bottled water to the lead-poisoned residents of Flint, Michigan, Nestle, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of bottled water, has come under fire for its ties to the state’s water woes.

The global food and drink giant teamed up with Wal-Mart, Coca-Cola, and Pepsi to deliver up to 6.5 million bottles of water to 10,000 school students in Flint. Celebrities including Madonna and Jimmy Fallon have pledged tens of thousands of dollars toward relief efforts.

Although Nestle controls over 70 bottled water brands, some local activists are pushing back against the company’s involvement in relief efforts. On Sunday, New Era Detroit published a warning: “On the behalf of New Era Detroit we ask that you not purchase Nestle’s or Ice Mountain bottle (sic) water which is owned by Nestle.”

The ‘Grinch’ That Stole Water: Nestlé Illegally Bottles 68,000 Gallons Of Water A Day In Drought-Stricken California

Posted in Journalism, and MintPress News

Activists are preparing to disrupt business at a Nestlé bottled water plant for a third time as the corporation continues to bottle millions of gallons of water in California amid an historic drought.

Scheduled for Dec. 4, the protest marks the third time the “Crunch Nestlé Alliance” will target the corporation’s bottling plant for direct action. The group carried out similar temporary blockades of business in October 2014 and March 2015 at the Nestlé Waters bottling facility in Sacramento, California. Dan Bacher, reporting on the March 20 action for the citizen journalism site Indybay, claimed the group “effectively [shut] down the company’s operations for the day” by blocking both entrances to the plant from 5 a.m. until 1 p.m.

According to a story published by Bacher on Nov. 10 on YubaNet.com, a local news site devoted to the Sierra Nevada region of Central California, activists are expanding their efforts for the upcoming event to also protest at the nearby Alhambra Water Company. Still, Nestlé, who the alliance called “The Grinch Who Stole Our Water,” remains the main target.