Recall issued for Vicks VapoRub products after labelling error

Consumers in three states have been told to return a line of popular medicinal products following a production error.

An urgent product recall has been issued for a line of Australia’s most popular decongestants due to health concerns prompted by incorrect labelling.

Multinational manufacturing firm Procter and Gamble issued a notice on Monday warning consumers to check the batch number of jars of Vicks VapoRub, as some were incorrectly branded and contained stronger ingredients than the regular variety.

Vicks VapoRub Xtra Strong jars from a batch numbered 222605 were implicated in the error, with the manufacturers instructing people to check their jar’s label for the batch number.

The products were sold to customers in NSW, Victoria and Tasmania.

A batch of Vicks was incorrectly branded and contained stronger ingredients than the regular variety.

The affected jars will also have the red lid of the “Xtra strong” ointment instead of the green lid used for the regular products.

“If you have a jar of Vicks VapoRub Xtra Strong 100g from batch 222605, do not use it,” the notice read.

“Return it to the place of purchase for a refund or call our customer service line to arrange the return of the affected product and refund.”

The recall notice said use of the Xtra Strong jars could cause allergic reactions, including rashes, hives, peeling and itching for some consumers.

It said children aged six to 10 could be put at an increased risk of adverse events if they inhaled steam using the ointment, including tachycardia (rapid heartbeat), dizziness and nausea.

An advertisement has been placed in newspapers and online to alert consumers to the recall notice.

“Procter and Gamble Australia Pty Ltd sincerely regrets the inconvenience caused to our customers and consumers,” a company spokesperson said.

Originally published as Recall issued for Vicks VapoRub products after labelling error