Buitoni Pizza Scandal: Nestlé to compensate families of victims

The French branch of Nestlé has pledged to compensate dozens of victims of the Buitoni pizza scandal contaminated by E.coli. An “amicable compensation” agreement was found and signed on March 31, closing the civil part of the case, the parties announced on April 17, without disclosing any amount.

Nestlé France said it wanted to “contribute, within a reasonable time, to the appeasement of the victims and their families”. Two children died and dozens more became seriously ill after Nestlé subsidiary Buitoni’s Ffreshch’Up pizza was eaten in 2022.

Criminal proceedings continue

This process must “eventually allow fair reparation commensurate with their harms,” said lawyer Pierre Debuisson, who represents 63 victims, in a separate statement. Pierre Debuisson had sued Nestlé for “gross negligence” before the Nanterre Court of Justice and demanded compensation of 250 million euros for its clients. The hearing was scheduled for May 9. The amicable agreement suspends this summons.

“In civil proceedings, amicable agreements are customary and allow to end the civil litigation without extinguishing the criminal action”, which “follows its course”, Nestlé told AFP. A criminal investigation was opened in May 2022 in Paris, including for manslaughter and involuntary injuries. Nestlé has not yet been charged.