Coca-Cola Recalls Beverages in Europe Over Elevated Chlorate Levels

On January 27, 2025, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners announced a major recall of several beverage products sold across Belgium, the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and France due to the detection of elevated levels of chlorate.

The affected products include Coca-Cola, Sprite, Fanta, Fuze Tea, Minute Maid, Nalu, Royal Bliss and Tropico in cans and glass bottles with production codes ranging from 328 GE to 338 GE. The contamination was discovered during routine testing at Coca-Cola’s Ghent facility in Belgium.  

Coca-Cola has apologized for the incident and urged consumers not to consume the affected products. According to the company, most unsold affected products have already been removed from store shelves, and further measures are being taken to ensure a complete recall. However, the company has not disclosed the exact number of beverages involved.

Chlorate is a byproduct of chlorine-based disinfectants, commonly used in drinking water treatment. According to UK Food Standards Agency, occasional low-level consumption of chlorate poses a low food safety risk. However, adverse health effects cannot be ruled out for sensitive individuals, particularly young children and those with pre-existing medical conditions such as thyroid disorders, anaemia, or kidney disease.

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