SG 93/24
Cosmetics are the most recalled product in Europe in 2023, followed by toys and motor vehicles. Most common risks are associated with chemicals, followed by injury and choking.
The EU Member States exchange and publish information about the recalls of dangerous products in their countries.
The number of alerts has remained stable for several years, but in 2023 rose quite significantly. In 2022, there were 2117 alerts, but in 2023 this number rose to 3412. The primary reason for this is an increase in activity by surveillance authorities, especially in relation to cosmetics.
Please find below the most frequently recalled product categories and types of risk in 2023.
Significant changes can be seen for cosmetic products in 2023. Authorities focussed controls on cosmetics and reported several kinds of perfume and creams containing chemical substances that had been banned since March 1, 2022, such as butylphenyl methylpropional (BMHCA). Where for years toys have been most recalled products, cosmetics has now taken the lead.
The General Product Safety Regulation will enter into force on December 13, 2024, and new rules will apply for the Safety Gate. The aim is to strengthen the EU surveillance rapid alert system and provide authorities with better tools to detect dangerous products, including those offered online.
Please find full details of the Annual Safety Gate Report 2023 and factsheet
SGS publishes the latest unsafe product notifications in Europe, US, Canada and Australia for free every week on its Product Recalls online platform.
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