Regularly, commercial products are withdrawn from sale because they present a sometimes fatal danger. So get into the habit of consulting this little-known site to avoid using them: it could even save your life one day!
Despite the regulations and controls put in place, dangerous products sometimes circulate within the distribution chain. Whether it is foodstuffs containing bacteria, electrical appliances with a manufacturing defect, toys with toxic components, solutions not respecting dosage limits… An error quickly happens! And when manufacturers, distributors or authorities notice the problem, it is sometimes already too late, and the products are already in our homes, in our fridge, or even in the hands of our children. And then it’s difficult to contact all the customers who bought them.
Also, the Government implemented in 2021 Consumption reminder, a site for reporting products presenting risks or malfunctions. Its scope is very broad, since it extends to all recalls of “general public” products, food or not, likely to be purchased by consumers. Recalls of medications and medical devices are, however, not affected, since they are published by the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (ANSM).
For each product recall, you will find a lot of information on the site: the photo of the product, its brand, its batch number if applicable, the distributor and the geographical area concerned, the cause of the recall and the risks involved, as well as the procedure to follow if you have the recalled product at home. The information available on the site is also open and made available with free access (open data). The reasons for recall are more or less serious, ranging from a labeling problem to the presence of bacteria or toxic substances, including the possible presence of foreign bodies, risks of external injuries or even the ingestion of small elements.
For example, USB chargers marketed by Ikea throughout France are currently being recalled, which have “Risk of burns and electric shock caused by wear and tear on the power cable that occurs when it is wrapped around the charger or repeatedly bent”. Depending on the intensity of the electric shock, the duration of exposure and the general health of the victim, this small object can be fatal. The site has also launched a recall for numerous batches of cheeses (morbier, raclette, tomme, etc., under different brands and presentations) manufactured by Route des Terroirs and likely to be contaminated by the shigatoxigenic Escherichia coli bacteria.
Some reminders are relayed by the media, but this is not always the case, given that there are several per day – and you still have to come across the article or the announcement! We also advise you to regularly take a look at the site, available at https://rappel.conso.gouv.fr, to ensure that you do not keep products recognized as dangerous in your home. Over the last two years alone, 8,000 products have been recalled, including food products, but also clothing, hygiene products, electrical appliances, jewelry… You can never be too careful!