Fewer Recalls, More Units: Why 2025’s Recall Trends Signal Greater Liability For Manufacturers
The 2025 recall data is showing something a bit unexpected. There are fewer total recalls being reported thus far — but oddly, the number of units involved in each recall has gone way up. Close to 25% more by some estimates. That’s not a small shift. It means that even if defects aren’t being flagged as often, when they are, they’re affecting a lot more people at once. For someone injured by one of these products, that scale could make it easier to show a wider failure. For companies, it’s not just bad optics — it usually points to deeper issues, such as missed quality checks, weak supplier controls, or gaps in oversight that didn’t show up until it was too late.
Why fewer recalls are affecting more consumers
Modern manufacturing and distribution models are a big part of why recalls are affecting more units per event. Companies now depend on global supply chains, centralized production hubs, and interchangeable components used across many different products. So, when one part fails, it doesn’t just impact a single item. It can show up in:
- several models
- different versions of the same product
- multiple brands owned by the same parent company
- inventory sold through many retail channels
That kind of overlap turns a single defect into a large-scale recall, often spanning entire product categories. Fewer recalls get issued, but when they do, the reach is significantly broader, and legal exposure grows with it.
Legal implications for manufacturers and importers
When a recall hits millions of units, it usually means something bigger went wrong. Not just a one-off defect — it’s often baked into the design itself. A mistake early on was overlooked. Maybe the company didn’t test it right. Or maybe they did, but it wasn’t close enough to how people actually use it. It varies.
Courts generally don’t look kindly on that kind of scale. The more units affected, the harder it is to claim it was unexpected. At that point, judges often assume it could have been caught. Should have, maybe. And just because a supplier overseas may have made the part, it won’t matter much here. U.S. law still tends to hold the brand (or the importer) on the hook. Distance doesn’t make liability disappear.
Why retailers face greater liability too
Major retailers — especially national chains and large online platforms — can’t rely on distance from the manufacturer as a shield anymore. In large-scale recalls, they’re now expected to act fast. That means tracking CPSC alerts as they come out, pulling affected products from both shelves and websites, and getting recall notices into the hands of people who already bought the item. It also means documenting every step they take, because they’ll need to show it later.
If a retailer keeps selling a product after a known defect comes to light — or skips notifying buyers altogether — they may be on the hook separately. Not just the seller, but for failing to warn. And with recalls getting bigger, that kind of lapse can affect thousands of people, which only raises the odds of being pulled into litigation.
Talk to a Florida Product Liability Attorney Today
Halpern, Santos & Pinkert represent the interests of Florida residents who were injured by a dangerous or defective product. Call our Florida personal injury lawyers today to schedule an appointment, and we can begin discussing your next steps right away.
