Thermos is voluntarily recalling about 8.2 million jars and bottles after the company received reports of customers being struck by the products’ caps when the containers were opened, causing injuries and, in some cases, vision loss, US regulators said on Thursday.
The recall, announced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, covers approximately 5.8 million King stainless food jars and about 2.3 million Sportsman food and beverage bottles.
The caps on the recalled products do not have pressure relief valves, the commission said. As a result, foods and liquids left in containers for long periods of time can cause pressure to build and the cap to “eject forcefully” when opened, the agency said, risking injury.
Thermos received 27 reports of customers being struck by plugs, causing injuries and lacerations that required medical attention, the commission said. Three consumers suffered permanent vision loss after being hit in the eye, he said.
In a statement, Thermos said Friday that it was “committed to resolving this issue as safely and quickly as possible, as reflected in our voluntary recall conducted in full cooperation with the CPSC.”
The recall affects models SK3000 and SK3020 of the King Stainless Food Pitcher, manufactured before July 2023, and all SK3010 models of the Sportsman Food and Drink Bottle, regulators said. Model numbers can be found on the bottom of the containers. The affected products were sold online and in brick-and-mortar stores across the United States for about $30 between March 2008 and July 2024, the commission said.
Customers who have these containers should stop using them immediately and fill out a claim form on thermos.com to receive a replacement product or a new cap with a pressure relief valve, according to the article, Thermos said on an FAQ page on its website.
Replacement items may take seven to nine weeks to arrive, the company said. Refunds are not available and customers should not bring their recalled products back to stores.
The recalled products were manufactured in China and Malaysia and imported by Thermos, based in Schaumburg, Illinois.
Last July, Walmart recalled approximately 850,000 stainless steel water bottles after similar problems arose. The company received three reports of customers who were injured after their bottle caps “popped off” and hit them in the face, regulators said. Two of them suffered permanent vision loss.
