A factory worker is suing Reckitt Benckiser, the maker of Lemsip, for up to £100,000, alleging that dust and fumes from the cold remedy and constipation treatment Fybogel caused him to develop asthma and rhinitis.
Artur Rezmer, 45, who worked as a manufacturing technician at the factory, claims that symptoms including a blocked nose, sore throat, chest tightness, breathlessness, and facial flushing began within weeks of starting work on the Lemsip production line in 2020. He stated that his sleep was interrupted by his condition. After requesting a transfer due to his symptoms, he was moved to the Fybogel production line in late 2020, but claims this exacerbated his condition.
According to legal papers filed at the Kingston-upon-Hull Combined Court Centre, Mr. Rezmer alleges that insufficient dust control measures were in place, including poorly fitted and non-mandatory masks provided by the company. He also claims that powder escaped from a hopper and burned on a sealing heater, creating fumes, and that extractors were sometimes blocked. Mr. Rezmer reported tasting Lemsip after shifts and experiencing illness when loose Fybogel powder was found on a conveyor belt in April 2022.
A consultant respiratory physician diagnosed Mr. Rezmer with occupational asthma and rhinitis, identifying ispaghula, a key ingredient in Fybogel, as a trigger. While Reckitt Benckiser denies medical causation for the asthma, the company acknowledges that ispaghula is a recognized sensitizer. For the purposes of Mr. Rezmer's case, the firm accepts that the ingredient was not handled to the lowest practical level under health and safety rules. However, the company disputes that its products contain respiratory sensitisers capable of causing asthma.
Reckitt Benckiser also pointed to Mr. Rezmer testing positive for other allergens, such as house dust mites, and alleged he failed to wear the provided protective equipment. Mr. Rezmer was reportedly offered a high-performance filtration mask, but stated he was unable to tolerate wearing it. He also spent eight months working in the warehouse before returning to the Lemsip line, after which he reported spitting blood and taking sick leave.
Mr. Rezmer remains employed by Reckitt Benckiser and is currently working on the company's Dettol production line. The case is ongoing and has yet to be decided.
Reckitt Benckiser, a FTSE 100 company formed from the 1999 merger of Reckitt & Colman and Benckiser, reported revenues of £14.2 billion in 2025. The company has roots tracing back to a starch mill bought by Isaac Reckitt in Hull in 1840. Lemsip was first launched in 1969. A spokesperson for the firm stated they could not comment on the case as it is progressing through the courts.