Costco Announces an Urgent Recall on Its Wine: “Get It Out of the House, Don’t Even Return It”

“Costco considers a recalled wine so dangerous that it has sent a letter to every store member who bought a bottle telling them to immediately throw it away,” writes the Chicago Tribune.

The big-box warehouse store is issuing a recall for its Kirkland Signature Prosecco Valdobbiadene, warning that unopened bottles of the wine could shatter—without even being touched.

Why Is Costco Recalling Prosecco?

In a letter posted on its website, the company warned customers in 12 states to immediately dispose of the bottles “by wrapping the unopened bottle in paper towels and placing it in a plastic bag before placing it in the garbage to avoid risk from shattered glass.”

The warning was directed at customers who bought the Prosecco, labeled with the item number 1879870, between April 25th and August 25th of this year in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

The concern is that the internal pressure builds up in the bottle and that the glass may break or explode without warning.

What Are the Health and Safety Risks of Costco’s Exploding Wine?

Even unopened bottles of Kirkland Signature Prosecco Valdobbiadene are at risk. 

The wine bottles could shatter without being touched, creating a risk of injury from shattered glass if the bottle breaks. Pieces could fly or fall in unexpected ways, and even something like a cork popping could be dangerous.

Allegedly, these bottles were already notorious for being under too much pressure before the sudden recall.

The New York Times spoke with Costco member Danielle Callas, who said she worried that disposing of her unopened prosecco bottle in her condominium building’s shared trash room could put other residents at risk, even if she double-wraps the bottle as instructed.

According to Callas, the same brand of prosecco had already given her a scare before, when a cork flew off one of the bottles on its own, nearly hitting her in the eye. 

What Are the Legal Implications of Costco’s Exploding Wine Bottles?

At Morgan & Morgan, our mission is to protect consumers. Here are some of the legal considerations if you’ve been impacted:

• Product liability: Companies have an obligation to sell products that are reasonably safe. If design or manufacturing defects cause harm, consumers may have legal recourse.
• Negligence: If the producer, importer, or retailer failed to discover the defect or warn customers, they could be liable under negligence claims.
• Injuries and damages: If someone is injured by a shattered bottle (cuts, eye injuries, etc.), they might be entitled to compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, and other losses.
• Class action potential: If many people are harmed or many bottles are involved, there could be grounds for a class action suit.
  
   

What to Do if You’ve Been Injured

If you believe you or a loved one has been harmed by one of the recalled bottles, take the following steps:

1. Seek medical attention immediately. 

Don’t assume any injuries are minor. Glass shards can cause unexpected damage, and some symptoms may not be immediately apparent but can worsen over time if left untreated. This will also create a medical record, which can be used as vital evidence in an insurance claim or personal injury claim.
 

2. Document everything.

Keep the bottle (or parts of it) and packaging if safe to do so. Take photos of the damage or injury, and save receipts or proof of purchase.
 

3. Contact Morgan & Morgan.

With an easy, fast, and free case evaluation, our team can help you find out whether your case qualifies for compensation and inform you of your legal options for holding the responsible parties accountable.

 

Injured by a Bad Bottle? Morgan & Morgan Can Help

If you’ve bought this Prosecco during the stated date range in the affected states, it’s best to check whether you have an impacted bottle. For your safety, do not open it, dispose of it carefully, and seek your refund. 

If you’ve suffered injury or loss, contact Morgan & Morgan immediately. With over 35 years of experience and more than $25 billion in compensation recovered, we are the largest personal injury law firm in the nation, and we fight For the People.

An exploding product of any kind can turn a normal day into a waking nightmare, leaving you with injuries, medical bills, lost wages from missed work, and other damages. But you shouldn’t have to bear the burden of someone else’s mistake. We can help you fight for the compensation you need and deserve to move forward with your life after tragedy strikes.

Hiring one of our lawyers is easy, and you can get started in minutes with a free case evaluation.