The term ‘Best Before End’ was paired with Heineken’s production code, the company said “which could be confusing when determining the freshness of our product”.
Heineken USA said it used ‘Julian’ date coding, which highlights the ‘born on’ date of the product – for instance, 3 010 KK means the beer was brewed on January 10 2013.
“Instead of reading an expiration date on our packaging, you’re reading the date our liquid was bottled. Our products are considered fresh for 180 days from the ‘born on’ date you see on your bottle or package.
“This misprint will be featured on a limited amount of packaging through April,” Heineken added.
Heineken USA announced last September that it had redesigned its green bottle for US consumers, and subsequently rolled it out across selected New York State markets that month.
The bottle was subsequently rolled-out across off-premise locations across the US from this month.
Heineken claims its Star Bottle – in 12oz. and 22oz. sizes, features a taller, thinner shape that gives it a more modern, premium look.
“The bottle also features an embossed thumb groove that improves grip and encourages people to hold the bottle at a lower point, keeping the beer colder,” Heineken USA said.