Working in partnership for the people of Herefordshire
Council warns on illicit vodka
Herefordshire Council is warning the public that illicit Drop Vodka 70cl has been discovered on sale in the UK.
Catherine Healy, Herefordshire Council’s principal environmental health officer, said: “We want to alert members of the public to this product which poses a risk to people’s health and would urge anyone who sees bottles on sale to contact us on 01432 261667.
“This is also a warning to any retailers who may have the product on sale because if we do find any, we will be ensuring they are withdrawn from sale and destroyed.
“The Food Standards Agency has found that this product does not contain enough alcohol to be called vodka. The Spirit & Drinks Regulations 2008 state that vodka should be no less than 37.5% ABV. Samples of Drop Vodka taken by local authorities have detected levels of 28.6% ABV, which is well below the advertised ABV stated on the bottle.
“There are also a number of labelling issues, particularly the lack of manufacturer’s details for traceability purposes, and a food safety concern in that products sampled by local authorities have identified the presence of Propan-2-ol and other substances that can be potentially damaging to health,” she added.
To date, the illicit bottles of vodka have been found on sale in England and Wales, specifically in the towns of Scunthorpe, Norwich, Wakefield, Leeds, Salford, Wolverhampton, Nottingham, Milton Keynes, Potters Bar, Aldershot, Colchester and Cardiff.
Consumers and retailers are asked to notify Herefordshire Council’s environmental health or trading standards (01432 261667) if they become aware of Drop Vodka on sale in Herefordshire.