Watchdog apologises over Nongfu water row

The Consumer Council on Thursday apologised to mainland bottled water and beverages company Nongfu Spring after the firm threatened legal action over a report it condemned as erroneous and "massively damaging" to its reputation. In an article in the watchdog's latest CHOICE magazine – which suggested people should stop buying bottled water altogether and make do with tap water – the council noted that every litre of Nongfu Spring's bottled water contains three microgrammes of the potential carcinogen bromate. The council added that three microgrammes is the maximum amount permitted in mineral water under European Union regulations. The report, which also covered a number of other bottled water brands, prompted an angry response from Nongfu Spring, which complained that its product should not be categorised as mineral water but "natural drinking water". The EU's limit for bromate in drinking water is 10 microgrammes per litre, more than three times higher than the level permitted in mineral water. On Thursday, the council said it has reclassified the product in question as "natural drinking water" after holding a meeting with Nongfu Spring representatives. The watchdog also adjusted its rating of the product, from 4.5 stars to the maximum five. The Consumer Council reiterated that all 30 water products it tested in the study were found to be safe to drink. Nongfu Spring also issued a statement noting that the council has found its product to be fully compliant with the relevant standards.