Set up by the DGCCRF, the RappelConso site lists products presenting a risk to consumer health, with alerts relayed on Twitter. To be consulted regularly, even if it is perfectible.
Kinder (Ferrero), Buitoni (Nestlé), Graindorge (Lactalis), salmonella, listeria, histamine, e-coli… In recent weeks, recall campaigns for food products identified as potentially dangerous for consumers have made headlines. news. In case of doubt, the good reflex is ReminderConso. Still little known, this official portal was set up in the spring of 2021 by the DGCCRF (General Directorate for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Prevention). Even if it is not the only one of its kind, RappelConso wants to be “the single site for dangerous product alerts”, by listing all the products that pose a risk to the health or safety of consumers. At this time, 5426 product references are the subject of a recall, the vast majority of which (4466) are food products. In the electronic departmentthe fishing is (fortunately), meager (but is it exhaustive?), the site only listing smartphone chargers or USB adapters.
On RappelConso, it is possible to find information in two ways: either by directly entering the reference of a product in the search bar, or by consulting all the references present on the site, classified into categories (Food, Automobile , Baby-Children, Hygiene-Beauty, Clothing-Fashion, Sports-Leisure, Home-Habitat, Electrical appliances, etc.).
For each productthe RappelConso site communicates the name, the brand, the reason for the recall, a photo of the product, the identification (batch number and expiry date), the packaging, the list of distributors, the risks incurred by the consumer, advice on what to do with the product concerned, a contact number, advice on obtaining reimbursement, if applicable, press releases from the brands, as well as the date and end of the recall procedure.
Recalls of dangerous products: information to be improved
Note: if RappelConso concerns food and non-food products, it does not refer to drugs or medical devices. This type of product recall must be declared to theNational Medicines Safety Agency (ANSM) under specific procedures. As a reminder, in the event of product recalls, the retail chains, manufacturers and brands responsible for these malfunctions are obliged to inform both the public authorities and the general public, directly by in-store display, via the media (press, radio) via their website, or on social networks. Unfortunately, in many cases, the information does not reach the people concerned.
If the setting up of the RappelConso site constitutes an excellent element of public awareness, this official portal still suffers to this day from a certain lack of notoriety even though it should be a natural point of information for consumers. Thus, if the Twitter account of RappelConso currently has 4,399 tweets, it only has 22,700 subscribers, which is not a lot. It also suffers from an austere – not to say outdated – and impractical interface, as evidenced by the slowness of its search engine.
Fortunately, organizations and associations defending the interests of consumers are taking over, like 60 million consumers and of theUFC-What to choose who update their pages dedicated to recalls of dangerous, non-compliant or defective products daily. But the State should lead by example with an information system and a site worthy of the name… and consumer safety!
