Source: Radio New Zealand
Steinlager Ultra Low Carb outer packaging (24 x 330ml). Supplied / MPI
A batch of Steinlager beer is being recalled for having incorrect alcohol-free labels.
Lion has announced a recall of over 2500 cases of Steinlager Ultra Low Carb 24-packs, saying that clear bottles with alcohol-free labels are not alcohol free.
In a statement, the company said that Steinlager Alcohol Free is only sold in green bottles, not clear bottles.
Steinlager Ultra Low Carb (330ml) bottle with incorrect label. Supplied / MPI
It said a customer complained about the mistake, and the company then found out there was an error in its production run, meaning beer containing 4.2 percent of alcohol was incorrectly labelled.
The 24-packs may contain a mix of alcoholic, and non-alcoholic beers. In total, 2538 cases of the 24-packs are potentially affected.
The cases affected have a best-before date of 21 October 2026.
Lion apologised for the error and said it would be conducting a full investigation, ensuring the error did not happen again.
“We are working with customers to recall the product in any retail stores including supermarkets and liquor stores as well as wholesalers and hospitality venues.”
It said anyone who should not drink alcohol should not drink the product.
“Anyone who may have consumed this product and is concerned about their health, should consult their health care professional.
“Through a nationwide recall procedure we are working with the food safety authorities and retailers to remove impacted product from the market as a priority.”
New Zealand Food Safety chief executive Vincent Arbuckle said the recall would be worrying for many.
“I am very mindful that this recall will be concerning for a range of consumers who have medical, cultural, or lifestyle reasons why they select non-alcoholic beverages.
“As is our usual practice, NZFS will work with Lion NZ to understand how this happened and prevent it recurring,” Arbuckle said.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand