Sedgwick releases 2026 State of the Nation U.S. Product Safety and Recall Index report
MEMPHIS, Tenn., Feb. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — U.S. product recall activity increased in 2025, with both the frequency of recall events and volume of defective units rising year-over-year. According to Sedgwick’s 2026 State of the Nation U.S. Product Safety and Recall Index report, a total of 3,295 recalls were recorded across the five industries analyzed, up slightly from 3,232 in 2024. For context, only three years in the past decade have recorded a higher number. The increase in defective units was more significant, rising 26% from 681 million in 2024 to 858 million units in 2025.
Sedgwick’s quarterly Product Safety and Recall Index report provides in-depth analysis of recall activity across the automotive, consumer products, food and drink, pharmaceutical, and medical device sectors. This special State of the Nation edition offers a comprehensive year-in-review analysis of 2025 recall data and product safety trends, as well as a deeper dive into fourth quarter developments and data.
For the full year, the consumer products, food and drink, and pharmaceutical sectors all experienced higher recall volumes than in 2024. Notably, the consumer products industry recorded its highest annual total in over a decade. Both the medical device and automotive industries saw modest declines in recall activity of 8% and 6%, respectively.
In terms of defective units, the pharmaceutical, food and drink, and medical device sectors experienced year-over-year increases, while the consumer products and automotive industries saw declines. Defective automotive units fell to an 11-year low.
In addition to recall data and analysis, the State of the Nation Product Safety and Recall Index report delivers essential insights into the regulatory developments that shaped 2025 and perspectives on what product safety stakeholders should anticipate for 2026. There were considerable changes in 2025 as the Trump Administration established and advanced new regulatory priorities and shifted how policy changes are implemented. Both penalties—in the form of tariffs—and incentives were used to encourage companies to shift production facilities to the U.S. or increase existing operations.
Conducting effective product recalls was also an important topic across several industries in 2025. Regulators reminded stakeholders of their responsibilities and issued heavy fines—and in one instance prison sentences—for delays in reporting product defects.
Department secretaries made sweeping changes to long-standing policies around trade and health. That trend will likely continue in 2026. Key areas of focus include trade and tariffs, increasing domestic manufacturing across multiple industries, lowering the prices of pharmaceuticals, reducing regulations viewed as burdensome to business, and easing environmental restrictions.
“Despite shifting priorities and policy changes, product safety remains at the core of U.S. regulatory activities,” said Chris Harvey, Senior Vice President for Sedgwick. “Regulators across industries are looking to increase oversight, improve the effectiveness of product recalls, and expand post market responsibilities beyond just the manufacturer. By prioritizing both safety and compliance, organizations can protect consumers, uphold their reputations, and thrive amid ongoing change.”
To download the 2026 State of the Nation U.S. Product Safety and Recall Index report, click here.
Sedgwick publishes its Product Safety and Recall Index every quarter. It is the only report that aggregates and tracks recall data across multiple government agencies and industries to help stakeholders respond to the regulatory environment, product recalls, and other in-market challenges. For more information, visit www.sedgwick.com/product-recall.
About Sedgwick
Sedgwick is the world’s leading risk and claims administration partner, helping clients thrive by navigating the unexpected. The company’s expertise, combined with the most advanced AI-enabled technology available, sets the standard for solutions in claims administration, loss adjusting, benefits administration and product recall. With over 33,000 colleagues and 10,000 clients across 80 countries, Sedgwick provides unmatched perspective, caring that counts, and solutions for the rapidly changing and complex risk landscape. Sedgwick’s majority shareholder is The Carlyle Group; Stone Point Capital LLC, Altas Partners, CDPQ, Onex and other management investors are minority shareholders. For more, see sedgwick.com.
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SOURCE Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Inc.
