Heineken UK recalls 550ml Newcastle Brown Ale bottles over glass safety issue

UK – Heineken UK has initiated a recall of specific 550ml bottles of Newcastle Brown Ale after identifying a potential safety risk related to the glass.

The issue stems from a defect that may cause the glass to fracture when the steel crown is removed at the bottle’s opening.

The defect was confirmed with the bottle supplier and affects a limited number of bottles produced between 16 and 21 November 2024. The impacted bottles bear a best-before date of 30 November 2025.

Heineken UK has emphasized that this recall is precautionary and only involves the specified batches. Products manufactured before or after these dates and other Heineken UK products or Newcastle Brown Ale variants are not affected.

The affected bottles were distributed across various outlets, including supermarkets, online retailers, pubs, bars, and restaurants. Consumers are advised not to consume the product and instead return unopened bottles to their point of purchase for a full refund.

A Heineken UK spokesperson stated, “Safety is our top priority. On the basis that this potential safety issue impacts a small number of bottles, we are recalling this run of glass bottles of Newcastle Brown Ale as a precaution.

“We urge consumers not to drink the product and return unopened bottles to the place of purchase for a refund.

“We are providing guidance to customers on registering and returning affected stock and have alerted regulatory authorities. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.”

Heineken has also requested retailers to halt the sale of any stock from the affected batches and contact their Customer Care team for further instructions.

In a similar incident, Coca-Cola HBC Austria issued a recall last October for millions of plastic bottles after discovering a potential contamination risk. 

The recall affected up to 28 million 0.5-litre PET bottles of Sprite, Coca-Cola, MezzoMix, and Fanta, with best-before dates between 4 February and 12 April 2025. 

Coca-Cola HBC Austria stated, “It cannot be ruled out that small pieces of metal could be in a very limited number of 0.5l PET bottles due to a technical error in production. We advise against consuming the potentially affected products due to a possible health risk.” 

Both recalls underscore the importance of rigorous quality control in beverage production to safeguard consumer safety.

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