SGS, the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company, is keeping stakeholders informed about recent data released from the European Union (EU) Safety Gate, formerly RAPEX – the rapid alert system for dangerous non-food products.
According to 2021 data, toys were the second most recalled product category in the EU, behind motor vehicles. In total, 2,142 alerts were recorded, of which 26% related to motor vehicles, 20% toys, 9% electrical appliances and equipment, 9% jewelry and 8% personal protective equipment (PPE). It is interesting to note that 6% of recalls were for protective masks, a consequence of the need for PPE in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The five risk types most commonly found in Safety Gate alerts in 2021 were:
- Injuries – 32%
- Chemical – 25%
- Fire – 11%
- Choking – 10%
- Electric shock – 10%
Stakeholders can access and subscribe to weekly alerts via the EU Safety Gate website.
In recent years, the number of alerts has remained comparatively stable. In 2020, the total number was 2,253, with toys at 27% of notifications and motor vehicles at 21%.
The European Commission encourages industry best practice with the launch of the Product Safety Awards for companies that ‘go the extra mile’ in terms of innovation and product safety.
SGS Product Recalls
SGS is committed to providing stakeholders with the latest news concerning product recalls from around the world. SGS sends a list of the latest unsafe product notifications in Europe, the US, Canada and Australia every week on the Product Recalls online platform. EU and US statistics are also published quarterly on Product Recall Trends. This information is also distributed with the SafeGuardS. To learn more about SGS Product Recalls.
SGS SafeGuardS keep you up to date with the latest news and developments in the consumer goods industry. Read the full EU 2021 Safety Gate Product Recalls Report SafeGuardS.
Subscribe here to receive SGS SafeGuardS direct to your inbox.
For further information contact:
Sanda Stefanovic
Toys Business Development
Tel: +31651541290
Email: crs.media@sgs.com
Website: www.sgs.com/hardlines
LinkedIn: sgs-consumer-goods-&-retail
About SGS
We are SGS – the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company. We are recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. Our 96,000 employees operate a network of 2,600 offices and laboratories, working together to enable a better, safer and more interconnected world.