INS-031 · Hazards & harm
Headline wording: 'death' became routine
72.2% 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.
- Question it answers
- How often does the recall headline itself include the word death, and when did that start?
- What it means
- How often recall headlines include the word 'death'. Since 2025 CPSC headlines usually end 'Risk of Serious Injury or Death'.
- What it does not mean
- NOT that recalled products became more deadly, and NOT that anyone died. It measures headline wording.
- How sure
- Medium. The count is exact, but what it means depends on how CPSC words headlines, which changed.
How it was worked out
- Recalls looked at
- Recalls dated 2026
- Measure
- Headlines containing death or fatal / all recalls that year
- Fields read
Title- Rule
- Headline contains 'death', 'deaths' or 'fatal'. Share by year.
| year | matching | of | percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 5 | 305 | 1.6 |
| 2016 | 3 | 330 | 0.9 |
| 2017 | 5 | 280 | 1.8 |
| 2018 | 1 | 258 | 0.4 |
| 2019 | 8 | 241 | 3.3 |
| 2020 | 3 | 257 | 1.2 |
| 2021 | 9 | 219 | 4.1 |
| 2022 | 15 | 292 | 5.1 |
| 2023 | 17 | 324 | 5.2 |
| 2024 | 16 | 305 | 5.2 |
| 2025 | 178 | 420 | 42.4 |
| 2026 | 376 | 521 | 72.2 |
Do not say
- [percent] of recalled products can kill
- recalls are now 14 times more deadly
- [percent] of recalls involve a death
Caveats
- This measures headline wording only. It does NOT show that recalled products became more deadly.
- From 2025 CPSC headlines usually end 'Risk of Serious Injury or Death', which is standard wording for a hazard that could cause death. It does not say anyone died.
- Before 2025 the word appeared in about 1 to 5 recalls in 100.
The recalls behind it
376 recall notices are counted. The most recent:
- Boshengya Recalls Rugs Due to Risk of Serious Injury or Death from Fire Hazard; Violate Mandatory Standard for Carpets and Rugs
- Kakgold Recalls 4WD Remote-Controlled Car Toys Due to Risk of Serious Injury or Death from Battery Ingestion; Violate Mandatory Standard for
- QIOMALA Pressure Washers Recalled Due to Serious Risk of Injury or Death from Shock and Electrocution Hazards
- SHEIN Distribution Corporation Recalls Baby Rattle and Teether Toy Sets Due to Risk of Serious Injury or Death from Choking; Violate Mandato
- Arlopu Recalls Slide Playsets Due to Risk of Serious Injury and Death from Head and Neck Entrapment Hazards
Download every recall number behind this figure (JSON, key INS-031). All statistics.