Heineken has initiated a recall of its Newcastle Brown Ale beer sold across multiple UK supermarkets, including Aldi, Tesco, and Morrisons, following concerns over safety due to the potential presence of broken glass. The brewery made the announcement after consumer complaints led to investigations, which uncovered instances where glass shards had fractured from the bottles when opening them.
The defective 550ml glass bottles of Newcastle Brown Ale, produced between November 16 and 21, 2024, have been flagged as potentially dangerous to consumers. Heineken stated,
"Safety is our top priority, and on the basis of a small number of bottles impacted by this potential safety issue, we are recalling this run of glass bottles of Newcastle Brown Ale as a precaution. We urge those consumers in possession of the product not to drink it, but to return the unopened bottles to where they purchased them for a refund.”
According to reports, the investigation revealed risks of glass fragments potentially detaching from the bottles when consumers attempted to remove the steel crown caps, which could pose serious harm if ingested.
The beer affected by the recall is recognized by best-before dates of November 30, 2025, and includes batch numbers L4321, L4322, L4323, L4324, L4325, and L4326. Heineken has confirmed batches of Newcastle Brown Ale produced outside of these dates are not at risk.
To mitigate potential dangers, supermarkets including Aldi, Tesco, Morrisons, Waitrose, and Sainsbury's have all stopped the sale of affected products and are facilitating refunds for customers. Shoppers who have purchased the recalled Newcastle Brown Ale are strongly advised against consuming the product. Instead, they can return the unopened bottles either with or without receipts to their point of purchase for full refunds.
Heineken's commitment to customer safety is reflected by its customer care team, who can be contacted for inquiries about the recall at [email protected]. The company has expressed its apologies for any inconvenience caused and is cooperating with regulatory authorities following the alert of the safety matter.
Meanwhile, consumers are reminded to check any Newcastle Brown Ale bottles they may have at home against the stated batch numbers and best-before dates to determine if they have purchased products included within the recall.
Consumer safety remains the primary concern during events like these, and proactive measures taken by Heineken and the involved retailers are aimed at ensuring public health is not compromised. The recall serves as another reminder for consumers to diligently monitor product recalls and safety alerts surrounding food and beverage items.