The UK’s Food Standards Agency has renewed its health warning this week about counterfeit vodka contaminated with methanol after more illegal spirits were found on sale.


Tests last month on counterfeit bottles of Kirov Vodka, seized by Customs and Excise from an off-licence in Sidcup, Kent, showed they contained unacceptably high levels of methanol.

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“Vodka should not contain methanol at such levels. If drunk, it could cause serious harm to health. Anyone who has a bottle of this vodka should not drink it and should contact their local authority or the police. The counterfeit products could be available in other parts of the country,” the FSA said in a statement.


The Agency has issued a Food Hazard Warning relating to the counterfeit bottles.


The counterfeit bottles come in 70cl and 35cl sizes.


Like the genuine brand, which is owned by Halewood International, the bottles are clear, have a red screw top and have a white label bearing the name Kirov Vodka in red. However, the genuine bottles have a red screw top with a double-headed eagle printed in gold and black on the top and ‘Kirov’ printed on the side in three places.

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The lids of the counterfeits seized are just plain red.


Furthermore, the genuine bottles have a lot code marked in black ink on the neck of the bottles. The counterfeits seized did not have any lot code marking.


The FSA said local authorities are being asked to ensure this counterfeit is removed from sale. This latest advice follows a series of warnings from the Agency about the hazards of drinking these fake products. A 42-year-old woman died in March in Edinburgh, Scotland, after drinking counterfeit vodka.