BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - Despite a marginal decline in U.S. product recall events, the total volume of defective products recalled from five key industries surged by 25 percent in Q1 2025, according to a new report.
Sedgwick brand protection's latest U.S. Product Safety and Recall Index report says there were 775 recalls in the first quarter of this year, down from 780 in Q4 2024.
Sedgwick's quarterly Recall Index report provides a comprehensive analysis of recall data from the automotive, consumer product, food and drink, pharmaceutical, and medical device industries. The latest edition examines recall data from 2025 January through March, and offers an early look at April data. The consumer product sector experienced its most active quarter, recording 101 recalls - the highest number in 14 years. There were also quarter-over-quarter increases in the number of pharmaceutical and U.S. Department of Agriculture food recalls.
Recall activity in the automotive, medical device, and food sectors declined modestly in Q1 2025.
While the number of products recalled across all sectors surged 25 percent to 125.37 million, this was driven by increases in just two industries: pharmaceutical and food and drink under the FDA's purview. Notably, the number of food items recalled by the FDA increased 232 percent in Q1, marking the second highest volume recorded in the past two years. In contrast, there were just 3.73 million vehicles recalled during Q1 2025, the lowest quarterly total for the automotive industry since 2012.
In addition to the recall data and analysis, the Recall Index report also provides essential insights into the regulatory developments that shaped the first quarter and perspectives on what product safety stakeholders should anticipate as 2025 unfolds. Tariffs and trade emerged as cross-industry focal points and are expected to remain at the forefront as negotiations continue into Q2. The Trump Administration rescinded many regulations and policy decisions enacted under the previous administration, including those related to automobile emissions and AI regulations.
'The evolving regulatory landscape in the U.S. is creating a complex and unpredictable risk environment for businesses across the supply chain,' noted Chris Harvey, Senior Vice President of Brand Protection for Sedgwick. 'As the new administration's regulatory agenda becomes clearer, businesses may face a dual reality - experiencing regulatory rollbacks in some areas, while contending with more stringent oversight in others. Amidst regulatory and policy shifts, businesses should rely on their established and well-practiced recall and incident response plans to ensure they can weather any in-market crises.'
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