As usual at this time of year, we look at product recall trends in the UK over the last year. 12 months ago we commented on the gradual upward trend in food product recalls; this year the most obvious pattern is the steep rise in recalls of electrical goods.
In fact it turns out that this rise was seen all across Europe. As well as the ongoing trend towards greater complexity of smart devices, the increase in recalls is also driven by issues related to Covid-19:
- Increasing usage of consumer electronic products during lockdowns;
- Expedited launch of new products to respond to urgent pandemic issues; and
- Supply chain problems caused by the global disruption.
Electrical product recalls are notoriously difficult, so we encourage everybody in this sector to ensure that their product recall plans are fit for purpose. PAS 7100: 2018 – Code of Practice on Consumer Product Safety Recalls and other Corrective Actions provides good practice guidance on how to do this.
