Consumer finds metal rod inside soft drink bottle

He is now seeking 5 lakh compensation from the soft drink’s maker Francis Kumar felt a chill in his bones when he saw the Coca-Cola bottle he had ordered at a restauranton August11.The sealed softdrink bottle that was served on his table had a “metal rod” inside. He is now demanding the manufacturer pays him Rs 5 lakh compensation, failing which he would file a case against it.
The31-year-old,workingasarecoveryofficer with a finance firm, said, “I was having dinner at a bar-and-restaurant at BTM Layout, I Stage. WhenIwasservedthebeverage.Iwasshockedto see a six-inch metal rod inside the sealed 300 ml bottle. If I had consumed it without checking, I wouldhavehurtmyselforfallensick.Therestaurant owner said he had nothing to do with it as the bottles are supplied by the manufacturer. The shock has put me off all kinds of beverages. I am even afraid of eating out. I am scared of buying packaged food products.”
KumarsentalegalnoticetoCoca-Cola’smaker, Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages, through his advocate on August 15 demanding a compensation of Rs 5 lakh failing which he has threatened to drag the company to court.
The notice alleges that manufacturing date andotherparticularsonthebottleoftheneckare not clearly visible. It says that if Kumar had consumed the beverage without noticing the ‘metal rod’, the damages could not have been compensated in terms of money.
The notice adds, “The negligence on the part of your company in inserting a steel rod inside a bottle and supplying it to the general public for consumption is against the principles and guidelines for food industry issued by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.”
In reply to an email by BANGALORE MIRROR, a spokesperson for Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt Ltd said, “We have received the notice and will respond to it after examining the facts. We take this opportunity to reiterate that beverages produced by us adhere to world class standards.”


The Coca-Cola bottle with a metal rod inside