Are Recalls Increasing or Decreasing Over Time?

The Short Answer: It Is Complicated

The total number of product recalls in the United States has generally increased over the past two decades, but that does not necessarily mean products are getting less safe. The increase reflects a combination of factors — better detection systems, stricter standards, expanded regulatory authority, and changes in how products are manufactured and distributed.

Better Detection Means More Recalls

One of the biggest drivers of increased recall numbers is improved testing and surveillance. Laboratories can now detect contaminants at lower levels than ever before. The FDA"s use of whole genome sequencing to identify foodborne illness outbreaks has made it possible to link scattered illness cases to a single contaminated product — connections that would have gone unnoticed a decade ago.

Similarly, adverse event reporting systems for drugs and medical devices have become more robust, making it easier to identify problems after products reach the market. More detection capability naturally leads to more recalls, even if the underlying rate of product defects has not changed.

Stricter Standards

Regulatory standards have tightened over time. The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), fully implemented in the mid-2010s, gave the FDA new authority and shifted the focus from responding to contamination to preventing it. The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) of 2008 imposed stricter requirements on children"s products. These laws did not just create new rules — they also gave agencies more tools to enforce existing ones.

When standards get stricter, products that previously passed muster may now trigger recalls. This is a sign of a stronger regulatory system, not weaker products.

Globalized Supply Chains

Products sold in the United States are increasingly manufactured overseas, often across complex supply chains involving multiple countries. This globalization has introduced quality control challenges. A drug"s active ingredient might be synthesized in one country, formulated in another, and packaged in a third before reaching a U.S. pharmacy. Each handoff introduces potential quality risks, and the FDA"s ability to inspect foreign facilities is limited by geography and resources.

What the Trend Data Shows

Food recalls have increased partly due to better pathogen detection and the addition of undeclared allergens as a major recall category. Drug recalls have seen periods of increase driven by specific issues like nitrosamine contamination. Consumer product recalls have fluctuated with the introduction of new product categories (lithium-ion batteries, e-scooters) that present novel safety challenges.

You can explore these trends yourself by browsing recalls by year on RecallDepth to see how recall volume has changed across different product categories and time periods.