Refunds are available on roughly 2.3 million Ricky Joy Sour Crush candy bottles after federal safety officials said the roller ball can detach and create a choking hazard. The recall covers individual bottles and multipacks sold nationwide and online over more than three years. Its consumer value is straightforward: the company provides a prepaid return label, so the refund does not require the buyer to absorb return shipping on a low-cost product.
The Roller-Ball Top Is the Recalled Part
The CPSC recall notice identifies Ricky Joy Sour Crush Rolling Liquid Candy bottles containing 1.85 fluid ounces. The sour liquid is dispensed through a ball in the bottle top. CPSC says that ball can detach, creating a risk of serious injury or death if a child chokes on it.
The packaging supplies several identification points. Bottles came in blue raspberry, strawberry, green apple and watermelon flavors, with blue, red, green and pink coloring. The front carries the Ricky Joy logo, the words “EXTREME SOUR” and “SOUR CRUSH,” a flavor name and a green monster image. The recall covers bottles sold alone and in packs of three or 12.
CPSC listed about 2.3 million units and assigned recall number 26-748. The products were sold from January 2023 through May 2026 at H-E-B, Forman Mills and other candy stores, as well as Walmart.com, CandyFunHouse.com, RickyJoy.com and other online outlets. The agency said no incidents or injuries had been reported when the September 10 notice was issued.
Free retirement updates: Miss an enrollment or claim deadline and it may be gone. Our free Retirement Shield newsletter keeps readers ahead of the ones that matter. Get the free newsletter.
The Refund Uses a Prepaid Return Label
The official remedy is a refund. CPSC instructs consumers to stop using the bottles, keep them away from children and contact The Ricky Joy Company. The company then supplies a prepaid shipping label for the recalled product’s return. That procedure matters because it links the payment to a returned unit rather than to a receipt-only request or a photograph showing disposal.
The company recall page is the route for the return process, while CPSC lists a weekday contact number. Purchasers who bought through a marketplace still use the recall instructions rather than assuming the marketplace automatically issues credit. The recalled bottle itself and its packaging can provide the identifying details needed when a receipt is unavailable.
CPSC says the bottles originally sold for about $3 individually and from $13 to $32 for multipacks. Those purchase prices explain why prepaid shipping is material: paying postage independently could consume much of a single-bottle refund. The notice does not publish a final date for requests, so the remedy is verified as active but should not be described with an invented expiration date.
A Recall Removes the Product From Resale Too
Federal law prohibits the sale of a product covered by a commission-ordered recall or a voluntary recall conducted with CPSC. That rule reaches thrift stores, yard sales and online resale listings as well as the original retailer. Once a bottle is identified as part of recall 26-748, passing it to another household is not an alternative to returning it for the refund.
The live CPSC recall database notes that remedy information can change as company operations change. That is why the current notice and company page matter more than an old receipt or a retailer listing that remains online. The agency’s database is also the controlling place to check whether the refund remains available if the request is made well after the announcement.
The financial result is modest per bottle but large across the recall population. About 2.3 million units at retail prices ranging from a few dollars to multipack amounts represent millions of dollars of potentially returned merchandise. CPSC’s current record supports both pieces of the title: the unit count and refund remedy are active, while the prepaid-label process keeps the cost of returning a recalled candy bottle from swallowing the reimbursement.
Households should inspect the product information before starting the return. Brand name, package style, lot or date markings and purchase channel help distinguish recalled bottles from similar candy containers. Photos of the product and receipt can support the request if the company asks for them. The bottle should be kept away from children during that check and should not be opened, eaten or placed where someone might mistake it for safe food.
A prepaid label is part of the remedy, so a consumer should not have to pay ordinary return postage to obtain the refund under the recall instructions. The current company process should be followed exactly, including any requirement to contact the firm before shipping. Keeping the tracking number and a copy of the submission creates a record if the package is delayed or the refund does not arrive.
Food disposal is sometimes the remedy in a recall, but this notice calls for a return. Throwing the bottle away before documenting the identifying details can make it harder to prove eligibility. Consumers should use the CPSC notice as the source of truth, follow the stated return procedure and report any incident or injury through the commission’s reporting channel.
The Programs Separate From a Product Refund
This recall returns the purchase price of one product; it does not screen a household for ongoing assistance. Separately, SNAP at 60+, LIHEAP and senior property-tax relief use opt-in applications and state-specific income rules.
The Benefits Checklist covers 11 programs across 69 pages, with 2026 income limits and the number to call in every state.
Look up the state contacts in The Benefits Checklist.
This article was researched and drafted with AI assistance and reviewed against primary sources before publication.
