With advances being made in the identification of product defects, the rate at which product recalls are issued is getting higher and higher. But with so many recalls being disseminated, could we be running the risk that consumers are becoming jaded and thus ignoring the very recalls meant to keep them safe?
That’s what some people are starting to believe. According to a new report, both product manufacturers and regulators alike are concerned that the public, caught in a deluge of recalled products, might end up ignoring some recalls or just not being able to sift through the massive torrent of information to uncover the item that they themselves might own.
According to an official with Iowa Consumer Protection, certain recalls get more play than others do, with automobiles often drawing the most attention. Products that may have only minor issues usually have to be sought out, and they don’t attain the media exposure that more widespread or serious recalls might.
In order to preserve public safety, many retailers have developed detailed recall plans that can involve Facebook, Twitter, and more traditional communication methods like phone calls and in-store flyers. A Midwest grocer known as Hy-Vee typically posts information to their website but then follows up by posting notices within their stores. Costco compiles purchaser card data to determine who has bought a recalled product and then uses this to send a notice directly to the consumer.
It might seem like there’s a lot of recalls out there, but most agree that a deluge of information is better than simply not reporting a recall at all.