The Office for Product Safety and Standards changed the link to the latest consumer product recalls on its consumer product safety guidance so that it points to a new, searchable list of alerts, reports and recalls. The change is recorded in the page's update history for 7 April 20221.
The guidance, "Consumer products: staying safe", was first published on 29 March 2019 and lists its updates in date order. The 7 April 2022 entry reads: "Link to the latest consumer product recalls redirected to the new, searchable list of alerts, reports and recalls."1 The page carries a last updated date of 29 July 2024, reflecting later changes to other parts of the guidance1.
The same guidance sets out what the recall process involves. Where a business finds that a product it has sold represents a safety risk, it must take action to remedy the issue, which may include issuing new instructions, modifying the product, or requiring consumers to stop using the product and return it for a refund. The business must contact all the consumers it knows are affected to alert them and tell them what to do1.
On receiving an email or letter displaying words such as "Important Safety Warning" or "Product Recall", the guidance says people should check whether it relates to a product they own, take any actions it recommends, and get answers from the website shown on the notice or by calling the manufacturer, whose number should be provided in the letter or email1. To find out about new recalls, it directs readers to the list of the latest consumer product recalls1.
The guidance also covers product registration. It states that registering a product means the owner can be directly informed if there is a safety issue and get any repairs done as soon as possible, and that if a product is recalled, a refund or replacement will be arranged. It adds that people who do not register risk using unsafe products without realising it, and that second-hand products can be registered as well as new ones1.
Why it matters for households
The change affects how households reach the official list of consumer product recalls. The guidance points readers to that list as the place to find out about new recalls, and the link on the safety page now leads to the searchable version of alerts, reports and recalls1. The guidance advises people who receive a safety warning or recall notice to check whether it relates to a product they own, take any actions it recommends, and seek answers from the website shown on the notice or from the manufacturer1.
What happens next
No further changes linked to the recall list are recorded in the page's update history after 7 April 2022. Later entries cover contact details for Northern Ireland (3 October 2022), a subsection on fireworks (5 March 2024) and a link to a new page for reporting product safety issues (29 July 2024)1. Households can follow developments through the staying informed hub.
