Activist groups take Danone to court over excessive use of plastics

Danone, the French bottled water and yogurt firm, is reportedly being sued in court by three environmental activists’ groups for failing to cut its plastic footprint significantly.

According to the groups, the maker of Evian and Volvic mineral water was not carrying out its obligations under a ground-breaking French regulation.

The 2017 duty of vigilance law mandates that major French corporations and their distribution networks monitor issues related to the environment and human rights. As part of an emerging trend in climate lawsuits, non-governmental groups are using it more frequently against multinational corporations.

A brand audit conducted in December identified Danone as being one of the top 10 plastic polluters around the world, along with PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, and Nestlé.

The French firm disputed the accusation. Danone is shocked by this charge and strongly denies it. The company claims that it has a long history of being recognized as a leader in environmental risk management, and it is steadfastly devoted to doing the right thing.

It said that it would take the involvement of all stakeholders, both public and private, to put a stop to plastic pollution.

This Monday, a case was submitted in the Paris tribunal judiciaries, one of the numerous recent legal lawsuits against companies that pollute using plastic. The environmental organizations ClientEarth, Surfrider, and Zero Waste France demanded that the business take responsibility for the excessive use of plastic.

The nonprofits publicly warned Danone in September, giving the business a chance to rectify its vigilance plan. The firm responded to the official notification letter, but the NGOs claim that the answer was unsatisfactory and did not sufficiently address their claims.

According to ClientEarth, Danone annually consumed more plastic as compared to 74 times the weight of the Eiffel Tower. As per its 2021 annual report, it consumed 750,000 tons in 2021, up from 716,500 tons in 2020.

The activists want judges in a civil court in Paris to order the corporation to publish a revised strategy within six months that would contain a phase-out of plastics.

Source credit: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jan/10/activists-sue-french-food-firm-danone-plastics-footprint