Supermarkets across the UK are urgently recalling bottles of Newcastle Brown Ale amid fears consumers could be drinking glass.
Heineken UK issued the ‘do not consume’ warning to retailers after realising the glass of the 550ml bottles smashed when opened.
At least three consumers had complained about the glass fracturing when removing the bottle’s steel crown, leading the company to investigate and find the fault in a certain batch of ale bottles.
This meant the product, which retails at £1.75, was quickly removed from the shelves of all Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Waitrose and Aldi supermarkets.
Bottles with the batch numbers L4321, L4322, L4323, L4324, L4325, L4326 and a best before date of November 30, 2025, were the ones affected.
Pubs, bars and restaurants which sell Newcastle Brown Ale have also been asked by Heineken to check their stock for any faulty bottles.
The beer manufacturer says the move is a ‘precautionary measure’ and advised customers to return any purchased bottles to stores for a full refund.
Heineken UK said: ‘Safety is our top priority, and on the basis that a small number of bottles are 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.
‘We ask any customers to immediately halt the sale of any stock they hold with these batch numbers.
‘We are providing customers guidance on how to register and return affected stock and ask them to contact our Customer Care team with any additional queries.
‘We apologise for any inconvenience caused and are working with the regulatory authorities after alerting them of the matter.’
In its notice, Tesco said: ‘If you’ve bought an affected product, please don’t consume it. Instead, return it to a Tesco store where a full refund will be given. No receipt is required.’
While Sainsbury’s said in their statement: ‘Sainsbury’s have been made aware that Heineken is recalling the above product from Sainsbury’s stores due to the potential presence of glass fragments. Please do not consume this product and return the unopened product to your local store for a full refund.’
It comes as Marks and Spencer issued an urgent recall of multiple chicken products over salmonella fears on Sunday.
A ‘do not eat’ warning was seen on the supermarket’s Crispy Southern Fried Chicken Burgers and Chicken Kyivs.
Those with the use by dates of January 26, January 30, January 31 and February 1 2025 are affected.
M&S have placed notices at points of sale to alert shoppers, the Food Standards Agency confirmed.
These notices explain to customers why the products are being recalled and tell them what to do if they have bought the products.
The FSA told The Sun: ‘These batches of Marks and Spencer Crispy Southern Fried Chicken Burger and 2 Chicken Kyivs are being recalled due to the possible presence of Salmonella.
‘People infected with Salmonella typically develop symptoms between 12 and 36 hours after infection, but this can range between 6 and 72 hours.
‘The most common symptom is diarrhoea, which can sometimes be bloody. Other symptoms may include fever, headache and abdominal cramps.
‘The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days. Diarrhoea can occasionally be severe enough to require hospital admission.’