Your Money: Live Well for Less
PROTECT YOURSELF FROM DANGEROUS PRODUCTS
Many recalls fall under the radar. Here’s how to stay on top of them
Product recalls can be a matter of life and death, but only 6 percent of Americans respond to them. In 2019, 51,000 deaths were associated with unsafe consumer products, reports the government’s Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Last year saw a record number of recalls, which aren’t issued lightly: Many manufacturers resist recalling potentially dangerous goods.
Unsafe products can burn, poison, maim or electrocute you. The day I started researching this column, 10 new recalls were listed on cpsc.gov, one of the six federal sites that post them. One was for a portable charger that could explode; another was for toxic sneakers.
Good news: Recall remedies are free. Bad news: You won’t hear about the vast majority of recalls. Given their volume and the lack of a central listing, it’s hard to keep track. But these tips can help protect you and your family.
→ Register your product. Yes, fill out those cards tucked in product packaging or register on manufacturers’ websites so that you can get recall notices. You can skip any questions on the form about age and income.
→ Get alerts. Recalls.gov links to government offices that email about recalls, including the CPSC, which regulates household items such as appliances and furniture; the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which lists vehicle recalls; the Department of Agriculture, which regulates meat, poultry and eggs; and the Food and Drug Administration, which regulates all other foods, cosmetics, drugs and other health products. Retailers and grocers may also post recalled goods.
→ Research secondhand buys. To find out whether that thrift store find has been recalled, visit recalls.gov/search.html. Also check that database if you buy from an unknown seller online, including any third-party vendors on big retail sites like Amazon or Walmart.
→ Check car recalls regularly. Don’t assume you’ll get a notice in the mail, warns CheckToProtect.org, a National Safety Council program that lists dealers for recall repairs. You can also check for recalls on the NHTSA site at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
→ Report problems. If you think something of yours is unsafe, raise your voice on sites like SaferProducts.gov, FoodSafety.gov or nhtsa.gov. “It’s really important to report incidents,” says William Wallace, associate director of safety policy at Consumer Reports. “That’s one of the top reasons recalls happen.”
→ Fix it or get rid of it. If you have a recalled product, stop using it and contact the manufacturer. Instead of sending you a replacement, it may send you a repair kit. If you need to dispose of a product, make sure other people, including children, can’t access it.
Lisa Lee Freeman, a journalist specializing in shopping and saving strategies, was founder and editor in chief of ShopSmart magazine from Consumer Reports.