UK issues alert over 'potentially fatal' fake vodka

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) in the UK has issued a national alert about counterfeit bottles of vodka that it says could cause serious injury or death if consumed.

The unsafe 35cl bottles – fraudulently labelled as Glen's Vodka – were found on testing to contain isopropyl alcohol (IPA), an industrial solvent that is not intended for human consumption.

Consumption of IPA can quickly lead to alcohol poisoning – leading to symptoms like nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, respiratory depression and coma – and in severe cases can be fatal.

The alert came a day after Food Standards Scotland (FSS) warned that fake bottles of Glen's Vodka had been found in local convenience stores in Glasgow and Lanarkshire. The FSA's jurisdiction covers England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The counterfeit vodka may have a strange smell and taste differently to genuine vodka, according to the FSA, which has issued the alert to local authorities across the country requesting that they "identify and visit relevant establishments in their area to check for counterfeit products and make businesses aware of the issue."

The FSA has advised consumers to look for a laser-etched lot code applied to the bottle between the rear label and the base of the bottle, which appears on genuine bottles of Glen's Vodka.

"Please be aware IPA has a strong odour and it may be possible to detect contaminated products by smell alone," said the FSA. "If the vodka has a strong smell, do not consume it. Instead store it in a safe place and report it to your Local Authority for further instruction and advice."

The Glen's Vodka brand is reported to be the UK's second-best-selling spirit and is owned by the Loch Lomond Group, an independent distiller, blender, and producer of whiskies and other spirits.

In 2021, the owner of a food store in the Sefton area of Liverpool was fined after he was found to be selling counterfeit bottles of Glen's Vodka.