Woolworths recalls WBeauty Shampoo over bacterial contamination
For further information, Woolworths has directed consumers to its Customer Service Centre via email or service number.
SOUTH AFRICA – Woolworths has withdrawn a specific batch of its WBeauty Complete Clarifying Shampoo from all South African stores after routine quality checks and follow-up laboratory testing identified bacterial contamination in a limited production run.
The retailer acted immediately to remove the 250ml variant from shelves and is urging customers who may have the product at home to stop using it and return it to any Woolworths store for a full refund, with no proof of purchase required.
The issue was first flagged during Woolworths’ internal quality assurance processes, which prompted additional testing of the implicated batch. Subsequent analysis detected Pluralibacter gergoviae, a bacterium commonly associated with wet manufacturing environments and water-based systems.
Woolworths said the health risk is low for the general population, but it has specifically advised individuals with weakened immune systems to stop using the product due to the potential for bacterial infection.
According to Woolworths, product safety and customer wellbeing are its top priorities, and it described the recall as a precautionary measure aligned with its commitment to high manufacturing standards.
The retailer noted that independent toxicologists and accredited laboratories evaluate its beauty products, and that formulations undergo dermatological testing as part of its quality framework.
It added that moisture-involved manufacturing processes make rigorous microbial testing especially critical to prevent contaminated products from remaining on the market.
Customers are instructed to stop using the product immediately and return it to the nearest Woolworths outlet, where a full refund will be processed without requiring a till slip or other proof of purchase.
In a similar move, Kao USA has voluntarily recalled select lots of Oribe Serene Scalp Densifying Shampoo in the United States and Canada after detecting Pluralibacter gergoviae in certain batches.
The recall covers the 8.5 oz and 33.8 oz sizes produced between February 21, 2026 and February 26, 2026, and Kao says only specific lot codes are affected.
The company said Pluralibacter gergoviae generally poses little medical risk to healthy people, but it may be more concerning for people with weakened immune systems.
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