Warehouse
U.S. product recalls increased in both frequency and volume in 2025, according to a new report from Sedgwick.
Last year saw 3,295 recalls across the five industries Sedgwick analyzed, up from 3,232 in 2024. The number of defective units also increased to 858 million units, up 26% from 681 million in 2024.
Recall events were up for consumer products, food and drink, and pharmaceuticals. Consumer products saw the highest number of recalls in 18 years, and food and drink recalls were the highest in the last nine years. But both the medical device and automotive sectors had fewer recalls, down 7.6% and 6.1% respectively.
In volume of recalls, USDA food recalls hit an 11-year high, up 239% from 2024 with 67.57 million pounds of food recalled. There were 490.23 million medical devices recalled, the second-highest number of units in the past 20 years.
Pharmaceutical recall volumes were up 140.2%. The automotive sector, however, hit a 13-year low for recall volume, with 27.42 million units impacted.
Leadership changes, budget cuts and shifting regulatory priorities introduced by the Trump administration created uncertainty for many regulatory agencies. Tariff policies across multiple industries also influenced supply chains.
But enforcement was still up, according to Sedgwick, with regulators issuing heavy fines and even prison sentences for delays in reporting product defects.
"Despite shifting priorities and policy changes, product safety remains at the core of U.S. regulatory activities," said Chris Harvey, senior vice president for Sedgwick, in a statement. "Regulators across industries are looking to increase oversight, improve the effectiveness of product recalls and expand post market responsibilities beyond just the manufacturer. By prioritizing both safety and compliance, organizations can protect consumers, uphold their reputations and thrive amid ongoing change."
Photo credit: Aleksandr Shyripa/Adobe Stock
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