The number of units affected by FDA food recalls skyrocketed more than 700%, largely due to three events involving children's supplements. (Credit: iStockphoto / Monticelllo)
With nearly 1.5 billion products impacted across industries, 2022 saw a record-setting number of units recalled in the U.S., according to Sedgwick, which found 2023 is shaping up to see 1 billion units recalled as well.
The increase this past year was primarily driven by recalls in the food and pharmaceutical sectors, which both saw the number of units impacted reach a 10-year high, according to Sedgwick. In food, the total number of units recalled reached 416.9 million, 24.9% higher than the previous record. The total number of units recalled in the pharmaceutical sector hit 567.3 million, which is 39% higher than the previous record.
During 2022, food units impacted by recalls from the FDA saw an eye-popping 700.6% increase, according to Sedgwick. This was driven mainly by three events involving children's supplements that were all caused by the same manufacturer. The events also made supplements the top product category by volume for food recalls in the final quarter of 2022.
For 2023, the FDA plans to overall the food side of the agency, placing policy and regulation under one deputy commissioner. Sedgwick reported manufacturers and suppliers should monitor the situation closely for regulatory or policy changes.
Additionally, the consumer products segment will see increased regulatory oversight from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which saw a number of headline-grabbing penalties.
"The year ahead will likely be characterized by the same strict regulatory enforcement that all industries saw in 2022," Chris Harvey, Sedgwick senior vice president of brand protection, said in a release. "Regulators have now fully returned to pre-pandemic levels of activity and are making up for lost time with a steady slate of long-awaited guidelines and modernizations to existing regulations. Businesses will face the tough challenge of remaining agile with their operations to accommodate new regulations, while simultaneously anticipating and preparing for potential economic and geopolitical issues."
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