New Guinness 0.0 recalled over contamination fears
Guinness has been forced to recall its just-launched non-alcoholic stout from shelves in Great Britain because of concerns around microbiological contamination
The new Guinness 0.0, which was launched to the press in NI a fortnight ago, is currently for sale in supermarkets and online in the UK and Ireland and had been set for an on-trade roll-out in 2021.
Guinness has said, however, that all cans should now be returned ‘as a precautionary measure’. A full refund will be given.
The product, which was developed at Guinness’s St. James’s Gate Brewery in Dublin, is a response to a growing demand from consumers for ‘low and no’ alcohol products. The brewing process is similar to that of the conventional product and uses the same ingredients. The key difference involves a cold filtration process which removes the alcohol.
Ryan Whittaker, an analyst at data analytics company, GlobalData, says that a product recall is probably one of the worst starts a newly-launched product can have:
‘Even though the products were not contaminated with COVID-19, even the smallest bad press stating ‘microbiological contamination’ may make consumers extremely nervous right now and bring along bad connotations for the future,’ he warned.
‘One saving grace for the brand is that alcohol-free and low-ABV beers are expected to do well during the pandemic as the category is often perceived as healthier. While it is likely that this setback for Guinness will harm the new product in the short term, the approach to Christmas may also convince many consumers to give it another try,’ added Ryan.
