The Coca Cola Company is being brought before court by a Belgian woman who claims she sustained stomach injuries during pregnancy after drinking water from a Coca-Cola-owned bottler.
The multinational could be made to pay a fine of up to €300,000 after a woman said she landed in the hospital for drinking from a Chaudfointaine water bottle, a Belgian mineral water brand owned by the Coke maker.
The 39-year-old woman from Limbourg had to be hospitalised in 2013 due to stomach complaints she sustained 24 weeks into her pregnancy.
Doctors found that she had several stomach burns which tests revealed came from a Chaudfontaine water bottle found to contain zinc chloride, a highly soluble and caustic chemical compound.
After a first trial on the case in 2015, the soft drinks giant said that no other bottles of the 1.6 million commercialised in the same lot had been found to be defective, Le Soir reports.
The intoxication caused the woman permanent incapacities, according to the daily, which also said her baby had been born in good health.
The woman's defence team requested that the Coca Cola Company be fined €118,829 and the court order it to pay an annual rent to the victim.
A verdict is expected on 18 March, with a representative of the multinational reportedly expecting a reduction of the requested compensation after contesting a number of claims.
Gabriela Galindo
The Brussels Times
