How To Get Your Money Back If A Product Is Recalled

Recalls can be scary, especially when they involve food products. Though recalls can cost companies millions to remedy, many are issued to protect the public from harmful bacteria, diseases, or manufacturing defects. Nonetheless, dealing with recalled products can be extremely inconvenient — if not outright dangerous — for consumers. Having to go through the effort of throwing away or returning an item you already purchased can cost money and time. Luckily, in many cases, customers may be entitled to a refund or free replacement if something they bought gets recalled. Companies will often make announcements online or reach out to consumers directly then a recall is issued with instructions for how the affected customers can seek compensation, but corporations aren't the only parties involved when a recall is issued.

Food and non-food recalls are typically done voluntarily by a company when it discovers something wrong with a certain product, but the recalls themselves are managed by government agencies. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is in charge of food recalls, and provides notifications and warnings on FoodSafety.gov. It also directed one of the largest drug recalls in recent history. Meanwhile, recalls for electronics or appliances are handled by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), which also keeps a database of recalled items on its site. Whether you hear from the company responsible for the recall directly or not, checking these websites is another important step for getting your money back.

When food products are recalled, the FDA may coordinate with other agencies, including the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the manufacturer, to remove the affected items from store shelves and halt further distributions. When the agency issues the recall, it provides manufacturer instructions on FoodSafety.gov on how to handle the item. Often, customers are advised to return the product to the store where they purchased it for a refund or replacement. But in instances where it may not be safe to do so, the FDA will recommend disposing of the item, and the manufacturer might create a website where customers can request a refund. In these cases, FoodSafety.gov may provide details like the products' packaging or product codes to indicate the specific items that qualify for compensation.

When it comes to non-food item recalls, these can be more difficult to manage, especially for large items like appliances. While smaller items can be returned to stores for a refund, companies may opt to offer repair services or replacements instead of giving out cash payments. For example, when Firestone and Ford issued a large tire recall, they replaced the affected tires at no cost to the customers. But if affected consumers feel as if a company has not remedied the inconvenience of a given recall properly, they can always reach out to the manufacturere's customer service team or file a report on the CPSC's Recall Complaint Form.