Nestlé signs compensation package agreement for fatal E. coli outbreak in France

Nestlé shut down its Buitoni manufacturing plant in France last month as it was the site of the E.coli outbreak that affected its frozen pizza products in 2022. The closure came after the French prosecutors launched a probe after people died and made others sick.

As per Food Safety News, there were food safety breaches at the factory, and these are allegedly connected to the E.coli outbreak that happened there. Operations at the Buitoni plant were immediately suspended, and last month, it was finally closed down.

Now, Nestlé agreed to compensate the victims of the pizza scandal brought about by the E.coli outbreak. The company signed a compensation package with the families of the victims, and the signing was held at the end of March.

The Connexion reported that the agreement between Nestlé and the victims’ families was signed in an out-of-court deal. It was described to be an “amiable compensation” deal. The amount of the compensation was not revealed to the public.

Nestlé France said it wants to “contribute to helping the victims and their families within a reasonable timeframe.” The compensation comes after dozens fell seriously ill and two children died after consuming the contaminated pizzas.

In any case, this incident is said to be the largest E. coli-HUS (Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome) outbreak to ever be recorded in France. HUS is a kind of kidney failure associated with E. coli infections and can lead to serious health issues.

“Each claimant will receive an equitable compensation proposal from Nestlé France, subject to a medical assessment that takes into consideration the seriousness of the damage and each situation,” Nestlé said in a statement. “We remain open to listening to them and intend to support them. Rest assured: We take our responsibilities seriously, and we are working hard to ensure that something like this never happens again.”

Photo by: Nestle/Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)