The issue is particularly sensitive in Belgium. In 2019, Wallonia’s government, made up of socialists, liberals and environmentalists, caused a surprise when it planned to impose the free carafe of water on restaurateurs in the region. After all, he has no intention of fulfilling his promise, revealed the daily La Libre Belgique on Wednesday March 1st.
“The idea was to democratize access to water,” explains Willy Borsus, Vice-President and Walloon Minister for the Economy. However, in a difficult economic environment, “we didn’t want to add this element of constraint” for restaurants and cafes, continues the Liberal, who does not rule out that the issue will one day return to the political agenda.
In recent years, voices have been raised calling for better access to water, a basic need that makes it possible to offset dehydration caused by alcohol. From this movement came the Free Tap Water Belgium application, which lists more than 900 Belgian establishments that offer a carafe of water, also a gesture for the environment.
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“It’s a social responsibility. Additionally, providing anhydrous water protects alcoholics who will not spend their money on water. This also applies to young people,” stresses Martin de Duve, alcoholologist and director of the Univers Santé association, specifying that in Belgium “water is sometimes more expensive than beer”.
crises one after the other
A bottle of water bought for 80 cents can be sold for twice or even ten times as much, depending on the status of the businesses that make a lot of money from it. The mineral water manufacturers are also happy about this, which, according to the branch association of the Belgian water and soft drinks industry (FIEB), achieve 30% of their turnover with restaurants and cafés.
The two industries were already outraged when the European Commission considered making free water in restaurants a directive in 2018. The Walloon Region then revived this idea, which was described as “absurd” by Luc Marchal, President of the HoReCa (hotels, restaurants, cafes) Walloon Association, who reminds us that free water has a price (Service on table, cleaning, etc.).
However, since 2019, restaurateurs have faced a series of crises linked to the Covid-19 pandemic, the floods that hit the region in 2021 and the explosion in energy and food prices. “Margins are shrinking. Several businesses are going under,” warns Mr. Marchal. In the absence of an impact analysis for the introduction of free water, the Walloon government chose not to implement this popular measure. According to Mr de Duve, “private interests have been privileged to the detriment of the interests of all. »
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