Contaminant in Diet Coke Bottle (For the 2nd Time)

[PineapplePrincess]

Avid Diet Coke drinker here. I usually purchase 2ltr bottles for the house.

About a year ago I found a brown circular button type thing at the bottom of a 2ltr bottle. Was fortunate it wasn't poured into a glass and drank, as being brown in colour it wouldn’t have been obvious and would pose a potential choke risk particularly to young children.

I took photos and emailed them to Coke Cola, who asked for the packaging and ‘button’ to be sent to them for investigation. Which I did. I got a letter a few weeks later stating that they had concluded their investigation, had found no evidence of contamination through their process and (bizarrely) intimated that it would have had to enter the bottle at a later stage, I took from this they were almost blaming me!?! There was a ~£1.50 voucher included in the letter by was of an apology for the inconvenience.

The letter annoyed me, but I couldn’t be bothered arguing the point and marked it down to poor customer experience/service.

Until yesterday. When the same thing happened again.

Poured a drink into a glass, trace amount left at the bottom of the bottle when cutting the bottle in half to pop into the recycle bin - low and behold the same little brown circular button.

That’s a heck of a coincidence to happen twice to the same customer. Either that, or it happens a lot???

So I need help solving this mystery….

• Has this happened to anyone else?
• What do you think it is?
• How could it got into the bottle (twice)?
• Should I trust Coca Cola to investigate again?
• Who should I report to?

I really, really don’t think this has gone in at my house. I’m pretty sure the bottle was sealed when it was opened for first use (I’m sure I would have notice if it had been open, as I’m the only person in the house that drinks it).

Tried calling Coca Cola today, their helpline is closed. If I’m honest I’m a bit reluctant to send everything away to them again, to get a similar response. Not sure who I would contact for a more independent assessment - Food Standard maybe…?

AIBU to want (proper) answers to this mystery?

Pictures....

That looks like something from their factory to me.

I work in Customer Relations for a big food manufacturer and we would be asking for that to be sent back to let our production line staff and quality managers look at it. At a guess it could be process related but I also wonder if it's something used in the bottle manufacture rather than the contents production - looking at the shape of it it might correspond to the dimple shape in the bottle base. I would be very clear to them that this has happened before and you're confident that it has not come from anywhere inside your premises. This should be taken seriously and not dismissed with a 'we don't know'. They need to find out and put it right.

If you bought both in the same shop is there a chance a batch is affected- ie strangely there were a whole delivery of them with this in? So strange!

Missing the point but why do you cut your bottles in half to recycle them?

Also wondering this!

Aw, man. This is going to be one of those unresolved mysteries (like the woman whose ironing board went missing) that will stay with me forever. Please try and resolve it and put me out of my misery!

Me too! Why not just squish them?

Does the circular thing fit inside the lid? Could it be part of that, or maybe a dividing thing between packets/sets of lids?

lol, I still think about that ironing board but I'm now convinced it was a troll 😂

I cut the bottles in half to save space (they go inside one and other) in the indoor recyclables bin, so I don't have to wander down the bottom of the garden to the outdoor bin as often.

It also saves space in the outdoor bin, as that only gets picked up once a month. (Whole separate rant there!)

You’re only telling yourself that, so you can sleep at night! (Where did it go? How can an ironing board disappear? Was it even there in the first place?) 🤣

I'd get in touch with Environmental Health.

stayathomer · Today 12:45

If you bought both in the same shop is there a chance a batch is affected- ie strangely there were a whole delivery of them with this in? So strange!

From what I remember they were bought from different shops (Sainsbury’s a year or so ago), Asda this time. A year apart, I’d assume they are not part of the same batch…

Plus I’m pretty sure they were seal when I opened them. So can’t fathom a way something could make it’s way inside the bottle after leaving the factory.

There’s no point in you sending it in. You’re the same customer so they will definitely put it down to happening in your house and not with them.
You’d have to get someone else to email in for you, saying they bought it.

I've been watching videos of fizzy pop bottling just to see if I can work out what this is. Bored? Moi?!

Does it fit in/on the cap by any chance?

I’ve complained in the past (my M&S sandwich had fungus growing most of the filling). They don’t write to apologise or offer a refund.

I would send to food standards explaining CC didn’t take your first complaint seriously.

That's what I'm thinking it's the plastic inside the cap.

That's not what I'm thinking. Those are usually white and not that thick. I am thinking it's some kind of washer used for tightening the new style of caps on the production line.

Said confidently with my ten whole minutes of knowledge on this subject 😆

Maybe you're drinking too much diet coke?

Given that they don't respond to complaints appropriately, tweet your complaints.
They sound like the type of company that would react to that.

I'm still smug about a £20 refund from Amazon (and told to keep the goods concerned) when I tweeted a couple of weeks ago after getting nowhere with their AI chat and automated phone service.😀

It looks like the hole / dimple in it is hexagonal? It looks to me like a cover that goes over a bolt head or nut.

I used to work in a food factory, investigating complaints. I'd imagine that the very first thing they will do is check to see if they have any other complaints the same - saves time if someone else already discovered what the widget is! - and they'll see you had an identical complaint they'll put it down to you being the source of the item.

I would contact environmental health rather than the factory, be honest that it's the second time you've had this so they don't think you're concealing anything, and that you weren't happy with the explanation last time.

I'd also mention your suspicion that it may be from the bottle manufacture rather than the drink production.

Hate to be judgey but seriously stop drinking that stuff, it's OK very occasionally but otherwise is full of cancer causing ingredients and is just generally so bad for you. Maybe this is a sign to cut back at least!

YesitsBess · Today 15:03

That's not what I'm thinking. Those are usually white and not that thick. I am thinking it's some kind of washer used for tightening the new style of caps on the production line.

Said confidently with my ten whole minutes of knowledge on this subject 😆

That’s what my thinking was, it’s like a small cap for a screw maybe? The top is smooth and rounded, the bottom has a recess/hole. I had expected Coca Cola to quickly identify where it has come from in the manufacturing - the fact they hadn’t, or claimed not to, concerns me.

Doesn't appear to come from anywhere inside the bottle (I’ve check other bottles). And the fact it’s brown in colour is odd - it’s definitely suppose to be this colour, it’s not tarnished or coloured. You would expect foreign objects in manufacturing to be brightly coloured to stand out, so they can be easily identified - like plasters or plastic gloves.

We found a biro lid in a sealed bottle of wine once! (Sorry that doesn't help)

Maybe you're drinking too much diet coke?

I fully accept I drink far too much Diet Coke. I am trying to cut down, and this experience, will definitely help in this regard.

I can’t accept however I drink that much to experience this same issue twice. This either happens a lot, or I should be buying myself a lottery ticket!?!

Called Coca Cola today and reported the issue again.

They still had a record of my previous contact, which they said was associated with their manufacturing plant in Toulouse, France.

The serial number off this bottle is apparently associated with Edmonton, UK. So the mystery grows....

They wanted me to send everything to them, but I'm dubious about doing so given the last investigation was unsuccessful.

I also found the pictures from the previous incident.....