What you need to know about the UK Coca-Cola recall
Thousands of cans of fizzy drinks are continuing to be recalled – nearly two months after they were found to pose a potential health risk.
In January, Coca-Cola said it was recalling cans of several of its products across the UK after it confirmed some of its drinks were found to contain higher-than-normal levels of chlorate.
However, more products have been recalled and customers are being asked not to drink them due to plastic contamination.
The initial recall began at the end of January as drinks were pulled from shelves in Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands after testing revealed 'elevated levels' of the chemical.
Long-term consumption of chlorate can have a significant impact on a person's health and only minimal trace amounts of it are allowed in products sold in the UK.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) said there had been a 'limited distribution to the UK' of Coca-Cola soft drinks containing higher levels of chlorate.
Coca-Cola's bottling partner, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, said the majority of Coca-Cola products, including standard cans, and all glass and plastic bottles sold in the UK, were not affected.
It previously said that it tracked the problem back to one specific container used in its water treatment process at its factory in the city of Ghent while conducting routine safety checks.
Here Yahoo News UK has compiled all you need to know about the recall.
Appletiser 100% Apple Juice Gently Sparkling
Pack size: 6 x 250ml multipack
Batch code: 0008905850/0008908477
Best before: 30 November 2025 – 31 December 2025
Coca-Cola
Pack size: 330ml tall can
Batch code: 0008912462
Best before: 30 November 2025
Diet Coke
Pack size: 330ml tall can
Batch code: 0008913820
Best before: 31 May 2025
Coca-Cola Zero
Pack size: 330ml tall can
Batch code: 0008913954
Best before: 31 May 2025
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners said only a "small number" of their products have been recalled.
They said: "The majority of Coca-Cola products, including standard cans, and all glass and plastic bottles sold in the UK are not impacted."
Chlorate is a by-product of the breakdown of chlorine-based sanitisers and chlorine chemicals, which are frequently used to sterilise water.
In 2015, the European Food Safety Authority found that levels of chlorate in drinking water and foods were too high and could result in serious health effects, especially among infants and children.
These included impaired functioning of the thyroid due to inhibition of iodine uptake.
The chemical has been linked to potentially serious health problems, notably among children by interfering with the proper functioning of the thyroid gland.
The FSA said: 'This poses a low food safety risk especially when only consumed occasionally, however consumers who are sensitive to chlorate and have pre-existing mild to moderate iodine deficiency may be more adversely affected.
'Long term consumption of chlorate can lead to the inhibition of iodine uptake, this could potentially cause adverse health effects such as goitre.
'A single high intake of chlorate, (as an acute exposure), could limit the body's ability to absorb oxygen from the blood, and could in severe cases lead to kidney failure.'
Experts say consumers would have to drink a lot of any product contaminated with chlorate to suffer vomiting or other serious illness.
"It is almost non-existent or very unlikely that those large quantities are present in it," Philippe Jorens, a poisons and critical care professor at Antwerp University Hospital, told Belgian public broadcaster VTM.
"You have to have consumed so many different bottles of it to possibly see an effect."
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners said: 'Independent analysis concluded that the likelihood of any associated risk of feeling temporarily unwell from consuming these products is very low."
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners apologised for the recall and urged anyone who had a contaminated can to contact them.
They said: "For the reassurance of consumers, we encourage anyone with an affected can to please call our customer service team on 0800 227711 who will be able to help."
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