Nestlé aims to reduce water use by 40% across European operations

Swiss food giant Nestlé aims to reduce water consumption by 40% across its European production sites by 2020, compared with 2010 levels.

During 2004-2010, the company reduced water usage across its European operations by 36%, following changes to production levels.

Nestlé Europe executive vice-president Laurent Freixe said that while water scarcity tends to be an issue that is more related in the South, it is highly relevant in Europe as well.

"We will meet these targets by combining training, changing behavior, quick wins and knock-on investments," Freixe said.

The company said that its factory in La Penilla, Spain, has reduced water use by around two-third for a tonne of product.

In the UK, Nestlé plans to recycle 500,000l of water extracted from milk used in chocolate production at its factory in Girvan and lower water usage by 84% by the end of the last quarter of 2014. .

Since 2005, the Swiss firm reduced water withdrawals per tonne of product by one-third, and aims for a 40% reduction by the end of 2015.

The company stated that it will review water resources and identify ‘hot-spots’ where investment will be prioritised.

For the last three years, Nestlé has been using notional cost concept to analyse water projects based on estimated water prices and invest in water reusing and recycling projects.

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Image: The La Penilla factory has dramatically reduced its water use. Photo courtesy of Nestlé SA.