Who Issues Product Recalls?
Most product recalls come from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Established in 1973, the CPSC is the primary government agency responsible for product safety. It oversees more than 15,000 types of consumer products, from coffee makers and toys to lawn mowers and fireworks. The CPSC orders a product recall when it determines that a product poses a significant risk to consumers of accident or injury. The risk could be from a defect in the recalled product or noncompliance with safety standards. For the CPSC to issue a product recall, it must conclude that the product poses a danger of causing death, injury or illness. Consumer complaints are a key way in which the CPSC learns of unsafe products. It receives more than 10,000 complaints every year, most involving an accident or injury. Unfortunately, it is able to investigate only a small number of these. However, the more complaints it receives about a product, the more likely it is to investigate. Since its creation in 1973,
Most product recalls come from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Established in 1973, the CPSC is the primary government agency responsible for product safety. It oversees more than 15,000 types of consumer products, from coffee makers and toys to lawn mowers and fireworks. The CPSC orders a product recall when it determines that a product poses a significant risk to consumers of accident or injury. The risk could be from a defect in the recalled product or noncompliance with safety standards. For the CPSC to issue a product recall, it must conclude that the product poses a danger of causing death, injury or illness. Consumer complaints are a key way in which the CPSC learns of unsafe products. It receives more than 10,000 complaints every year, most involving an accident or injury. Unfortunately, it is able to investigate only a small number of these. However, the more complaints it receives about a product, the more likely it is to investigate. Since its creation in 1973,
