Along with the heat, this summer has brought plenty of recalls. In the past two months, we’ve seen just about everything, from Little Bites cookies packaged with plastic bits to dog treats contaminated with Salmonella. Recalls don’t seem to be slowing down as we enter the back-to-school season, either. If your school shopping haul included one of these water bottles, you may want to make the switch to a juice pouch for lunch for the time being.
On August 27, Contigo recalled up to 5.7 million children’s water bottles sold in the U.S. due to a choking hazard. An additional 157,000 were sold in Canada, and 28,000 were sold in Mexico. The water bottle recall affects several major retailers including Walmart, Target and Costco.
This recall was issued by Contigo through the Consumer Product Safety Commission. You can find the full statement here.
What products are recalled?
Be on the lookout for Contigo kids’ cleanable water bottles. They come in 13-, 14- and 20-oz. sizes in four designs: solid color, graphic, stainless steel and stainless steel solid color. (Find images here.) While some water bottles were sold individually, others came in packs of two or three.
Contigo warns parents of a loose spout that can pop off, resulting in a choking hazard. At this time, we’re happy to say there have been no reports of injury, but at least 149 spouts have detached, and of those, 18 were found in children’s mouths. The recall was issued out of an abundance of caution.
There have been so many recalls lately—and it’s actually a good thing.
How do I know if I have one of these bottles?
Luckily, the affected water bottles are pretty easy to spot. They all feature a black base at the bottom of the clear, silicon spout and a black cover to prevent sloshing, and “Contigo” is printed along the rim near the front of the bottle. Every faulty water bottle was sold in stores and online from April 2018 through June 2019.
If your child’s Contigo water bottle does not have a black base and cover, it’s not affected by the recall.
Know about recalls ahead of time thanks to these Costco alerts.
I have this water bottle! What should I do with it?
If you have a recalled water bottle, Contigo advises to take it away from your child immediately and reach out to their consumer services team at 888-262-0622. The number is available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST.
Once you make the call, Contigo will instruct you on how to check your water bottle for spout detachment. (They also include a how-to video in the recall statement on their website.) If your water bottle is affected, Contigo will send you a replacement lid free of charge.