Nonprofit dedicated to protecting children releases report on recall effectiveness

A new report has consumer safety advocates warning about the reality of recalls.

Advocates are now calling on companies and federal safety officials to do a better job of protecting our children from dangerous products.

From tipping furniture to water beads and magnetic toys, recalls are designed to save lives and protect kids from injury. But how many products are actually removed as a result?

"And how many remain in homes and childcare facilities that still pose a threat and hazard to children?" asked Dev Gowda, deputy director of KID.

According to Kids in Danger's newly released report, only 36% of the monthly progress reports that companies are mandated to submit to the government after recall are sufficient.

"A lot of that data is incomplete, missing or redacted," said Gowda.

Of those reports that Kids in Danger was able to analyze, only 22% of recalled children's products are actually returned, replaced, or repaired.

"A reason is that consumers may not even know about a recall or that the remedy is insufficient," said Gowda.

Kids in Danger surveyed parents and caregivers and found they are more likely to share information about a recall if they're able to get a full refund or a replacement rather than a repair.

"So we also feel that companies should provide adequate remedies for recalls, which include a full refund or a different product," said Gowda.

Kids in Danger is also calling on companies and the CPSC to do a better job of alerting the public about recalls by contacting consumers multiple times and in multiple ways.

"Companies spend a lot of money advertising products to consumers and we're calling on those companies to do a similar job of advertising the recalls to get those products out of homes."

Kids in Danger is also calling on the government to increase outreach and communication about recalls and to push companies to provide more accurate and adequate monthly progress reports accessible to the public.

The CPSC says it also urges companies to directly notify consumers and promote recalls through paid digital advertising. It also says it sends direct weekly consumer emails and posts on social media. Consumers can sign up to receive regular recall information.

KID Design Safety Toolkit - free online course to educate children's product developers to take design safety into account during the design process and take potential hazards out of the product before it's put on the market.

Full statement from Consumer Product Safety Commission

"Direct notice to consumers is by far the most effective means of achieving recall response. CPSC urges companies to directly notify all known consumers about recalls whenever possible, and to conduct robust public outreach to promote product recalls. This includes not just posting the recall on their social media accounts once, but also promoting the recall through paid digital advertising. This type of outreach will help people see a recall notice and get dangerous products out of consumer's homes.

This fiscal year, CPSC is on-track to issue a record number of recalls and safety warnings about hazardous products, and we promote these notices in multiple ways, including through direct weekly consumer emails, press releases to media, social media posts across all our platforms - with all releases available in English and Spanish.

CPSC would welcome additional resources to support its outreach efforts, but we are committed to using every tactic in our toolbox to protect consumers from product hazards."