Recall at Rossmann: Kneipp shower gel contaminated with bacteria
The natural cosmetics brand Kneipp is currently warning of potential health risks: The company is recalling its popular "Lebensfreude" shower gel . Internal quality controls revealed bacterial contamination . Affected are several batches sold nationwide in drugstores such as dm and Rossmann .
What do consumers need to know now? Can the shower gel be returned without any problems? Here you can find all the information about the recall.
According to the manufacturer, the recall affects the following product:
- Article: Kneipp Aroma Care Shower “Joie de vivre”
- Contents: 200 milliliters
- Batch numbers: 2506917, 2506918, 2506919 (embossed on the tube fold)
- Sales period: since August 2025
- Manufacturer: Kneipp GmbH
Kneipp is recalling its “Joy of Life” shower gel due to bacteria.
Source: Kneipp GmbH
The affected products were sold throughout Germany. Sales have since been halted, the company confirmed on its website.
A laboratory analysis detected the bacterium Burkholderia cepacia . This germ occurs naturally in water and soil , but can cause serious infections in certain groups of people.
- Those particularly at risk are: people with weakened immune systems or chronic lung diseases (e.g. cystic fibrosis).
- For healthy people without pre-existing medical conditions, the risk is considered low.
Kneipp emphasizes that this is a precautionary measure to protect consumers.
Customers who have purchased the affected shower gel should stop using it and return it to the store.
- Return: in all sales outlets such as dm or Rossmann
- Refund: the purchase price will be refunded even without a receipt
- Already opened products can also be returned
Kneipp GmbH has set up a hotline and an email address for inquiries:
- Telephone: 0800 563 477 46 36 (Mon–Thurs: 10am–5pm, Fri: 10am–3pm)
- Email: [email protected]
The company says it has withdrawn all affected batches from sale and stopped deliveries.
Just at the beginning of August, the drugstore chain Rossmann had to withdraw another cosmetic product from sale. This affected the "ISANA 5-in-1 Cleansing Wipes," which also contained potentially pathogenic bacteria during a quality inspection. Rossmann warned at the time that people with weakened immune systems in particular could develop health problems.
The bacterium Burkholderia cepacia has long been known as a pathogen. It was originally discovered in 1949 as the cause of a plant disease in onions. It was first described in humans in the 1950s.
Infections with Burkholderia bacteria are considered rare but can be serious. There have been several recalls in the past: mouthwashes, baby lotions, and ultrasound gels, among others, were affected by contamination. Rossmann also had to recall a children's shower gel due to Burkholderia in 2019.
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