Nestlé will compensate relatives of victims of contaminated pizzas in France

Nestlé’s French subsidiary will compensate dozens of victims in the case of Buitoni pizzas contaminated by E. coli bacteria, as part of an agreement signed on March 31, the parties announced Monday without disclosing any amount.

“In order to contribute, within a reasonable time, to the appeasement of the victims and their families, Nestlé France has decided to join an amicable compensation processthe company said.

Two children died and dozens more became seriously ill after eating Fresh’UP brand pizzas from Buitoni, a Nestlé subsidiary, in 2022.

“Each of the affected persons will receive a compensation proposal from Nestlé France, which will follow a medical evaluation and which will take into account, in a fair manner, the severity of the damage and each situation”, indicated the subsidiary of the Swiss giant, world number one in the agri-food industry.

This process musteventually allow just compensation equal to your damageslawyer Pierre Debuisson, who represents 63 victims, said in a separate statement.

Debuisson had sued Nestlé for “serious misconduct” before the judicial court of Nanterre, on the outskirts of Paris, and requested compensation of 250 million euros ($272 million) for his clients.

The hearing had been set for May 9 but now the friendly agreement suspends this summons.

In May 2022, a judicial investigation was opened in Paris for involuntary manslaughter with respect to two victims and involuntary injuries with respect to 14 others, according to a judicial source.

The company has not been charged at the moment and the group assures that “will fully assume its responsibilities”, Nestle told AFP.

In March, a year after the case, Nestlé announced the final closure of the Caudry plant (northern France) where the pizzas had been produced.

Source: AFP