German water brands face scrutiny over sources and health claims

Lidl’s private‑label mineral water brand Saskia is bottled from five German springs – Wörth am Rhein, Kirkel, Jessen, Löningen and Leißling – each offering a distinct mineral composition, often low in sodium, and the bottling is performed locally by the MEG Group.

A market check by the Verbraucherzentrale Sachsen‑Anhalt examined 35 vitamin‑water products and found none provided measurable health benefits compared with tap water. Twelve bottles already exceeded the recommended daily vitamin intake, and twenty‑four surpassed the upper‑limit guidelines of the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR). Some products also contained high amounts of added sugar.