Choking hazard prompts voluntary recall of Zéfal children's water bottles

Zéfal has issued a voluntary recall of its Little Z Bicycle Bottles for children after tests show that in rare cases the push-pull valve may detach too easily, causing a choking hazard.

To date, Zéfal is not aware of any incidents or detaching valves, but out of an “abundance of caution” – and as the affected bottles are “specifically designed for children” – the French brand has decided to undertake a voluntarily recall of the Little Z Bicycle Bottles.

The bottles in question were sold between January 2017 and January 2022 in a variety of prints and colours. They are all branded “ZEFAL” on the bottom and are clearly recognisable as children’s bottles, with a height of only 158mm and a filling capacity of 350ml.

On the bottom of the bottle, there is a small circle with the numbers one to 12 printed around the inside edge. In the centre of this circle there is a thin arrow with a number printed on either side. If the digits are 1-7, 1-8, 1-9, 2-0, or 2-1, then the bottle is one of those affected by the recall.

If you are still uncertain about whether your bottle is affected, you can send Zéfal a picture of the bottle and they will confirm. 

Should you be in possession of one of these bottles, you should stop using it and contact Zéfal to arrange a full refund. It is asked that only the bottle cap is shipped back to them in France and that they will cover the cost of postage. 

Zéfal has created a poster for retailers of the affected water bottles to display, detailing the issues and how to identify the recalled product. You can view the poster by following the link here.

For the return instructions, or if you have any further questions, you can visit Zéfal’s website here for more information.