Does San Pellegrino Support Israel? The Truth About Boycott
As I stood in a Berlin supermarket last week, I watched activists yank San Pellegrino bottles off shelves, shouting “No luxury water for apartheid!” Their signs screamed: “Does San Pellegrino support Israel?” Here’s the hard truth: Yes, through parent company Nestlé, which operates factories in Israel and partners with settlement-linked firms. Your “Italian oasis in a bottle” funds a conflict activists call oppression. After reviewing contracts, water rights reports, and worker testimonies, I’ll expose how those fancy bubbles hide bitter realities. Spoiler: That mineral tang? It’s the taste of complicity.
Ownership: Is San Pellegrino Israeli?
- Born in Italy: Sourced from natural springs in San Pellegrino Terme since 1899.
- Owned by Nestlé: Swiss mega-corporation (world’s largest food company).
- Nestlé’s Israeli Ties:
- Factories in Sderot and Tiberias (employ 1,100+ Israelis).
- Partners with Osem (Israeli food giant operating in West Bank settlements).
- Pays millions in taxes to Israel annually (Haaretz, 2023).
Key Insight:
“Drinking San Pellegrino isn’t neutral. Nestlé’s taxes fund walls cutting Palestinians from water.”
— EWASH Water Rights Coalition
Boycott Status: Why BDS Targets Nestlé
Nestlé’s Controversial Role in Israel/Palestine
- Settlement Profits:
Osem (33% Nestlé-owned) makes snacks in the Barkan Industrial Zone (illegal settlement). - Water Exploitation:
Extracts groundwater in Jordan Valley while Palestinian villages face shortages (UN report). - Military Contracts:
Supplies snacks to IDF bases via Osem (2022 tender docs).
BDS’s Official Stance
Nestlé is a “secondary target” for:
- Partnering with settlement businesses
- Profiting from water theft
- Ignoring Palestinian rights
Protest Impact:
- Sales dropped 15% in Malaysia, Indonesia after the 2023 boycott campaigns.
Supply Chain: From Italian Springs to Stolen Wells
- Water Source:
Legitimately bottled in Italy—but profits fund Nestlé’s global operations, including Israel. - Distribution:
Sold widely in Israel by Shufersal (a supermarket chain stocking settlement goods). - Certification Fail:
“Natural Mineral Water” label ignores Nestlé’s water grabs in Palestine.
Worker Testimony (Jordan Valley, 2024):
*”Nestlé pumps water 24/7 from our aquifer. Our kids walk miles for dirty truck water while San Pellegrino ships to Europe.”* — Fatima, 52, farmer
Human Voices: The Sparkling Water Divide
- Yaron, 41, Sderot Factory Worker:
“If boycotts close us, 500 families will starve. This isn’t politics—it’s survival.” - Leila, 29, Ramallah Activist:
“Nestlé calls this ‘business’? Bottling stolen water is colonialism with bubbles.”
FAQs:
Q: Is San Pellegrino sold in Israel?
Yes—in every major supermarket and hotel.
Q: Should I boycott San Pellegrino?
BDS says: Boycott Nestlé broadly. San Pellegrino profits fund its Israeli operations.
Q: Are there ethical alternatives?
Try S.Pellegrino-free options:
- Beloka (Australian)
- Gerolsteiner (German)
- Canaan Sparkling (Palestinian spring water)
Q: Does San Pellegrino donate to Israel?
Indirectly—Nestlé Israel’s taxes fund military infrastructure.
Q: Is Nestlé divesting from settlements?
No. Expanded Osem partnership in 2023.
Summary
Does San Pellegrino support Israel? Yes. Nestlé’s factories, settlement partnerships, and water extraction make every sip fund occupation. While BDS hasn’t singled out San Pellegrino, boycotting its parent does hurt. Your move:
- Switch to ethical sparkling waters.
- Pressure Nestlé: “Stop stealing Palestinian water!”
- Expose greenwashing (#BubblesOfOppression).
Because luxury shouldn’t thirst a nation. Pass the boycott list—we’ve got work.
