Statistics
What the archive shows
30 figures worked out from the whole archive. Each has a trace card: what is counted, from which fields, by which rule, which recalls are behind it, and how sure we are. Counts are of recall notices, not products. Read how they are worked out.
Volume & time
- INS-001 · High confidenceSize of the archive10,089 recall notices, dated 1973-06-08 to 2026-11-12.
- INS-002 · High confidenceA record year521 recalls so far in 2026: rank #1 of 54 years. Best earlier year: 2007 with 452.
- INS-003 · High confidenceRecalls per year, decade by decadeAbout 303 recalls a year from 2020 to 2025, against about 40 a year in the 1980s. (2026, still in progress, is not counted.)
- INS-004 · High confidenceRecalls are dated on Thursdays917 of 941 recalls dated since 2025 (97.4%) carry a Thursday date: 95% in 2025 and 99.4% in 2026. The other 24 fall on 8 other dates (20 Wednesdays, 2 Mondays, 1 Tuesday, 1 Friday).
- INS-005 · High confidenceBusiest single dayThe most recall notices carrying one date is 27, dated 2026-02-26.
- INS-006 · High confidenceRecalls are spread evenly across monthsEach month holds 7.4% to 8.8% of recalls dated since 2000. March is highest (8.8%) and January lowest (7.4%), a small gap.
- INS-007 · Medium confidenceRecalls announced again or widened12 of 521 recalls in 2026 (2.3%) were re-announced or expanded.
- INS-008 · High confidenceBiggest one-year jumpThe biggest one-year rise was 133 more recalls, in 2007 (319 to 452). Next: 2025 (+115).
Retail & online
- INS-011 · Medium confidenceRecalls sold on Amazon59.5% of 2026 recalls (310 of 521) were sold on Amazon, up from 28.8% in 2020 and 5% in 2010.
- INS-012 · Medium confidenceWhen Amazon passed one in four, and one in twoAmazon first reached 25% in 2020 (28.8%) and 50% in 2025 (51.2%).
- INS-013 · Medium confidenceWhere recalled products were sold: the big retailersShare of 2026 recalls naming each retailer: Amazon 59.5%, Walmart 12.1%, Target 5.6%, Home Depot 2.9%, Costco 2.1%, Best Buy 0.8%.
- INS-014 · Medium confidenceWalmart over timeWalmart appears in 12.1% of 2026 recalls, against 5.5% in 2010.
- INS-015 · Medium confidenceOnline sales86.6% of 2026 recalls mention online sales, up from 29.6% in 2010.
- INS-016 · Medium confidenceNewer marketplaces20 2026 recalls name Temu, Shein, AliExpress or TikTok Shop. Temu is first named in 2023 recalls.
- INS-017 · Medium confidenceSold in more than one big retailer10.2% of 2026 recalls (53) name two or more of the six big retailers.
Hazards & harm
- INS-025 · Medium confidenceThe most common hazardsIn 2026 the hazards named most often are Fire & burns (26.5%), Entrapment (18.2%), Falls (12.5%), Tip-over (9.2%).
- INS-026 · Medium confidenceFire and burns26.5% of 2026 recalls name a fire or burn hazard, against 30.9% in 2010.
- INS-027 · Medium confidenceLithium batteries38 of 521 2026 recalls (7.3%) mention lithium batteries: 23 name lithium-ion and 19 mention coin or button cells. In 2015 the total was 9. First mention in the archive: 2002.
- INS-028 · Medium confidenceLead recalls peaked in 2007Lead recalls peaked in 2007 with 111 (24.6% of that year's recalls). In 2026: 5.
- INS-029 · Medium confidenceTip-over hazards48 2026 recalls name a tip-over hazard (9.2%), against 5 in 2015.
- INS-030 · Medium confidenceRecalls that mention magnets28 of 521 2026 recalls (5.4%) mention magnets, the most in any year so far, up from 3 in 2015.
- INS-031 · Medium confidenceHeadline wording: 'death' became routine72.2% of 2026 recall headlines (376 of 521) include the word death, against 42.4% in 2025 and 5.2% in 2024. The change follows CPSC's wording ('Risk of Serious Injury or Death'); it does not mean more deaths.
- INS-032 · Medium confidenceRecalls that report a death3 of 521 2026 recalls (0.6%) report at least one death; 145 in the whole archive.
- INS-033 · Medium confidenceRecalls that report an injury15% of 2026 recalls (78 of 521) report at least one injury or death, against 28.7% in 2010. Another 28 are unclear.
- INS-034 · Medium confidenceRecalls issued before anyone was reported hurt79.7% of 2026 recalls (415 of 521) say no injuries had been reported when the notice was written, against 65.5% in 2010. 28 are unclear.
- INS-035 · Medium confidenceRecalls that refer to children50.9% of 2026 recalls refer to children in the headline or hazard text, against 44.5% in 2000.
Origin & firms
- INS-036 · Medium confidenceChina as a country of manufactureChina is listed as a country of manufacture for 79.9% of 2026 recalls that list a country (414 of 518), against 60.6% in 2010.
- INS-037 · Medium confidenceWhere recalled products are madeIn 2026, China (79.9%) is followed by United States (5.8%), Vietnam (3.1%), Taiwan (1.7%).