Civil Rights
Block on Trump's Asylum Ban Upheld by Supreme Court
A new study suggests child safety recalls are ineffective. Only 10% of children's products are returned or repaired following child safety recalls, according to a new report by Kids in Danger (KID), a Chicago-based children's safety advocacy group.
The government makes announcements but product owners either don't hear about it or they don't respond, according to Nancy Cowles, KID's executive director, USA Today reports.
But others contend a low recall rate doesn't necessarily equate to an ineffective recall.
Here are three reasons child product recalls are ineffective, according to the study:
Vallese claims the KID study's findings are misleading. As you may know, a recall is a refund, repair, or replacement. Companies may select which of the three remedies to select. But Vallese says when it comes to products concerning child safety, consumers might be taking matters into their own hands.
"Return rates for products are a poor indicator of recall effectiveness since a variety of factors affect how consumers decide to respond," says Vallese, a former spokeswoman for the Consumer Product Safety Commission. "Many products may no longer be in use or have already been disposed of by consumers."
Although the study's findings may be uncertain, the lesson is clear: consumers should take child product recalls seriously. Whether you decide to toss the product yourself or take advantage of recall remedies, try to stay in the know of recall efforts. For starters, consider signing up for consumer protection alerts.
Related Resources: