Walgreens, Kroger recall pain reliever bottles over lack of child-resistant packaging

Walgreens and Kroger are recalling thousands of bottles of pain reliever pills due to a lack of child-resistant packaging as required by the Poison Prevention Packaging Act.

The pharmacy chain is recalling 137,300 units of its extra strength, 500-milligram, 150-count acetaminophen bottles. Meanwhile, Kroger’s recall includes 25,660 units of its 225-count arthritis pain acetaminophen bottles, 34,660 units of its 100-count acetaminophen bottles and 209,430 units of its 300-count aspirin bottles and 160-count ibuprofen bottles.

“The packaging of the products is not child resistant, posing a risk of poisoning if the contents are swallowed by young children,” the Consumer Product Safety Commission said in a statement.

Kroger’s 225-count acetaminophen bottles were sold nationwide from December 2021 through March 2022, while the 100-count acetaminophen bottles were sold nationwide from October 2021 through March 2022. 

The aspirin bottles were sold nationwide from August 2021 through March 2022, while the ibuprofen bottles were sold nationwide from July 2021 through March 2022.

Stores that sold the bottles include Bakers, City Market, Dillons, Dillons Marketplace, Fred Meyer, Fry’s Food and Drug, Fry’s Marketplace, Fry’s Mercado, Gerbes, JayC, JayC Food Plus, King Soopers, King Soopers Fresh Fare, King Soopers Marketplace, Kroger, Kroger Fresh Fare, Kroger Marketplace, Mariano’s, Metro Market, Payless Super Market, Pick ‘n Save, Pick ‘n Save Marketplace, Quality Food Center (QFC), Ralph’s, Ralph’s Fresh Fare, Smith’s, and Smith’s Marketplace. 

Walgreens is recalling 137,300 units of its 150-count acetaminophen bottles, which were sold at its stores nationwide from October 2021 through April 2022.

As for Walgreens, the 150-count acetaminophen bottles were sold at its stores nationwide from October 2021 through April 2022.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is warning consumers with the recalled bottles to store them in a safe location out of children’s reach. No incidents or injuries related to the recalls have been reported to date. 

Consumers can contact Kroger and Walgreens for information on how to properly dispose of the recalled bottles and receive a full refund.