Protect Yourself from Recalled Products
Recalls protect the public from products that may cause illness or injuries. A government agency or manufacturer will alert the public to take specific actions.
Some recalls ban the sale of an item and instruct you to throw away the product. Other recalls ask you to return the item for replacement or repair. The seller will replace the defective part to reduce the danger of using the product. Commonly recalled products include:
- Child safety seats
- Cosmetics
- Food
- Medication
- Toys
- Vehicles
Before you buy a product, especially for a child, find out if the manufacturer has recalled it. Visit these websites to find the latest on safety recalls:
- Recalls.gov lists recalls from federal agencies. Sign up for free email notifications on recalls.
- NHTSA.gov publishes safety information on vehicles and equipment, such as children's car seats.
- FSIS.USDA.gov lists meat, sausage, poultry, and processed egg product recalls.
- FDA.gov lists food recalls (non-meat products, fruits, vegetables, seafood, shelled eggs, and infant formulas), medicines, medical devices, cosmetics, biologics, radiation-emitting products, veterinary drugs, and pet food.
- Foodsafety.gov publishes food recalls from across the government.
Reporting Safety Concerns
The government accepts complaints about unsafe and mislabeled products.
- FoodSafety.gov directs you to the correct agency to report unsafe food products, such as pet food and food sold in restaurants.
- Meat, poultry, and eggs are inspected by the Food Safety Inspection Service, part of the Agriculture Department. Report issues to the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-674-6854, or submit a report online to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service.
- Other food products are inspected by the Food and Drug Administration. Contact them with questions or complaints at 1-888-723-3366.
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration accepts complaints about defective vehicles and car accessories.
SaferProducts.gov allows you to report incidents and safety concerns with consumer products. You can also read about incidents reported by other people.
